Press Releases

Lammas (Loaf Mass) Day at Hill Close Gardens
There was an Anglo-Saxon Festival of Lammas on August 1st, when the first ripe grains of corn were baked into bread and consecrated in thanksgiving for the harvest. The practice of baking the Lammas loaf has long disappeared .. until now. On Sunday August 1st Hill Close Gardens will have freshly baked bread, using traditionally milled grain from Charlecote Mill, available in the visitor centre. There will also be a Harvest Festival Sheaf Loaf as a centre piece, and visitors are invited to call by between 2pm and 5pm on Lammas Day to enjoy a slice of history.

The area of land on the north side of Warwick racecourse outside Hill Close Gardens was Lammas land where local people could graze their cattle after the harvest. The Lammas and District Residents Association played an important role in the preservation of Hill Close Gardens. So there is a close link between this festival and the Gardens, and the main room in the visitor centre has been named the Lammas Room.

Please contact  Di Brennan on tel 01789 551594 for further information and photographs.

(23 July 2010)

Archive

Volunteer C0-ordinator ready for new season at Hill Close Gardens
After receiving a record  number of visitors last year Hill Close Gardens
Trust has appointed Alison Selwood as volunteer co-ordinator to support the
80 volunteers who work at this visitor attraction by Warwick racecourse.
Alison, who has a background in human resources and has worked for several
other charitable organisations,  has a keen interest in both gardening and
education.

She said, "I am thrilled to be joining such a flourishing organisation and
am keen to recruit more volunteers to ensure the future success of the
project.  We can offer a wide variety of opportunities - welcoming visitors,
serving refreshments, selling plants, gardening, and organising  activities
for children. I would love to hear from anyone interested in helping in the
gardens. Just ring the visitor centre on 01926 493339 or email
centremanager@hcgt.org.uk and we can discuss all the options. "

(11 March 2010)

Autumn at Hill Close Gardens
Autumn is a colourful season at Warwick's Hill Close Victorian gardens with its fine display of autumn flowers and unusual varieties of old fruit trees.

On Sunday September 20 gardeners can enjoy a special Aster Study Day at the
visitor centre. After talks from experts on the history and growing of asters there will be a guided tour of the gardens followed by a visit to Avondale Display Garden in Baginton to admire the many different varieties of aster. Anyone interested in the event can book a place by ringing tel01926 493339 and more details are available on www.hillclosegardens.com.

There is a chance to celebrate the apple harvest over the weekend of October 17/18 when visitors can taste a wide range of apples, buy trees, fruit, juice and apple cake, and get advice on growing apples. There will be a large number of craft stalls and a demonstration of wood turning. Activities with an apple theme will be organised for children in the afternoons. The gardens will be open from 11am-5pm each day with a charge of £3 for adults and free entry for children.

(1 September 2009)

Lottery grant for celebrating the history of Hill Close Gardens
The restored Victorian gardens overlooking Warwick racecourse have been awarded £8720 by Awards for All, an organisation which gives lottery grants to local groups.

Margaret Begg, a Trustee at the Gardens, explained, "We are delighted to have received this award. It will allow us to celebrate the history of the gardens, putting on special Victorian themed events for both adults and children. These will involve the traditional Victorian Christmas party, musical and artistic events and a chance for visitors to enjoy Victorians games. We plan to create a new wartime trail in the gardens and to provide more materials to help visitors understand the way the Victorians used the gardens in the past. Visitors have asked for more information about the history of the gardens and now we will be able to respond to those
requests."

There is further funding available for training the eighty volunteers who help to look after the gardens, the visitor centre and the education projects, and assistance too with practical improvements on the site.

(14 October 2008)

A “Crafty” Apple Day at Hill Close Gardens
Apple Day celebrations on Sunday October 19th 2008 at Hill Close Gardens will have an extra special flavour this year.

There will be a chance to taste the many different varieties of apple dating back to Victorian times, and to get advice on apple growing from an expert from Pershore College.  Children will be able to enjoy apple crafts, such as apple printing and making miniature gardens.

Then for the first time  there will be a range of stalls demonstrating  local craft skills. Visitors will be able to admire embroidery and quilts, handmade jewellery and cards and Warwickshire wildflowers grown in patio pots. There will also be a tempting display of delicious homemade cakes and jam.

Between 11am and 5pm light refreshments including Snitterfield apple juice will be available, and apples grown on the trees in the gardens along with apple recipes will be on sale.

More information and photos available from Centre Manager, Pattie Hall tel 01926 493339 or e-mail: centremanager@hcgt.org.uk

(24th September 2008)

New Chairman Appeals For Volunteers
David Gray, the newly elected Chairman of Hill Close Gardens Trust, has appealed for more volunteers to come forward to help run the Gardens and Centre which overlook Warwick racecourse.

‘This is a wonderful project’, he said. ‘The Victorian Gardens and summerhouses have been sensitively restored thanks to Heritage Lottery funding. Now we want to enable the public to enjoy the Gardens and to set up an organisation which will look after Hill Close in the future.’

‘We need more volunteers to help mow the grass, serve teas and sell plants and gifts, assist with educational and cultural activities, and look after computerised record keeping, marketing and sponsorship. If anyone could spare us a little time, please phone Pattie, our Centre Manager, on 01926 493339 or email us at CentreManager@hcgt.org.uk. We would love to hear from you.’

David Gray began his career at Horticultural Research International in Wellesbourne and after holding senior positions at East Malling and the Royal Horticultural Society, has retired back to Warwickshire. He has been a Trustee for two years, but now that he has retired he is able to take a leading role. He commented, ‘I look forward to developing educational activities in the gardens and attracting visitors from all over the UK and beyond to experience what is a very special historic site.’

(4th September 2007)