Brogdale Collections in Kent, home to the National Fruit Collection, will celebrate this year’s spring blossom by opening its orchards for a Hanami Experience.
Hanami is the traditional Japanese custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers, especially cherry blossoms (Sakura). The practice of Hanami is more than a thousand years old, and is still very popular in Japan today.
And now groups visiting Brogdale can take part in the ancient tradition themselves.
The Brogdale Hanami Experience will begin with the viewing of Japanese artefacts and sampling of traditional Japanese food and drink.
This will be followed by a blossom tour around the orchard; groups will be led by a guide before reaching Brogdale’s ornamental orchard.
Here the party will be left to enjoy a picnic under the blossom trees where ground covers are laid and lanterns are hung in the branches.
Picnics can be provided for parties of any size by Brogdale. A private Hanami Experience for groups is also available, where the party will have their own private tour guide through the blossom.
The National Fruit Collection preserves both fruiting and ornamental trees including apples, pears, cherries, plums and apricots. Each fruit has a different flower and each variety shows variation between the blooms. The overall spectacle is at its peak throughout April and into May.
Hanami Experience tours can be pre-booked by contacting Brogdale Collections on 01795-536250.
More about Brogdale
Groups wishing to visit Brogdale Collections this year can opt for a number of tours and trails. Tractor trailer rides and walking tours will introduce visitors to the National Fruit Collection’s orchards.
If you visit during a fruit harvesting season, a tour guide will select the best of the crop for visitors to sample as well.
And GTOs who’d like to add something specific to their day can arrange a bespoke experience, from touring just the cherry orchards to trying a particular variety of apple.
For further group travel information visit www.brogdalecollections.org.
We caught up with Iain Parkinson, head of landscape and horticulture at Wakehurst, to find out what groups can expect from the gardens in West Sussex.
GLT editor Keeley Rodgers on the highlights of our fam trip to Kew Gardens and The Poppy Factory in Richmond.
From heritage pastels to heady fragrance, there’s a world of sweet peas to discover at Easton Walled Gardens this summer for groups.
The award-winning musical by Jethro Compton and Darren Clark will transfer to the West End following a sold-out run at Southwark Playhouse.
