Sowing the Seeds: August on the Estate
August 1st, 2024“Your mind is a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. The harvest can either be flowers or weeds.” – William Wordsworth
Flowers fade, seed heads swell. School holidays bring welcome pause to soak in the gold-tinged gardens as spent petals give way to the crack of pods; seeds are flung, plant territories expanded. August is the month for slowing down, lying back in long grass, indulging in picnics and enjoying the rush of cooling gelato. The Market Garden prepares itself for harvest as veg beds overflow with candy coloured beetroot, sweetcorn, carrots and a glut of courgettes, ready to be piled into trugs and cooked over fire at Gardener & Chef sessions. A new summer trail and weekend tree climbing bring fresh adventures. Our very first festival, Gather & Grow: Regeneration ignites important conversations and allows you to connect with nature and yourself. Feed your soul in the garden and let inspirations take seed.
Visit in August for languorous walks to transport you to Roman Britain, wellbeing workshops and panel talks from leading thinkers followed by garden feasts.
See What’s On
Renew Newt Membership
What’s on in August
The Newt’s Natty Navigation Quest
Until 3 September / Included in Membership
Our new Summer Trail is here! Young adventurers are tasked with finding all the games hidden in the gardens. Unlock the codes to reveal the map coordinates, which will lead you to the next game. Pick up your trail card in the Threshing Barn to play.
Roman Horse & Cart Rides
3 – 4 & 17 – 18 August, 11am – 4pm / Included in Membership
We have a host of family friendly activities running over the holidays to keep the little ones entertained. Hop on Horse & Cart Ride over to the Roman Villa and back again to see the late summer sights.
Forest Bathing Sundays
4, 11, 25 August, 8 – 9am / £50
Steal a Sunday morning to reconnect with nature and learn the art of shinrin yoku or ‘forest bathing’. You’ll use all the senses to connect with the natural surroundings and learn the process of effective immersion, healing and mindfulness among tranquil ancient woodland.
Forest School Holiday Club
6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29 August, 9 – 4pm / £50
Our Forest School Holiday Club for children aged 6 + is back for summer holiday fun! Budding adventurers can connect with nature, get hands-on with arts and crafts and learn practical skills from fire making to marshmallow toasting.
Gardener & Chef
7, 21 August, 9.30am – 3pm / £150
One of our favourite alfresco experiences in The Newt gardens, our Gardener & Chef sessions offer a unique chance to pick, prepare and cook your own delectable estate lunch over fire, with plenty of inspiration and insight from our expert team.
Tree Climbing
9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25 August, 10am-4.30pm (one-hour slots) / £20
Get up close to nature and our majestic giants on a family tree climbing adventure in the Deer Park. We’ve teamed up with the Great Big Tree Climbing Company to offer a safe and fun way to enjoy an age-old tradition and enjoy the gardens from a new perspective.
Summer Suppers
10, 17, 24, 31 August, 6.30 – 9.30pm / £60
Gather your friends at the Garden Café for dinner overlooking the kitchen gardens. Our chefs are bringing the best of the season to your table, from glasshouse tomatoes to milk-braised British White chuck and salted Somerset strawberries with set cream.
Dry Stone Walling
14, 28 August, 9.30am – 4pm / £150
Try your hand at drystone walling in our all new inspiring creative space in the garden. Master the fundamentals of this ancient craft under the expert guidance of Tom Trouton – you’ll learn about history, design and practical elements and take away the knowledge to create an array of structures from fire pits to water features.
Farm to Knife Butchery: Lamb
15 August, 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 lamb, sharpen your knife skills and break down a carcass for cuts to take home before an indulgent carnivorous lunch at Farmyard Kitchen.
Dusk Walk: Roman Britain
22 August, 6.30pm – 8.30pm / £45
Enjoy the estate after the gates have closed, with a glorious golden hour walk up to the Roman Villa, guided by our Head of Programmes, Arthur Cole. Capped off with sundowners and charcuterie boards with a view at the Garden Café.
Gather & Grow: Regeneration
30, 31 August & 1 September
Join us for our first Gather & Grow festival this summer. We’ve put together a stellar line-up of speakers and chefs to ignite important conversations and connect with our surroundings and each other. Focussed on the theme of regeneration, each day will dig into discussions on gardening, farming and wellness.
Taste the Sunshine
Juicy Babylonstoren citrus, from Eureka lemons to aromatic clementines are fresh in from our sister estate. Enjoy just as they are or infused into everything from seasonal summer cakes to traditional still lemonade and small-batch gin. Perfect for when you fancy a taste of sunshine from the Western Cape.
Use the code HOLIDAY for free delivery on all online orders
