Spring events at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens near Romsey

Spaces are already filling up fast for Sir Harold Hillier Gardens’ springtime activities at the 180-acre venue near Romsey.

Painting with yarns

March 12, June 3 and 4, 10am-4pm. £73 including lunch and materials.

Guests can learn how paint using a simple frame loom (to keep) and colourful yarns.

Take 10 Artists

Running until Monday, March 13, 10am-4pm every day, closes at 3pm on March 13.

The exhibition which portrays the surrounding world is free to visit.

Special Plant Walk - Rare Plants on your Doorstep

March 18, 9-10.30am. £17.50 including a hot drink and cake.

A guided tour through the garden, exploring the endangered plants under Hilliers’ conservation programme.

Luxury Chocolate Making Workshop

March 18, 10am-midday or 2-4pm. £55 per person of £65 for two people.

Professional chocolatiers from Chocolate Craft will lead participants in making their own chocolates.

Forest Bathing

March 23, April 20, May 11, June 15, July 13, September 21, October 19, November 16 and December 7, 10.30am-1.30pm. £40 per person including entry to the gardens, £35 for members.

Visitors will be helped to find their inner piece in a guided three hour mindfulness in nature experience.

Learn the skill of Lino Printing

March 26, 10am-4pm. £75 including materials and lunch.

Participants will design a lino block using sketches or ideas and make a lino prints to create pictures.

Exhibition from the Hampshire and Berkshire Guild of Craftsmen

March 15 to March 30, 10am-4pm, closing at 3pm on the last day. Free entry.

The craftsmen will be showcasing some of the highest quality craft being produced in the region, including pieces made from glass, wood, metal, textiles and ceramics.

Creative Collection

May 4 to May 21, 5pm.

Another art exhibition with free entry. Seven artists from Hampshire and Wiltshire, will be exhibiting paintings inspired by the natural world.

Inspired by Nature

April 1 to May 2, 10am-5pm, closing at 3pm on the last day. Free admission.

More than 80 original works from three different artists and Argentum jewellery will be on show at the gardens.

Spring Garden Explorer

Running until March 31, 10am-5pm.

A free downloadable guide for kids to use on a visit to the gardens.

Family Archaeology Romans

April 4, 10am-12.30pm. £16 for one and adult and child. Price does not include gardens admission.

Become an archaeologist for the day by exploring artifacts, digging for finds, living like a Roman and tasting marching biscuits.

Pond Dipping

April 4, 6, 11, 13 and 15, 10.30am to 3pm, 2.30pm finish on final day. Gardens admission not included.

For £3 each, kids can go pond dipping for 25 minutes.

Garden Explorer’s Club: Natural Crafts

April 5, 9am-3pm. £35 per child.

Children will be guided in how to be creative with nature. Suitable for five- to 11-year-olds.

Bunnies and bees trail

Running from April 1 to 16. Costs £2 in addition to garden admission.

Spring Foraging Walk and cream tea

April 19, 2-2.30pm

Walkers will be taught how to identify edible plants and herbs as well as learning cooking and preserving tips before a cream tea in Jermyns House.

Guided tree tour

April 21, 9-10.30am. £17.50 including a hot drink and cake.

Guides will lead visitors around Hilliers’ tree collection from around the world, focussing on the trees native to Japan.

Dragonflies and Sunflowers - a willow workshop

May 7, 10am-4pm. £85.50 per person including lunch and material. Early bird saving of £10 if booked before May.

A day creating two willow sculptures.

Spring Propagation Workshop

May 10, 10am-3pm. £65.50 per person including a light lunch and refreshments.

A gardener will be on hand to teach participants on the basics of how to grow plants from seed, cuttings and division in springtime.

Botanical Art Workshop

May 27 and 28, 10am to 4pm. $150 per person including lunch.

Watercolour and botanical artist Sally Pinhey will explore flower function and form with pencil, helping workshop goers to sketch in the gardens.

Walk, Talk and Draw art workshop

May 17 10am-3pm and May 27 10am-12pm. £32.

Visitors will have the chance to explore different materials such as charcoal, pencil and pen with local artist Elizabeth Hammond.

Edible Ornamentals

June 8, 9-10.30am. £17.50 including cake and hot drink.

This plant walk will show guests what flowers growing the gardens they can use in the kitchen.

For more information or to book any of the events go to hants.gov.uk/thingstodo/hilliergardens.