Celebrate Easter and bring family and friends to explore the award-winning West Dean Gardens near Chichester as they burst into life with vibrant displays of over 500,000 spring bulbs, and for the first time a glorious display of hyacinths!

During the Easter holidays from (Good Friday) 10 April - (Easter Monday) 13 April, 2020 between 9am - 5pm (Last entry 4pm), children can take part in a traditional Easter Craft Trail, which will have a tasty prize at the end, plus a variety of crafts and games around the gardens. Standard Adult gardens’ entry applies (£10), while Children’s entry to the gardens is FREE and there is an additional charge of £7.50 per child for the Easter Trail and the take-home crafts.

The event is suitable for children aged two to nine years and consists of two Easter themed trails for different ages/abilities, with a range of crafts and interactive games incorporated in the route. Younger children are encouraged to match patterned/coloured A4 laminated eggs hidden around the gardens with the eggs on the trail sheet, while six to nine year olds can search for written clues on patterned/coloured A4 laminated eggs hidden around the gardens that will lead to a final egg with a code word to write down and use to claim a chocolate prize [Allergen free options will also be available.]

Inspired by the short courses at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation, a West Dean College tutor has designed an arts/ crafts activity which will take place in the Garden Classroom in the Walled Garden. Children will be shown a fun felt making technique to create a colourful felt egg hanging decoration.

Other creative activities along the trail on the North Lawn/Picnic Lawn include an Easter Mural (to be painted by visitors); Yarn wrapped egg decoration made from recycled materials; Patterned egg decoration using coloured card and felt tips; Recycled egg carton daffodils and there will be Easels on the Picnic Lawn for Easter Egg colouring as well as games such as Flower pot beanbag toss; Egg and Spoon race and Giant noughts and crosses!

The Easter activities are a wonderful opportunity to bring family and friends to explore the Gardens and see the spring flowers. The Gardens Restaurant will be open to enjoy lunch or afternoon tea (breakfasts available from 9am at weekends and Bank Holidays) and browse the Shop for seasonal gifts and plants. West Dean’s newly opened tea room in Gardeners Cottage, formerly the residence of West Dean Gardens' head gardeners, is somewhere to enjoy a pit-stop and refreshments and will be open Fridays to Sundays from March 20, 2020. There will also be a marquee on the Picnic lawn offering light refreshments and food.

Cost:

Child Easter activity tickets £7.50

Adult tickets £10 (normal gardens entry)

Children under 16 enjoy free Gardens entry, but will need an Easter ticket to participate in the activities. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

The West Dean Gardens Spring Pass is now on sale - both online and in the Gardens Shop - for just £20. The Spring Pass entitles you to unlimited Gardens entry between 1 March and 31 May 2020.

Garden related events and courses up to the end of April:

• Thursday, February 13 – 9am – 5pm - Workshop: The Winter Garden – creating and maintaining winter interest – Benjamin Pope will illustrate the importance of Winter interest and structure in the garden. This day includes a practical workshop weaving a natural plant support (£138).
   
• Sunday, February 16 - 9am – 5pm – Workshop: Pruning garden shrubs and climbers with Stephen Smith. This day-long course will outline the reasons behind different types of pruning on ornamental and productive plants and will provide students with the confidence to practise precise and accurate pruning across a broad selection of woody plants (£138).
   
• Saturday, March 7 – 6-8.30pm - Talk: The Oudolf Gardens at Hauser & Wirth Somerset – Rory Dusoir and photographer Jason Ingram talk about their latest collaboration, a beautiful book about the gardens of Hauser & Wirth in Somerset (£36).
   
• Saturday, April 18 - 9.30am – 3pm  - Talk: The Cut Flower Patch - Georgie Newberry will be hosting a talk on all aspects of growing your own cut flowers (£90).
    
• ·Sunday, April 26 - 9.30am – 3pm - Talk: Designing gardens for climate adaptation – Mark Laurence will be discussing how and why we must adapt our gardens and landscape to respond to climate change (£85).
  
  Free parking. Free admission to Shop and Restaurant. Dogs on short leads welcome.
  
  Become a Friend of West Dean and benefit from free access to the gardens year-round (except during major events).
  
  West Dean Gardens, Near Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 ORX
  
  www.westdeangardens.org.uk