A Belated Word About Christmas Trees ...

This article was really supposed to be published in December, but as usual life seems to have got in the way!

As you all (hopefully) know, we publish a monthly Events Guide  to vaguely garden-or-plant-related-type happenings in the area (click here to see the online version).  We thought therefore that we ought to take our own advice in the Events Guide and visit some of the wonders that we advertise.

First up was the annual Festival of Trees at Westerham church.  This event has been running for a number of years; nearly one hundred Christmas trees were decorated by local clubs, families and business, and the effect was stunning.  It is held in aid of St Mary's Church, with donations rather than an entry fee, and was very well attended.  We recommend a visit in 2016, even if planning for Christmas seems a long way off.

The annual Tree Festival in Westerham

A section of the tree decorated by Weterham Horticultural Society

Out third visit was to Standen, the National Trust property just beyond East Grinstead, in order to see the Christmas tree decorated by Dame Zandra Rhodes and Andrew Logan.  It was certainly eye catching, though the jury is definitely still out on the result - we suspect that this is rather a "marmite" tree, and that you either "love it or hate it".

The tree at Standen decorated by Zandra Rhodes and Andrew Logan (top)
and in close up (below)

Trees illuminated at night at the
Château de Marqueyssac

Those eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed that we haven't mentioned the second visit, jumping straight from one to three ... not a mathematical mistake, but rather a victim of circumstance.  We had tickets for Glow Wild at Wakehurst - the park is lit up after dark and you have to follow a candle lit trail.  We have done a number of these illuminated walks over the years (including at the Château de Marqueyssac in the Dordogne, France - click to follow the link) and they can be great fun and spectacular too - there was one a few years back at Sheffield Park which was highly enjoyable, and we do recommend going to one if you are able, particularly as younger (and even older) children and grandchildren seem to love them too.  Anyway, just as we were leaving the house and climbing into the car, dressed up warmly (looking like we were venturing to Lapland), we received a text message cancelling the event for that evening, owing to the arrival of Storm Desmond.  As the event was pre-booked tickets only, and all days were full, we could not go another night and there are consequently no photos for you to admire, and no descriptions or recommendations to give out.  Just as bad, and more upsetting for certain members of the party, this meant that there was no mulled wine and no hot soup or other foody items that we were looking forward to as our dinner that evening.  As we had not been to the supermarket, we had to make do with a cheese sandwich in front of Dad's Army at home (Diddums- Ed)

We then popped into the Tree Festival at Oxted URC, which is very similar to the Westerham event, although slightly smaller.  Again it was well attended and well put together, but we forgot our cameras and there are no photos!

With the disappointment of Glow Wild behind us, we made an impromptu trip to RHS Wisley, for their illuminated event.  Rather than being a walk through illuminated trees, this was more of a display of illuminated flower and plant-based installations, such as huge tulips and daisies.  A number of the displays were interactive (which all the children at the event seemed to love).  We arrived in late afternoon, but the displays really became much more effective once dusk had fallen.

Illuminated flower "sculptures" at RHS Wisley

Hopefully, this will have given you all food for thought for visits at Christmas later this year.  Also, please do remember to take an Events Guide and to look through it as it takes a great deal of work - but it is encouraging how many of you have said that they love reading it and going to the events in it.  Now we are going to focus on Easter Bunny events (for the chocolate, I assume - Ed), which at our current rate of progress should be posted some time in September!