Herald - Issue 397

v FOR GOOD ADVICE, ASK YOUR LOCAL SPECIALISTS v 29th October 2020 • The HERALD • Page 49 RYAN FENCING Quality Fencing & Gates 07769 706516 • 023 8084 1203 www.ryan-fencing.co.uk • Find us on Facebook Fred Hurst 023 8084 2191 or 07761 467217 • Grass Cutting • Garden Clearance • Hedge Cutting • Fallen Trees Cleared • Mini Digger Hire with Operator • Property Clearance • Small Demolition • Tractor Flail Cutting FULLY INSURED v FREE QUOTATIONS Qualified, knowledgeable and friendly husband and wife team with over 15 years experience specialising in one off garden tidy ups. Fully insured. * Garden out of control and need bringing back to a maintainable level? * Require a seasonal cut back for jobs too big for you or your equipment? * Just finished house renovations and the garden needs some TLC? * Recently moved into or are preparing to sell your property? * Have a forthcoming special event planned in your garden? Whatever the reason please use the contact details below to book in your tailored quote. Tel: 07775 528836 Email: bgsgroundcare@gmail.com The Tidy Garden Company Hampshire • Tree Felling • Tree Shaping • Tree Purning & Thinning • Crown Reduction • Crown Lifting • Complete Tree Removal • Site Clearance • Dead Wooding • Hedge Cutting & Shaping • Gardening Evening: 01794 522092 Daytime Mobile: 07946 513633 Email: treefellers@gmx.com | DOWN THE GARDEN PATH | Send your local news to The Editor, The Herald, 2 High Street, Hythe SO45 6AH Busy Summer Helps Gardens to Record Membership the New Forest. Membership o ers unlimited visits to the gardens all year and members recoup their fee a er just three visits. ey also bene t from 10% o in the thatched tea rooms. Feedback from visitors of all ages this summer has shown that this peaceful, woodland garden is o ering them solace during an especially di cult year. Furzey Gardens is famous for its collection of over 40 fairy doors, rustic thatched structures and informal woodland planting. It is part of Minstead Trust, a charity supporting people with learning disabilities to live more independent and ful lled lives. People with learning disabilities work to maintain the gardens and raise new plants in the nursery. Visitors have praised the COVID- Secure measures at the gardens, which include pre-booking, a new entrance and one way route to aid social distancing. e garden’s popular thatched tea rooms are serving a takeaway menu including sandwiches, cakes, cream teas and scones. Despite the wonderful response from visitors since June, Furzey Gardens lost tens of thousands of pounds in income from closing during lockdown. e gardens are indebted to all those who donated to its reopening fundraising appeal and have subsequently visited the gardens and taken out membership – their support has been crucial. Minstead Trust continues to rely on the generosity of its visitors and supporters to secure the future of the gardens in order to continue to welcome visitors and support vulnerable people. Adam Dodd, Furzey Gardens manager, said: “At one point this year we wondered if the gardens would be able to open at all due to Coronavirus. So the response from visitors and the incredible number of new members we have gained this summer has been amazing. “We have had lots of sold out days and it’s been lovely to see the gardens full of happy visitors of all ages sharing happy times during difficult times. “We have plenty planned this autumn, including a scavenger hunt for children during half term and an end of season plant sale. We hope to see plenty more visitors enjoying the stunning autumn colour in the gardens this month.” Entrance to Furzey Gardens is by suggested donation, all visitors must pre-book their slot at www.furzey- gardens.org A New Forest garden has overcome a challenging year to turn strong visitor numbers into a record number of members. Despite being unable to open until June due to the Coronavirus lockdown, Furzey Gardens in Minstead has welcomed more than 15,000 visitors and seen over 800 people sign up for annual membership this summer. is is the highest number of members in the garden’s history, as people are drawn to escape to this tranquil, secret garden nestled deep in A boy enjoys an autumn visit to Furzey Gardens