London: Glorious Gardens

Round & About

March 9, 2019April 12, 2019

With spring bursting into life, there can be no better time to get out and enjoy what’s on offer in some of the finest gardens you’re ever likely to see.

savill gardens

(Englefield Green, TW20 0UJ)
Everything is coming to life, pay a visit to daffodil valley in The Valley Gardens and Spring Wood at the Savill Garden and marvel at the magnolias, rhododendrons and azaleas. Birds are nesting so watch out for fledglings as they start to take flight. You may even be lucky enough to see young deer taking their first steps in Deer Park too.

Cliveden

(near Maidenhead, SL1 8NS)
The six-acre parterre is bursting at the seams with 21,000 spring bedding plants filling the 16 central triangular beds. Elsewhere, 11,000 polyanthus will create a carpet of colour combining with the box hedging and topiary of this unique garden. The oriental inspired water garden is awash with dusky pink of flowering blossom and creamy-white magnolias forming stunning reflections in the water.

Basildon Park

(near Reading, RG8 9NR)
Yellow is the predominant colour at Basildon with the grounds sprayed with buttercups and daffodils. Choose one of the four paths to walk and admire violets, cowslip, cherry blossom and primroses. Further on you’ll find a sea of bluebells leaving you spoilt for choice when it comes to taking photographs.

runnymede & ankerwycke

(near Old Windsor, SL4 2JL)
As nature awakens, a flush of new life spreads over the historic hills and waters of Runnymede. Riverside willows are the first to put on their springtime greenery. Blackthorn blossom helps create a sense of new life all along the riverside. Spring arrives in the form of ancient woodland flowers. Patches of bluebells, lesser celandines, dog’s mercury and wood anemones create a magical atmosphere in the protected woodland.

dorneywood garden

(near Burnham, SL1 8PY)
1930s-style garden, with herbaceous borders, cottage garden and lily pond. Dorneywood is traditionally the country residence of a senior member of the Government and was given to the National Trust. The house re-opens in April. Booking essential if you wish to visit. Email [email protected]

claremont

(near Esher, KT10 9JG)
Spring offers the chance to stroll through corridors of rhododendrons, feed tiny goslings, and make the most of the longer days, spot swathes of these regal purple flowers springing up throughout the garden. Take a stroll along the lake and up past the ha-ha wall during April to witness the seasonal display of bluebells at its very best. Swathes of daffodils first herald the new season, with camellias, cherries, azaleas and rhododendrons soon following suit.

hatchlands park

(near Guildford, GU4 7RT)
From blossom to bluebells, the grounds here are coming out of their winter hibernation and as with other properties are awash with yellows and blues. The woodland hedgerows are lit up with blackthorn blossom while later in the spring expect to see the wildflower meadow in full bloom just as the bluebell wood is going over.

clandon park

(near Guildford, GU4 7RQ)
As the rebuilding process continues after the devastating fire in April 2015, visitors can enjoy the magnificent sight of the park in springtime with the grounds carpeted in yellow. A pictorial trail will guide you through the garden, using historic images to take you through the years comparing past and present perspectives.

Polesden lacey

(near Dorking, RH5 6BD)
Prepare to be greeted by delicate white snowdrops, trumpet-like daffodils in all shades of yellow, orange and cream and bluebells at Polesden Lacey and the wider estate. Enjoy walks surrounded by colour whatever the weather.

old waterfield

(Ascot, SL5 7LJ)
Operating as part of the National Open Garden Scheme, this house is set in four acres between Ascot Heath and Windsor Great Park. Open from 1st April to 31st October, the garden has been developed and extended over the past few years and offers herbaceous borders, meadow with specimen trees, large vegetable garden, orchard and mixed hedging. Vistors are welcome by arrangement for groups of 10 to 25. Admission £4.50 adults, children free. For more information contact the owner Catherine Stevenson at [email protected]

Pictures: National Trust

Have a look at our Thames Valley and Surrey gardens if you’re thinking of going further afield

Surrey: Glorious Gardens

Round & About

March 9, 2019March 6, 2019

With spring bursting into life, there can be no better time to get out and enjoy what’s on offer in some of the finest gardens you’re ever likely to see.

Polesden lacey

hatchlands park

Winkworth arboretum

(Godalming, GU8 4AD)
This is a true paradise for garden lovers as the arboretum really comes to life in spring with magnolia blooms joining cherry blossom and drifts of bluebells. If you’re visiting in April, the azalea walk is a mass of colour along the path to the boathouse overlooking the lake.

clandon park

leith hill

(near Dorking, RH5 6LU)
Rhododendron Wood will be alight with azaleas as well as rhododendrons, expect to see bush after bush of the big showy flowers. The rare, pink flowers are a sign spring is here. Other specimens will be showing their colours from April through to June. The hour-long Rhododendron Wood walk is an easy pathway through the colourful surroundings.

RHS garden wisley

(Woking, GU23 6QB)
Colour builds daily at Wisley, yellow daffodils and pale pink cherry blossom are already providing the perfect backdrop for a walk in the gardens. Carpets of crocuses will brighten up even the chilliest of days and the bright pinks and reds of the banks of camellias are sure to catch your eye on the hill. The top terrace will be lit up with 15,000 tulips in pink, purple, yellow and lilac.

ramster gardens

(Chiddingfold, GU8 4SN)
Opening in spring from 16th March, you can discover more than 25 acres of woodland, lake views and hillside, filled with colour. The gardens are known for their rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias as well as many rare and unusual trees and flowering shrubs.

painshill

(Cobham, KT11 1JE)
All the lengthy preparation for spring has paid off and the gardens at Painshill are now waking up to swathes of snowdrops, dazzling daffodils and beautiful bluebells. As with many of the gardens featured, Painshill will be offering afternoon tea for Mother’s Day. Enjoy this in the 18th century walled garden amid seasonal colours as you tuck into finger sandwiches, mini scones, cakes and tea or Prosecco.

savill gardens

petworth

(West Sussex, GU28 9LR)
In the spring meadows of the Pleasure Grounds you can expect to see snowdrops, cyclamen as well as bluebells, daffodils, and Snake Head Fritillary popping up through the next few months.Tulips will be one of the stars of the show throughout the grounds with thier distinctive bell-shaped heads popping up a variety of colours.

gilbert white house

(Selbourne, GU34 3JH )
Visitors to this secret Hampshire garden can marvel at the quirky features, glorious vistas and creative planting which are delightful whatever the season or weather but spring really is spectacular! Starting off with snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils in March, cherry blossom in April and a sumptuous wildflower meadow in May, they are the perfect complement to the hahas, herb garden, kitchen garden and six quarters.

Pictures: National Trust

Have a look at our London and Thames Valley gardens if you’re thinking of going further afield.

Glorious Gardens

Round & About

March 9, 2019March 6, 2019

With spring bursting into life, there can be no better time to get out and enjoy what’s on offer in some of the finest gardens you’re ever likely to see.

The bright patches of colour showing through after the grey of winter are a welcome sight, guaranteed to raise the spirits and none more so than those offered from the beautiful gardens in the area. Carpets of seasonal snowdrops and daffodils cover much of the grounds with swathes of blooms in all hues just beginning to break through.

CHOOSE YOUR AREA:

Pictures: National Trust

Henley hits a high!

Round & About

March 7, 2019March 7, 2019

As the UK’s only black-tie festival, Henley Festival, between 10^th and 14^th July is glamour personified, offering Michelin-starred food, award winning comedians, critically acclaimed artists and the biggest names in popular, world, jazz and classical music.

Many festival goers arrive by boat, and the green lawns of the festival are transformed into a Great Gatsby vision, as black tie clad revellers spill across the festival site, champagne in hand, while fireworks explode overhead.

Established 37 years ago as a classical music charity event, Henley Festival continues to be run on a not for profit basis supporting charitable projects at both a national and local level. This year grants from the festival will go to two charities. Dedicated to supporting young people with depression, and encouraging discussions around mental health, the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust was set up in memory of a young man who took his own life whilst suffering from depression. The Teenage Wilderness Trust supports students who find it difficult to engage with mainstream education by offering reengagement courses using bush craft, wilderness learning techniques and practical life skills to encourage students to get back into learning.

Pop icon and mega star Boy George will open the festival on Wednesday 10^th July night. Universally recognised as one of the music scenes most iconic artists Boy George was recently presented with the Ivor Novello lifetime achievement award.The new-wave legend will bring his extravagant showmanship to Henley to kick start UK’s most dazzling festival weekend of the year.

On the Thursday night, multi-platinum selling artist Jessie J will return for the first concert of a three-year retrospective bringing back some of Henley Festival’s most popular artists. On Friday night, the festival audience are in for a treat as Brit Award and Ivor Novello-winning songwriting sensation Tom Odell takes to the floating stage. In a Henley Festival first, Friday night’s performance by Tom Odell will be followed by a DJ set on the floating stage by the legendary Jo Whiley! Bringing you all the best tracks from the greatest decade for music, think Blur vs Oasis, Fatboy Slim, Primal Scream, The Verve, The Chemical Brothers, Faithless, The Prodigy and a whole lot more.

If you love Mamma Mia! Saturday night is for you, as Henley Festival welcomes the internationally acclaimed BJÖRN AGAIN show. Designed as a rocked-up light-hearted satirical ABBA spoof, the show rapidly achieved world-wide Cult status and acknowledged for singlehandedly initiating the ABBA revival which brought about ABBA Gold, Muriel’s Wedding and Mamma Mia! Hailed as “the closest thing you can get to seeing ABBA” by Benny Anderson himself, this brilliant band will bring the party and leave you with very sore feet! Henley Festival is delighted to announce that Classic FM’s popular film music programme Saturday Night at the Movies will be brought to life with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra directed by Pete Harrison, with guest soloists Johanna Röhrig (violin), Oliver Poole (piano) presented by popular Classic FM presenter Aled Jones. This special showcase will be filled with popular classical music used in iconic films from the past 50 years together with some of the greatest Oscar-winning original soundtracks.

The 2019 comedy line-up is set to be bigger and better than ever, with the likes of Ed Byrne, Andy Hamilton, Julian Clary and Murray Lachlan-Young among the biggest names of the 20 comedians performing at this year’s Festival. The comedy line up will also include a very special performance by the Richard Herring who will be recording the show for his podcast with Barry Cryer. One of Britain’s favourite comedians Julian Clary will also be bringing his jaw-achingly funny show to Henley. Brit pop era gem, stand up performer and poet Murray Lachlan-Young will present his latest stand up brilliance at Henley. After performing with the likes of Dita vo Teese and The Pretenders, Lachlan-Young’s set is not to be missed. In addition, up and coming comics including Vikki Stone, Kai Samra, Steve Bugeja and Luke Kempner will also be keeping audiences entertained.

Henley Festival’s very own Jazz Club in the stunning Spiegel Tent offers dining and live jazz music before and after the main headline act. Hailed as one of UK’s supreme boogie piano players after working with heavy weights such as The Rolling Stones and Chuck Berry, The Ben Waters Quartet will open Henley’s Jazz Club on Wednesday night with his delicious melting pot of musical influences. On Thursday night, The Dime Notes will bring their blues-drenched 1920s style New Orleans Jazz to Henley.

And there are loads more highlights including world and folk music in the Bedouin tent, Afrosamba are a Brazilian band covering styles such as Afro Brazilian Jazz, Samba and Bossa Nova.

Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett MBE will return to Henley Festival 2019 to run Europe’s biggest field restaurant, creating a bespoke menu exclusively for Henley, at the Riverside Restaurant. Angela Hartnett’s astonishingly creative, flawlessly executed dishes focus on purity of flavour and reverence for ingredients. A festival for food lovers, Henley caters for all tastes offering a huge number of restaurants and pop ups from street food to fine dining. Restaurant’s popping up at the festival will include Garden Bistro by Jimmy Garcia, Game Keeper, Halloumi Guys, BBQ Club and Snob Lobster, Hotel Chocolat, Jessecco Prosecco, Tonbo Japanese Kitchen and many more.

Artist duo Mike Blow and Alison Ballard will bring their unique British Arts Council backed audio visual installation Colony to the festival. Consisting of seven large spherical, sonic sculptures, the installation allow the audience to experience the physicality of sound through listening, touching, and hugging. Sculpture artists Brendon Hesmondhalgh and Laura Jane Wylder will also provide major works that will be placed around the festival site in addition to a plethora of galleries taking part in this year’s festival.

And there are loads more highlights including world and folk music in the Bedouin tent, Afrosamba are a Brazilian band covering styles such as Afro Brazilian Jazz, Samba and Bossa Nova.

And while the festival is an adult only event, Sunday daytime sees the festival turned into a huge playground for families and kids of all ages, with activities and entertainers, who captivate and enchant. 2019’s Family Sunday offers balloon making, glitter tattoos, music lessons, comedy for kids, toddler disco, choir performances. Comedian Murray Lachlan-Young will also be bringing his special performance of Modern Cautionary Tales for Children to Henley and Turn Around Theatre will be presenting the tale of The Thief, Fox and The Phoenix at the festival.

Visit their official site for more information

Shop of Secrets

Round & About

March 6, 2019April 12, 2019

The Shop of Secrets is set to cast its spell over Harry Potter fans

Harry Potter fans will be familiar with many of Oxford’s famous sights featuring in the blockbuster films and now there’s a new sight set to cast its spell.

Souvenirs and sweet treats galore will be just some of the charms for visitors at the new Shop of Secrets in historic Broad Street.

And you only have a few days to wait – the shop devoted to the boy wizard and the Fantastic Beasts opens for the first time on Saturday, 9th March.

Magical treasures galore will be on sale with staff dressed as some of the characters from the films.

The Shop of Secrets will be selling a wide range of collectibles including adult and children’s costumes, wands, hats, scarves, some of the original books as well as memorabilia books, and replica props including the famous sorting hat and Lucius Malfoy’s walking stick.

Visitors will also be able to discover some of the weird and wonderful sweets from the Harry Potter films including jelly slugs, chocolate frogs and Bertie Botts every flavour beans.

Co-owner of The Shop of Secrets, Sally Moss, who has run Oxford Campus Stores on Broad Street since 1996, says: “After the huge popularity of Harry Potter and its well-known filming locations in the city, we introduced a range of Harry Potter collectibles which were a hit with tourists and local customers alike.

“With another popular JK Rowling series, the Fantastic Beasts, our range has grown to a point where we needed a space devoted to it all. We had previously been running The Buttery Cafe next door but sadly due to rents more than doubling in the last 10 years, it was no longer a viable business, but has now become home to our exciting new gift shop.

“We can’t wait to welcome our old and new customers to our very own chamber of secrets!”

The first 100 people through the door will receive a bottle of Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer and there will also be a Harry Potter quiz to test your knowledge. The lucky winner will get to fly off with a replica Hogwarts gown and wand from their favourite house at Hogwarts.

Why not take a tour of the locations featured in the films and visit Bodleian Library which featured in The Philosopher’s Stone; New College whose cloisters appeared in The Goblet of Fire and Christ Church which starred in both The Philosopher’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets.

Pancake Day!

Round & About

March 5, 2019March 6, 2019

Follow our easy recipe and then make any day Pancake Day.

EASY PANCAKES

Makes 12-14 pancakes

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 100g plain flour
• 300ml milk
• 1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil, plus a little extra for frying

Method:

Add the flour, eggs, milk, 1 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt into a bowl or large jug.

Whisk to a smooth batter. Set the mix aside for 30 mins if you have time, or just start cooking.

Set a medium frying pan over a medium heat and carefully wipe it with oiled kitchen paper. Once the pan’s hot, cook your pancake for 1 minute on each side until golden.

Keep the pancakes warm in the oven on a low heat while you carry on cooking the full batch.

Serve classic with lemon and sugar, or get creative with any toppings you fancy.

Tag us in your impressive pancake posts!

Click here for more of our recipes

Dreamscape designs

Round & About

March 4, 2019March 4, 2019

Spring is almost here and now is the perfect time to focus on creating your dream outside space…

Each of us have our own personal idea of a fantasy garden. With the RHS Malvern and Chelsea flower shows on the horizon and croci poking their little heads out of the soil, there is hope in the air.

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is encouraging us all to get busy, with tips on how to grow a colourful container and transform suburban and smaller spaces for the nation’s health and the environment. Whether you’re planning a cottage garden or formal city space, signature plants can help you achieve your dream look. Pulling off a convincing Mediterranean garden is a popular aspiration for many UK gardeners – start with a few choice plants and you won’t go far wrong.

A recent poll of Home & Gardens readers uncovered garden-lovers’ ultimate dream garden components (your own private folly, anyone?!). Dreaming big is always encouraged but you can also make a huge impact to your outside space, however small, front and back, by taking some small, practical-minded steps now.

A visit to a friendly local garden centre will be sure to leave you thriving with great ideas, especially for Mother’s Day. Horticultural experts will be happy to discuss your own personal oasis, using what you have as a starting point.

Decorative paving can make a huge difference to your outdoor space, creating the ideal vista from which to admire your trees and planting and perhaps set up a barbecue and dining area in time for the summer sunshine. Perhaps your patio is looking a little tired, weary or discoloured? Whether it be natural stone or concrete, you can transform it with the right treatment but it’s vital to seek expert treatment. Be careful of cleaning products that may contain an acid-based cleaner as these can affect natural stone, especially if it’s limestone. So ask your local supplier who can advise which product is best for your type of paving to make sure it’s looking its best without causing damage.

Also think about refreshing your garden furniture. Alison Chatten, trend expert and head of design at leading British soft seating brand Icon adds: “With evenings growing longer and temperatures starting to rise, spring brings a sense of renewal and revitalisation. The palm house trend continues to be a strong theme, as well as bright clashing Latin American-inspired designs – it’s all about bringing energy to your living spaces.

“Drawing on colours and themes already in the home, and using these outside, will create the impression of more space by harmoniously bringing the two areas together. Brightly painted pieces such as vases complemented with vibrant flowers, clashing colours and patterns are great for bringing life to your outdoor space.”

Wishing you all a fantastic spring!

Find more of our gardening tips here

Spring clean

Round & About

March 3, 2019April 12, 2019

Everything in its place or life in chaos? Putney’s Victoria Nicholson tells Liz Nicholls how she discovered the joy of decluttering and helping others achieve the same…

Such is the chaos of my life that I’m both jealous of and intrigued by serenely organised people. So, after confessing my messy shame to Victoria Nicholson, founder of My Wardrobe Zen, I’m surprised to learn we have much in common…

“Growing up and as an adult I was really untidy,” she says. “I used my creative mind as an excuse and that there was much more to life than something as mundane as tidying. I’ve always been messy. It’s not that I didn’t want to be tidy; I dreamed of neat shelves and clean stationery… but no matter how much I tried, my mess was always shifted from one area to another.

“It wasn’t until the death of my parents when I had my ‘Eureka’ moment. When sorting through my parents’ belongings (there was a lot, in fact so much that we ended up on two episodes of Storage Hoarders), I had to get through everything in a short space of time so I scanned for items that I wanted to keep or that my sister would want. Everything else went in a big van destined for a women’s refuge centre.”

You might have seen the Netflix programme and heard of Marie Kondo’s bestselling book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying about identifying which items in your home truly “spark joy” and eliminating the rest. Victoria, a mum of one who has a background in hotel management and as an office PA, read it in 2015. “It resonated,” she says. “I’d tried traditional decluttering but it was always a quick fix and nothing stayed tidy.”

The KonMari™ method from Japan boasts a 0% relapse rate and has a positive, nurturing approach that Victoria wanted to share. Now a certified KonMari™ consultant and APDO member, she offers local residents a free 20-minute consultation.

“By having a place for everything, tidying up daily is much quicker and by keeping ‘like with like’ it’s easier to find things. It’s important if you’re sharing a home to also let them know where everything is and store items logically. When I completed my tidying marathon I had clarity.

“My husband asked me to help him too and loves the results – he says it’s like looking at a nice shop display every morning.

“It was amazing to meet Marie [pictured] at the London KonMari seminar last year. I knew she was petite but not until she glided in did I appreciate how delicate she is. Yet she commands a huge presence that exudes inner strength.

“I’ve yet to be shocked by a client’s mess – we all lead busy lives and I know how easy it is for things to get out of hand. In some cases fear of letting go of the past or fear of the future or change has an impact on our environment.”

Pictured: Victoria and Maria Kondo

Visit Victoria’s website www.mywardrobezen.co.uk

Life of pie: March recipes

Round & About

March 3, 2019October 7, 2019

Homity pie

Popular in the 1970s and ’80s, homity pies were often seen as somewhat worthy – leathery, unappetising with a smug crust. But we thought this pie deserved a second look. This recipe is the grandson of those early pies and – we bashfully believe – a great improvement. We’ve cut down on the potatoes to make it less heavy and added some broccoli and other root veg – although you can vary these as you like. Celeriac and swede would also work well. A great veggie dish that can be enjoyed by all.

(Prep: 10 mins – Cooking: 20 mins – Serves: 4-6)

Ingredients:

• 400g waxy potatoes, diced
• 300g carrots, diced
• 150g turnips, diced
• 200g small broccoli florets
• 15g butter
• Two onions, thickly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 175g Cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 50ml milk or water
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 200ml double cream
• Sea salt
Pastry:
• 125g plain flour
• 125g wholemeal flour
• 150g cold butter, diced
• 1 egg, beaten

Method:

Put the flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor and pulse until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and just enough cold water to bind. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in cling film, and chill in the fridge.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add potatoes, carrots and turnips and bring back to the boil. Cook for four minutes, then add the broccoli. Cook until the vegetables are just done but still with a little bite – about another two minutes. Drain and leave to cool. While the veg is cooking, melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring regularly, until the onions are soft and lightly coloured. Add the garlic and cook for two more minutes. Remove pan from the heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6.

Put the cooled veg into a large bowl, add 100g of the cheese and the parsley, mix and set aside. Roll out the pastry and line a 20cm cake tin or a deep pie dish. Spoon the filling over. Whisk the milk and mustard to make a thin paste, then stir this into the cream. Season with a little salt. Pour this mix in a slow and steady stream over the filling so it soaks through the layers of vegetables. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the pastry is crisp and cheese has melted and started to brown.

Serve hot or at room temperature.

Salmon pie with spinach

Not many people know this about us but we are both keen fishermen. One time when we’d caught loads of trout in a river in Scotland we made this pie and it was so good that we wanted you to have some too. We found it tastes even better with salmon which is harder to catch but easy to find in the supermarket!

(Prep: 10 mins, Cooking: 20 mins, Serves: 4)

Ingredients:

• 4–5 tbsp hollandaise sauce
• 500g salmon fillet
• 450–500g baby leaf spinach
• 375–500g pre-rolled
puff pastry
• Grated zest of one lemon
• 1 tbsp finely chopped tarragon (optional)
• One egg, lightly beaten
• Sea salt and black pepper

Method:

Make hollandaise (recipe in our book!) and leave to cool by putting the bowl of sauce into a larger bowl of iced water.

Put the salmon in a large pan and add cold water just to cover. Bring to the boil, cover the pan and simmer for two minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and leave for a further five minutes. Strain off the liquid and leave the salmon to cool then flake the flesh, keeping the pieces as large as possible.

Wash the spinach, then without draining it too thoroughly, put it in a pan. Place the pan over a medium heat and push the spinach down with a wooden spoon. When it has completely collapsed leave to cool, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6.

Unroll the puff pastry. Arrange half of the salmon over the bottom half of it, leaving a 2cm border along the bottom. Season with salt and pepper, and top with half the spinach. Stir the lemon zest and tarragon (if using), into the hollandaise, then spread half of the sauce over the spinach. Repeat these layers with the remaining salmon, spinach and hollandaise. Brush the border and exposed pastry with beaten egg. Fold the pastry over and roll the edges to seal. Brush the pie with egg and cut a few slits along the top.

Bake for 35–45 minutes, or until the pastry has puffed up and is a rich golden-brown and the filling is piping hot.

• Tickets now on sale for An Evening with The Hairy Bikers – www.gigsandtours.com
The Hairy Bikers British Classics is published by Seven Dials

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Green sale trail

Round & About

March 1, 2019October 7, 2019

Looking for a handy way to get rid of your unwanted goods easily? Join the first Green Ticket Trail in Caversham

At this time of year it’s traditional to think about having a clear out, a good old fashioned spring clean – but rather than just throwing something away how about selling it to someone who wants it?

That’s the idea behind Caversham’s first Green Ticket Trail, save yourself the time of and hassle of listing each item individually online and host a Green Ticket sale from the comfort of your garage, driveway, porch or front garden.

All you need to do is sign up, pay your £10 fee and you’ll receive a sellers’ pack with all the information you need to run a successful sale. Your location will also be added to the trail map – ideally the sales will be fairly close together so buyers can ‘shop the trail’ more easily. If your location is not near others you can decide not to host the sale if you wish.

The idea is the brainchild of Caversham mum Katie Alexander who wanted to find a handy way of selling multiple unwanted items that were just filling up her house and share some bargains with others.

Katie says: “I want to bring our local community together on one morning for people to sell all their unwanted belongings conveniently and all in one go; from the comfort of their own home.”

She is also helping to support a great worthwhile local charity, Helen & Douglas House, which provides hospice care for babies and young children in Oxfordshire and the surrounding areas. All profits after Katie’s costs are covered will go the charity.

The trail takes place on Saturday, 27^th April from 10am to 1pm.

For more information and to book go to www.eventbrite.co.uk

Friday 26 Apr 2024

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With spring bursting into life, there can be no better time to get out and enjoy what’s on offer in some of the finest gardens you’re ever likely to see.

savill gardens

Cliveden

Basildon Park

runnymede & ankerwycke

dorneywood garden

claremont

hatchlands park

clandon park

Polesden lacey

old waterfield

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

With spring bursting into life, there can be no better time to get out and enjoy what’s on offer in some of the finest gardens you’re ever likely to see.

Polesden lacey

hatchlands park

Winkworth arboretum

clandon park

leith hill

RHS garden wisley

ramster gardens

painshill

savill gardens

petworth

gilbert white house

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

With spring bursting into life, there can be no better time to get out and enjoy what’s on offer in some of the finest gardens you’re ever likely to see.

CHOOSE YOUR AREA:

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

As the UK’s only black-tie festival, Henley Festival, between 10th and 14th July is glamour personified, offering Michelin-starred food, award winning comedians, critically acclaimed artists and the biggest names in popular, world, jazz and classical music.

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

The Shop of Secrets is set to cast its spell over Harry Potter fans

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Follow our easy recipe and then make any day Pancake Day.

EASY PANCAKES

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Spring is almost here and now is the perfect time to focus on creating your dream outside space…

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Everything in its place or life in chaos? Putney’s Victoria Nicholson tells Liz Nicholls how she discovered the joy of decluttering and helping others achieve the same…

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Homity pie

Salmon pie with spinach

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Looking for a handy way to get rid of your unwanted goods easily? Join the first Green Ticket Trail in Caversham

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Search for:

As the UK’s only black-tie festival, Henley Festival, between 10^th and 14^th July is glamour personified, offering Michelin-starred food, award winning comedians, critically acclaimed artists and the biggest names in popular, world, jazz and classical music.