Huge thanks to Tauny Southwood  who has come on board by bringing bands, ‘Jazz on Tap’ and ‘Tayz & the Drolls’ to the Garden Party.  Read on for more details about the bands.

Earth Oven Baking, Wildlife Activities, Day of the Dead and Halloween Storytelling

The nights are drawing in, and  it’s tempting to spend more time indoors but come and enjoy Autumn outdoors at Martineau Gardens this October with a range of activities.

Lizzy Bean (course tutor) stoking the fire

Sat 21 October, Baking in an Earth Oven Course, Martineau Gardens 10am – 3pm   Just in time for the bonfire season, come and learn how to bake outdoors on a wood-fired earth oven, in Martineau Gardens very own outdoor kitchen. Click here for more details and booking info. £40, advance booking essential.

Autumn Half-Term Family Fun, Martineau Gardens, 10am – 12noon on Tues 24 October and Thurs 26 October       Come and have some autumn and Halloween themed fun this October half term. Ideal for finding out more about the wildlife at Martineau Gardens with plenty of fun and play along the way. Click here for more details and booking info, £5 per child, advance booking essential.

A celebratory altar will be created in the glass house

Sat 28 October, Day of the Dead Celebrations, Martineau Gardens

Join us for these special festivities. Members of the Mexican Community in the Midlands are running a ‘Day of the Dead’ activity here at Martineau Gardens to share the tradition with you. Visit the altar that will be set up at Martineau Gardens,  keeping one of Mexico’s most ancient traditions alive. Children’s Sugar Skull 30 min workshops, £3, booking in advance essential. click here for more information  

Tues 31 October, Halloween Story Night, Martineau Gardens 6 – 9pm with the Trad Arts Team   A rare opportunity to enjoy Martineau Gardens at night, in the company of storytellers from the Traditional Arts Team. Click here for more details and booking info, £5 per adult, £2 per child, advance booking recommended.

Scarlet Elf Cap credit: A Curran

And of course Martineau Gardens is open everyday (except Sunday), from 10 and until 4pm – entry is free (unless there is a special event on).

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Spring is in the air, we’re sowing seeds, enjoying watching the leafy foliage of the broad bean plants in the veg beds and seeing the first blossom on the fruit trees appearing.

If you’re in need of gardening inspiration, or simply want to enjoy thinking about food growing, then come and join us at our first event of the year, the Big Dig Food Growing Event on Saturday 16 April, 2pm until 4pm – it’s free to enter. Find out the latest event details here.

It’s artichoke season! We’ve dug up our first few and its a  good crop. There are three unrelated artichoke plants, Jerusalem, Chinese and Globe Artichoke, the one that we grow here at Martineau Gardens is the Jerusalem artichoke. Related to the sunflower family, it grows tall stems, over 4 foot in height. The part that is edible, the knobbly brown tubers, are hidden below the surface of the vegetable beds. It’s not until harvest time (usually December) that we find out how well our artichokes have done.

Call into the Gardens to buy a handful of artichokes*. If you’re wondering what to do with them, we recommend turning  them into soup or roasting them. Jamie Oliver has a tasty looking recipe here:

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/saut-ed-jerusalem-artichokes-with-garlic-and-bay-leaves

*if you’re making a special journey, call ahead to check supplies!

Sun 10 August, The Taming of the Shrew, Martineau Gardens, 2pm.  With Folksy Theatre (Gates open at 1pm)

We’re really looking forward to ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ which is coming to Martineau Gardens this Sunday, 10 August, presented by Folksy Theatre. Folksy Theatre have been touring the South with this production since the middle of July – there are some great reviews and pictures on their facebook page (facebook.com/folksy-theatre). To find out more about the play at Martineau Gardens and how you can buy tickets, click here.

 Photos by: Photographs by Emma Holbrook (Laconic Film) and Trevor Bithell

Live music from local musicians, the launch of Gallery in the Trees, wildlife activities for children, a herbal walk, apple pressing and story fun are some of the treats in store for visitors to Martineau Gardens’ annual Autumn Event on Sunday 29 September 2013 from 11am – 3pm. Our family friendly ‘green’ fete will celebrate the Autumn harvest and provide an  afternoon of family fun.  Admission fee for the Autumn Event is non-members £3, concessions £1, families £6 and free to members.For more details of what’s planned, click here.

The Yurt, Glimpsed from a Woodland Path

The Storytelling Festival is all set for this weekend (22 and 23 June): come rain or shine, Martineau Gardens and the Traditional Arts Team are ready to welcome you to a family-friendly festival of storytelling, music and more at Martineau Gardens. A marquee, a bell-tent and a yurt will all provide protection from the rain and in between the showers, enjoy outdoor performances in woodland glades, around the earth oven and the pirate ship.  Tickets are available on the gate on the night, (or in advance to callers in person to Martineau Gardens Thursday and Friday until 5pm).

Yurts have been in use at least since the 13th century, a portable wood-framed dwelling used by nomadic people. Yurts are designed to be dismantled and the parts carried compactly on camels  or yaks to be rebuilt on another site. Our Yurt, located in a woodland glade of Martineau Gardens will be the setting for several performances during the Storytelling Festival including, ‘Sun and Rain, Wind and Weather’, ‘Fearsome Stories for Fearsome Families’ and ‘Dragon’s Den’. More details about theFestival Programme are here and full details about the festival and how to buy tickets are here.

The Yurt, by the One Heart Circle

A Sky View from the Yurt