Autumn Festival 2024
You’re invited to join us between the 30th August and 15th of September for an autumnal celebration of our famous home grown Dahlias.
Come along to our annual Autumn Festival and experience the beauty of our Celebration Garden and Dahlia Field as they reach their peak.
The Festival is on everyday 10am – 4pm (30th Aug – 15th Sept).
Garden Centre & Seasons Café opening times are as usual during the festival.
Here’s what you can look forward to during our Autumn Festival…
The Celebration Garden
During the festival the garden is ablaze with colour, the borders are bursting with shrubs, perennials, roses and our famous home-grown Dahlias, showcased in a natural garden setting beside our more formal trial ground.
Our Celebration Garden is part of the National Garden Scheme for the 7th year running, the NGS gives visitors unique access to thousands of exceptional private gardens in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands and raises funds for nursing and health charities. It is free to visit the Autumn Festival and the Celebration Garden but we welcome donations to this amazing cause.
For more information please visit ngs.org.uk
4,000 Dazzling Dahlias
Our famous home-grown Dahlias really are the stars of the show and a sight not to be missed! The one acre Dahlia Field displays our collection comprising of over 70 varieties in an array of flower types and colours. Meander through the neatly planted rows admiring the diversity of the varieties on show and choose your favourites for growing in your garden next year!
Dahlia plants will not be available from the garden centre until mid-April next year, but if you wish to take home a memento of your day, cut Dahlia flowers will be available to purchase daily throughout the festival.
The Festival Tea Tent
Open daily during the festival, 10am – 4pm, and is the perfect spot for refreshments that can be enjoyed looking over our picturesque Dahlia Field & Celebration Garden. A selection of freshly prepared sandwiches and deliciously tempting homemade cream scones and cakes will be available, as well as a selection of cold beverages, teas and barista style coffees. Sit in our tea tent, outside on one of picnic tables for a panoramic view of the garden, or venture into the garden and find a quiet spot on one of our benches.
No booking required.
A day out for all the family…
The garden is perfect for visitors for all ages, the neatly mowed grass paths mean the borders are accessible and easy to enjoy, on foot, by wheelchair or by pushchair. There is plenty to keep young visitors entertained – get dizzy in the grass spiral maze, see how you measure up on our measuring pole, and explore our willow tunnel and dome! Bring your magnifying glasses and see what buggy visitors there are in at the Bug Hotel and watch out for the array of visiting bees and butterflies visiting the garden! The garden is dog friendly too, we just ask that your four-legged friends are kept on a lead at all times and any whoopsies are picked up.
Click here for details of our Free Children’s Activity – The Big Bug Hunt
During the festival the Celebration Garden can be accessed from the garden centre as well as through our overflow field parking. From inside the garden centre, you can walk through the gate at the top of the plant area, shopping trollies and baskets can be looked after for you at the gate, so you can walk freely around and enjoy the sights, look out for the directional arrows, or ask a member of the team to guide you.
With so much to enjoy at the Garden Centre during our Autumn Festival we hope to see you soon – don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for Festival Updates and photos and please feel free to share your Festival Photos with us @aylettnurseries!
