Merry May Days: Blossom Watch

“Sweet May hath come to love us,
Flowers, trees, their blossoms don;
And through the blue heavens above us
The very clouds move on.”

Heinrich Heine, Book of Songs, New Spring, No. 5 

Warm May days are almost upon us; the potential energy stored in stems, trunks and buds making itself known. The Parabola and Orchards explode with frothy apple blossom clouds in shades of blush and pink, marking a spectacular moment in the garden year. Airways swarm with pollinators, invigorated by heady perfume and intoxicated by sweet nectar from abundant blooms. Prolific foxgloves spear the woodlands with mauve, passionflowers transport you to the tropics and resplendent cherry blossoms mesmerise in the Four Seasons Garden. Our teams step back in time to put final RHS Chelsea Flower Show plans in place, and chefs conjure creative dishes with peas, broad beans, elderflower and the season’s star: asparagus. It’s time to blossom!

In need of some blooming marvellous plans for the month ahead? Visit in May for garden walks sharing RHS Chelsea secrets, a session on succeeding with succulents and a deep dive into the ancient rural craft of drystone walling.

See What’s On

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What’s on in May

Garden Day Weekend 
4 – 6 May, 9am – 6pm (Included in Newt membership)

Join us over the early May Bank Holiday for three days of floriferous festivities celebrating our green spaces and garden team. Enjoy British flower crown making to plant sales, tractor tours and the return of our Floralia Festival at the Roman Villa. We’ll have BBQs, live music, sweet treats, lashings of cyder and more – plus, there’s the chance to win tickets to this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show just by coming along!

Dry Stone Walling 
1 & 15 May, 9.30am – 4pm / £150

Try your hand at drystone walling under the expert guidance of Tom Trouton in this hugely satisfying introductory course. Learn about the history, design and practical elements and take away the knowledge to create an array of structures from fire pits to water features.

Hort Course: Succulents 
8 & 14 May, 9.30am – 3pm / £150

Beloved for their sculptural shapes and ability to survive with little water, succulents and cacti are firm favourites when it comes to houseplants. In this course, our experts will teach you how to succeed in growing your own and plant a terrarium to take home. 

Dawn Walk: Chelsea Secrets
9 & 23 May, 7am – 10am / £45

Join us for an early morning stroll with our Head of Programmes, Arthur Cole, to discover more about our Somerset garden presence at RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year. Culminating in a hearty breakfast at the Garden Café.

Farm to Knife Butchery: Beef
16 May, 9.30am – 3pm / £275

Join our butchers for the full farm-to-knife experience at our brand new Butchery. Learn to identify the different cuts of beef, sharpen your knife skills and break down a carcass for cuts to take home before an indulgent carnivorous lunch.

Forest School Holiday Club
28 – 30 May, 9am – 3pm / £45 daily (extend to £4.30pm for £10)

Our Forest School Holiday Club for children aged 6 + is back for May half term fun! Budding adventurers can connect with nature, get hands-on with arts and crafts and learn practical skills from fire making to shelter building and marshmallow toasting. 

Grill & Chill

With two bank holidays this month, our butchers have introduced an array of flavour-packed new recipes and high-welfare cuts perfect BBQ season. From Hadspen beef burgers to smoky, spicy fire pit chicken, now’s the time to invite family and friends for a flame-grilled feast. 

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