Gardening and nature go hand in hand, so we are delighted to welcome several groups and organisations offering practical advice and activities on working in harmony with the environment and the wildlife that shares our open spaces.
The North Yorkshire Rotters have lots of friendly advice on composting and how to set up a wormery to reduce kitchen waste that would otherwise end up in landfill sites. Volunteers will show you how to be part of the ’Love Food Hate Waste’ campaign by giving you ideas about cooking with leftovers. Children can make a free miniature wormery to take home!
Bat-boxes
Bats are beneficial to gardeners. The North Yorkshire Bat Group will explain why that is, as well as providing advice on how to encourage our fury flying friends into Striking, intriguing and bursting with life, discover all The Alnwick Garden has to offer, from the mysteries and folklore of the Poison Garden to the beauty of the Cherry Orchard and the hands-on activities of the Roots and Shoots Garden. Have a go at potting your own seeds, learn all about bee-keeping and about the deadly plants Alnwick grows behind bars ......... 
the garden using of scented flowers and bat-boxes.
Mysteries and Folklore
Encouraging birds
The changing fortunes of birds and other garden wildlife throughout the UK are being monitored by the BTO Garden Birdwatch, who will give tips on encouraging birds into your garden. You can also test your knowledge with a Garden Birdwatch quiz and children can learn how to draw birds.
The National Farmers Union (NFU) will be demonstrating how commercial growers in the north east of England grow glasshouse crops with the help of beneficial insects rather than pesticides. Children can have fun ‘planting a seed’ in a biodegradable pot to take home.
Stockbridge Technology Centre is currently trialling a range of new growing composts and working to encourage bees and greater biodiversity in the garden. Experts will show you how to make a difference in your own garden at home.
