This summer holiday, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has a tree-mendous programme of activities for the whole family across all five RHS Gardens with The Great Woodland Adventure. Running on selected dates between 19 July – 31 August, visitors can enjoy wild amounts of fun with a host of activities including den building, storytelling adventures and woodland crafts.
Each garden will set up a brilliant base camp where explorers can get stuck into everything from forest school to bushcraft skills and unlock the secrets of trees on a wonderful woodland discovery trail. All gardens will also host The Big Den Build with the Woodland Tribe on selected days, where young and young at heart can build an epic woodland adventure castle.
Dates, times, and activities vary per garden; please see below and check the website for details:www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/articles/summer-holiday-fun
RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Essex: 19 July – 31 August
Families can branch out into the great outdoors this summer holiday with The Great Garden Adventure at RHS Garden Hyde Hall. For little ones with huge imaginations, The Woodland Tribe will be hosting an incredible three-day den build where children will lead the creation of a spectacular Woodland Castle in the woods. Children can get creative with woodland-themed crafts, join in with Cloud and Woodland spotting and explore with a tree trail where they will learn about the ancient trees, pick up fun facts and vote for their favourites. For plenty more summer fun, families can follow an interactive story time around the garden with a captivating storyteller.
Children’s tickets cost £5.00, and adult entry starts from £15.85. Members and under-fives go free. Woodland Tribe sessions (23-25 July) cost an additional £10 per child and £5 per adult and must be booked online in advance.
RHS Garden Harlow Carr, North Yorkshire: 19 July – 31 August
This summer holiday, families can enjoy a tree-rific time at RHS Garden Harlow Carr. For the ultimate summer day out, visitors can join The Woodland Tribe to build an extraordinary Woodland Adventure Castle and use their imagination to bring the child-led construction to life. Those looking to explore the great outdoors can also take part in drop-in forest school workshops at the Woodland Base Camp and story-led yoga for all ages under the calming canopy of the trees. For more fun, families can join the Garden Detectives for an entertaining quest to learn woodland survival skills with plenty of games and challenges along the way. Woodland crafts, Bushcraft workshops, Claro orienteering, and a tree trail complete the packed lineup of fantastic activities.
Children’s tickets cost £5.00, and adult entry starts from £15.85. Members and under-fives go free. Woodland Tribe sessions (12-14 August) cost an additional £10 per child and £5 per adult and must be booked online in advance.
RHS Garden Rosemoor, North Devon: 19 July – 31 August
From giant den building, forest skills workshops, and interactive story sessions, there is a packed schedule of unbe-leaf-able fun at RHS Garden Rosemoor this summer holiday to celebrate The Great Woodland Adventure. Little ones can get hands-on with the garden’s Den Building Area in the lower woodland, explore the garden with a tree-trail, and take on the Sheriff of Nottingham with a Robin Hood theatre performance complete with interactive archery. Families can join The Woodland Tribe to build an extraordinary Woodland Adventure Castle and stretch their imagination with the child-led construction as they visit the garden for two days of incredible creation. Those looking to become woodland wilderness experts can take on guided forest skill workshops, including five-minute fires, mini raft building and a woodland invertebrate hunt.
Children’s tickets cost £5.00, and adult entry starts from £15.85. Members and under-fives go free. Woodland Tribe (2-4 August) sessions cost an additional £10 per child and £5 per adult and must be booked online in advance.
RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey: 19 July – 31 August
For plenty of summer fun, visitors can join The Great Woodland Adventure at RHS Wisley with a packed programme of tree-mendous activities. Visitors can unleash their inner builder with The Woodland Tribe and join the master of constructive play to build a woodland den like never before. Families can also discover RHS Garden Wisley with a whole new perspective with daring tree-climbing workshops. The unique experience in majestic twin oaks in Wisley’s iconic Seven Acres will see anyone, ages 6 to 96, scale the canopies and enjoy breathtaking views over the stunning garden. Little adventurers can join Big Hat Bushcamp for unique Bushcamp sessions, take part in woodland crafts at the Wisley Basecamp in Wilson’s Wood and discover the ancient trees in a self-guided tree trail. Story times and scavenger hunts also add to the fun!
Children’s tickets cost £5.00 and adult entry starts from £18.10 Members and under-fives go free Woodland Tribe sessions (28-30 July) cost an additional £10 per child and £5 per adult and must be booked online in advance.
RHS Garden Bridgewater, Greater Manchester: 23 July – 31 August
RHS Garden Bridgewater has a packed summer schedule with The Great Woodland Adventure. The Bridgewater Forest School will be helping woodland explorers discover the thrill of fire lighting, mastering new tools and natural material crafting. With everything from creating nettle paint to making wooden medallions, experts will lead fantastic workshops in the woodland base camp. Those looking for ultimate woodland fun can join The Woodland Tribe for three days of hands-on building to create an epic woodland castle with The Big Den build. Little ones can also join Wild Wings to come face to face with owls and birds of prey, join a tree-ific trail and get hands-on with seed planting.
Children’s tickets cost £5.00, and adult entry starts from £15.85 (summer price). Members and under-fives go free. Woodland Tribe sessions (7-9 August) cost an additional £10 per child and £5 per adult and must be booked online in advance.
