Seven dwarves, a devil’s walking stick, a wiggly tree (above) and a boardwalk across a swamp are all to be discovered on a summer holiday children’s trail at Exbury Gardens in the New Forest.
All children visiting the Gardens during the holidays will be given an explorer’s trail sheet at the gate which will set them looking for a list of exciting trees and plants. They’ll discover giant Koi carp, the tallest tree at Exbury (below), a ‘headache tree’ and a ‘history tree’. And they’ll be among the first to explore a new feature.
“We’ve built a board walk across a swampy area which is beginning to have a distinctly Jurassic feel to it,” said head gardener John Anderson. The new plantings here include a swamp cypress, the ancient ‘maidenhair fern tree’ Ginkgo biloba and three extremely rare Wollemia nobilis, the Australian Wollemi Pine, thought for years to be extinct.
The great splash of colour beyond the Board Walk is a long swathe of hydrangeas, at their best right now. Hundreds of new hydrangeas were planted in early spring to make a spectacular Hydrangea Walk.
Each child completing the trail and marking the answers to simple questions will receive a free seedstick or badge and the chance to win tickets for the Hallowe’en Ghost Train or the December Santa Specials.
There’s plenty of time now for visitors to complete the trail and enjoy a ride on the Garden Railway – the time of the last train has been extended to 4.30pm throughout the summer holidays, so that everyone can enjoy a full day out. Those travelling on the train will see the stunning Summer Lane Garden and the Sunflower Field at their best.
They’ll also be able to visit Exbury’s Maize Maze, just across the road, which opens on July 21st and is built in the shape of the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz.
“We’re offering joint admission to the Maze and the Gardens,” said Exbury’s manager, Nigel Philpott. “We reckon it’s the best family day out during the school holidays this year.”
The Children’s Trail and the Maize Maze both open on July 21 and close on September 2. Exbury Gardens are open daily from 10.00-5.30pm until Visit www.exbury.co.uk or www.exburymaizemaze.co.uk for details.
