The Herne & Broomfield Garden Safari, (Open Gardens Day) will take place on Sunday June 9th from 10am to 5pm.
The event is organised by Herne & Broomfield Parish Council and proceeds will be shared between Catching Lives and Herne & Broomfield Community Projects.
It is one of the biggest Open Gardens Day in Kent. The gardens range from the tiny but perfectly formed to large and lovely, with some ‘still a work in progress’.
Our Garden Safari route starts at the Herne Centre, School Lane, Herne, Kent, CT6 7AP, (access through School Lane Public Car Park). The Centre has a rear garden and patio, with a gazebo. As well as programmes for sale, there will be plants, books and garden sundries. Tea, coffee and breakfast rolls will be available till 12 noon. There is limited free parking in the Centre’s car park, however there is a small fee in the main car park.
You may of course start at any garden, look out for the sunflower posters and pennant flags.
Programme Maps cost just £5, available from our Parish office at the Herne Centre, phone 01227 742700 also available at participating gardens
Gardens open are:
4 Curtis Wood Park Road, has a spacious patio with pots and hanging baskets with a lawn area and floral borders. There is a large fenced off Astro Turf play area with more hanging baskets.
Herne Junior School, School Lane (open 10am to 3pm) Ella’s Garden – a space for relaxing, reflecting & learning. Wildlife area complete with pond & little waterfall, log pile, quiet area, herbs, vegetables and a polytunnel.
Mill Cottage, Mill Lane: Former C15 home of Lawrence & Wooton Millers. With a listed pond, which used to belong to the windmill and a deep 90’ well. Children’s quiz. Ploughman’s lunches & cakes. Also in Mill Lane the garden is tucked away at the rear of no.70, with flowering shrubs & newly planted trees. Children welcome with mini golf & mini croquet, plus tea & scones.
Subject to volunteers Herne Mill will be open from 2pm – 5pm. The separate entry fee of £2 will apply for adults. The last guided tour will start at 4.30pm.
1 Gorse Lane,, this delightful garden is beautifully planted, mainly for wildlife, so don’t expect pristine! Tea & Cakes.
37 Margate Road is the garden of the former home to Dante Gabriel Rosetti, now a charming, slightly wild cottage garden. Chicken or vegetable curry available between 12:30 and 3pm. 37b next door is a mainly Spring garden, but with some later flowering perennials still on show. Don’t miss some interesting trees and shrubs.
6 Bayliss Court Road, off Margate Road, Our newest entry into the Garden Safari has a vegetable patch, with landscaped rear gardens (a work in progress), plus Siberian Forest cats in an outdoor cattery. Hot Dogs, Veggie Dogs and Soft Drinks.
Allotment Gardens, Ford Road, meet the plot holders & hear their stories about creating & caring for their allotments. There are 65 plots, with a car park and WC.
15 Honeysuckle Way is a small, pretty cottage garden with roses and perennial plants; front, rear & side. Lovely rose covered pergola.
2 Hunter’s Chase has tree ferns, palm trees, Voodoo lily, polytunnels, vegetable beds and small fruit trees, as well as a lovely fig tree.
65 Broomfield Road is a long wildlife-friendly garden with bees, fruit, vegetables, flowers and a pond. A good garden to relax in, under the old oak tree. Tea & cakes.
231 Canterbury Road, See the progress of their borders, vetegable area, greenhouse, potting shed where they produce quality plants. Plants for sale with 20% of proceeds to the fund.
211 Canterbury Road, is a flower arranger’s delight. Multi-prize winning front garden. Art & marquetry for sale with 10% donated to fund. Steep with steps.
Herne Institute Hall the venue for Horticultural & Rose Society, Summer Flower & Rose Show is open 11am – 4pm. Displays of roses, summer flowers, floral arrangements, potted plants, cookery, handicrafts, soft fruit & herbs. Plus ‘Ask the Expert’ table. Refreshments. WC.6
At St Martin’s Churchyard there will be a Treasure Hunt for children open from 11am – 3pm. The visit also incorporates ‘Cherishing Churchyards: Love your Burial Ground’, with a guided tour by our Local History Group who have researched the people buried there.
Please phone 01227 742700 (office) or 07711 260021 (on the day) for further details.
