Press Releases

Search for the Heaviest Apple at Warwick's HIll Close Gardens
The search is on for this season's heaviest apple, and the competition will be judged on Sunday, October 16, at Hill Close Gardens' Apple Day. Visitors are invited to bring their largest apples along on the day to compete with those in the Gardens. The event starts at 10.30am and there will be a wide variety of apples on display and plenty of produce for sale. While adults can browse round the country craft stalls and find out more about beekeeping, children can enjoy special apple themed activities. Lunches and teas are available with music from folk group Romany Pie. Apple trees and garden plants will be on sale ready for autumn planting, and there will be free advice on tree growing. More information on tel 01926 493339 or www.hillclosegardens.com.

For a photo of Hill Close's heaviest apple please contact the Gardens
Supervisor on tel 01926 493339. Other apple photos available from Margaret
Begg, Trustee & Publicity Officer, tel 01926 423822.
( 5 October 2011)

Launch of the National Gardens Scheme Photo Competition
The first day of the new season at Warwick's Hill Close Gardens on April 1 will be marked by the launch of a  competition for the best photos taken this season within the sixteen gardens at Hill Close. The aim of the competition is to raise money for the National Gardens Scheme, an organisation which raises funds for national charities by opening gardens to the public and advertising them in the Yellow Book. The closing date for the competition will be Sept 17 when Hill Close opens its gates in aid of the Scheme.

There will be three main categories: plant study, garden view and people in a garden along with a special category for children aged 12 or under. Prizes include a Hahnel lightweight Tripod, donated by London Camera Exchange of Leamington Spa, as well as champagne, plants and book tokens. Anyone wishing to take part should contact Hill Close Gardens Centre tel 01926 493339 or email centremanager@hcgt.org.uk.

On the same afternoon, at 2.30 pm, the National Gardens Scheme will present Hill Close with a commemorative trowel to thank the volunteers for opening the gardens in aid of their charities for the past ten years. Photographers would be most welcome.
(24 March 2011)

UK Landscape Institute 'Heritage and Conservation' Award
The UK Landscape Institute has given a "highly commended" award to the restoration project at Hill Close Gardens in Warwick and to the lead consultants Plincke, who master minded the changes. The judges commented, "It is an example of a community led project providing an intriguing mix of public and private green space apposite for the 21st century." They praised the meticulous historical research into the physical form of the Victorian gardens and their social significance.

Members of Hill Close Gardens Trust accompanied the Chairman of Warwick District Council and Colin Burden from Plincke to the presentation in London. Chris Begg who chaired the project team at the gardens said, "We are delighted to be recognised in this nation-wide competition, and feel our success is due to the way the District Council, Heritage Lottery Fund, professionals, craftsmen and local volunteers worked together in a common cause. I invite the community to come and celebrate with us at our Christmas event on Saturday December 4th between 4pm-7pm."

More information is available from Hill Close Gardens Centre, Bread & Meat Close, Warwick CV34 6HF Tel 01926 493339 or www.hillclosegardens.com and from Plincke Tel 01926 886477.
(27 November 2010)

Archive

Victorian Christmas Party
A Victorian Father Christmas wearing traditional robes of green will delight the children at the first Christmas event ever held at Hill Close Gardens, Bread & Meat Close, Warwick on Saturday, 4th December from 4:00pm to 7:00pm.

Apple trees within these hidden restored Victorian pleasure gardens will sparkle with fairy lights and adults and children alike will be able to join the strolling group of carol singers to sing their favourite Christmas carols. Demonstrations of making wreaths and Christmas table centrepieces will give plenty of ideas for decorating this Christmas while stalls selling a variety of Christmas inspired gifts, cards and winter plants will tempt you to open your purses!

Each £5 adult entry will include a mince pie and a soft drink while each £2 children’s entry will include a visit to Father Christmas and a gift.  There will be a variety of hot food available and an amazing raffle with a host of exciting prizes including a photo shoot, a £100 shopping voucher and a crystal studded bottle of champagne!  Tickets are available at the Warwick Tourist Information Office and at Hill Close Gardens (tel.01926 493339).
(19 November 2010)

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)

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)