As home to the National Fruit Collections, each year Brogdale's orchards brim with acres and acres of stunning blossoms.  When the blooms appear, visitors can make the most of this beautiful time of year by taking part in an Orchard Tour.  They can also bring a picnic and eat lunch under the blossom. Brogdale's tours kick off from the 28th March and run until October, taking place at 11am, 1pm and 2.30pm every day. They last an hour with no need to book. Now is the perfect time to buy a Brogdale Orchard pass – which gives users access to orchard walks and tours for a year.  More details on:  https://www.brogdalecollections.org/daily-orchard-tours/

Easter at Brogdale -  Spring Lambs and Easter Egg Hunt in the National Fruit Collection - Tractor Rides through the blossom and Easter Crafts.

The annual Easter event at Brogdale Farm, Faversham will take place on the 10,11,12 April.

The 2020 Easter celebrations will feature hatching chicks alongside the ever popular lambs, baby rabbits and piglets. Each year the range of animals gets bigger and to add falconry displays to the event is going to be a great addition.

As well as some beautiful owls, the falconry team will offer daily flying displays to show off the incredible skills the birds of prey possess. Gemma Raines, from Joes Bows Country Sports comments: “We thoroughly enjoy spring shows. It's a real pleasure to get the birds into action and introduce the new birds for the season”.

Incubated chicks will be hatching over the Easter period and Brogdale's 'Eggspert' will be on hand to offer advice to any budding hen keepers.   

The spring lambs are always a treat and visitors can learn all about their journey and why orphan lambs are so common. Children will also get the opportunity to volunteer to feed the lambs which is always a popular endeavour. 

Faversham Miniature Railway will be running train rides all weekend through the orchards. And the tractor trailer will take the children into the orchards for an egg hunt trailing through the blossoming trees. The Easter Bunny will be stopping by to help children complete the hunt and collect a chocolate prize.

Children can also enjoy Easter crafts and make something special to take home. While, Mad Cat brewery will be offering tours and tastings all weekend for the grown-ups.

Brogdale marketplace of shops will be open throughout the event and the café/restaurant will be serving hot and cold lunches.

Japanese Hanami Blossom Festival at Brogdale - 18-19th April 2020

Brogdale Collections in Faversham looks after the country's national fruit collections and has acres of fruit orchards at its home in the Garden of England.  This makes it an ideal location to hold one of the country's few Japanese Hanami events where the stunning blossom is enjoyed and celebrated.

Hanami is a Japanese tradition which marks the start of the blossom season by enjoying a picnic under the blossom trees (Sakura).

The event at Brogdale brings together the beauty of fruit blossom with a celebration of Japanese life and culture. Along with the opportunity to picnic under the blooming trees, visitors can also take a blossom tour and enjoy authentic entertainment.

A Japanese Tea Ceremony will take place throughout the day inviting visitors to view the artistic and ritualistic demonstration of serving tea.  Japanese drumming and Iaijutsu demonstrations will also be held offering a spiritual and cultural experience. While the ease and grace of traditional dancers will immerse visitors in the culture of Japan.

Sushi demonstrations, calligraphy and origami crafts can be sampled along with the ancient arts of bonsai and book binding.

The blossom tours will take visitors on a journey around the collection discovering the seasonal highlights and peak blossom areas of the orchards. Sara Smile, Operations Manager for Brogdale Collections comments; “As home to the National Fruit Collections, each year Brogdale's orchards are brimming with acres and acres of stunning blossoms.  When the blossom appears, visitors can make the most of this beautiful time of year by visiting our Hanami Festival. This is the perfect time to get the camera out, as the shots are incredible”.

The National Fruit Collection preserves both fruiting and ornamental trees including apples, pears, cherries, plums and apricots. Each fruit has a different flower and each variety shows variation between the blooms. The overall spectacle is quite exceptional and shows a succession throughout April and into May.

Easter Event and Hanami Festival tickets can be pre-booked though the website www.brogdalecollections.org or by contacting Brogdale Collections on 01795 536250.

Travel Information: Faversham is a destination on High Speed One travelling from St Pancras London.

For more information and video content featuring Faversham from Visit Swale go to https://www.visit-swale.co.uk/experience-swale/experience-faversham/