The Sunken Garden Eco Fair returns this year with workshops, talks and eco ideas for all.
Frances Tophill, of BBC Gardener’s World, will open the programme of talks, sharing her experience of sustainable and productive gardening.
She will be followed by ecologist Hugh Warwick, bringing his knowledge and love of hedgehogs and Keith Sacre of Barcham Trees talking about the importance of tree diversity. Other discussions and presentations will cover design, composting and foraging.
With the focus of the day on wildlife, ecology, conservation, tree care, gardening and sustainability, there will be workshops and information points from 30 representatives of local and national organisations sharing their important environmental work.
These will include Pegwell Bay Nature Reserve, Birdwise, Trees for Cities and Windmill Community Garden. From bee-keeping to bird watching, mushrooms to hops, growing edible plants to using less plastic and much more, there will be plenty to discover and discuss.
Information and booking links are available on www.thesunkengarden.co.uk with updates still being added.
The event, which takes place on October 6 from noon to 4pm at Westbrook’s Sunken Garden, has gathered interest amongst local and national groups. Members of the group have been spending time with local primary school students to encourage them to grow their own sunflower, setting them off on a lifelong journey of discovery of the benefits, fun and pleasure of gardening and growing.
Deputy Lieutenant of Kent, Marian Boswall DL, a landscape architect with a true interest in sustainability, is attending on behalf of the Lord-Lieutenant of Kent, His Majesty the King’s official representative in the county.
She will be accompanied by Cllr Jack Packman, Mayor of Margate, and Mayor of Broadstairs, Cllr Mike Gardner, who represents the Green Party.
The event is funded and supported by Thanet District Council as part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Co-Op, Kent Community Fund, The Mayor of Margate’s Fund and Rotary.
The Sunken Garden Society is a voluntary community group established to reinvigorate the garden on Royal Esplanade and is an RHS Affiliated Society, supported by Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Co-op, Kent Community Foundation, Rotary and Thanet District Council.
The group runs regular monthly gardening days on the last Saturday of the month from 10am to 12 noon – the next one will be on Saturday 31 August.
Find out more about the Sunken Garden, the history and plants, at www.thesunkengarden.co.uk