January events at the Botanic Garden

Top quality food on the menu

Local producers are the stars of the National Botanic Garden of Wales January Food Fair (January 25-26), and they are laying on a feast with an international flavour.

Rubbing shoulders with the sellers of burritos, baklava, tapas, Turkish delight, Belgian chocolate and chorizo will be specialists in laverbread, Welsh cakes, local honey, Cothi Valley cheese, Gwaun Valley lamb, and Welsh beer and cider.

Head of marketing at the Garden, David Hardy said: “Our visitors are always keen to support local producers because they know their food and drink is high-quality. We also know that low food miles is good for food freshness and better for the environment; and that backing local businesses is a great way to support the local economy. Could there be a better way to spend your weekend?”

He added: “It is also a fantastic showcase for our local food heroes who offer such a vast array of top notch produce. I can’t wait!”

The Garden is open from 10am until 4.30pm, admission to the Garden and the Food Fair is £2 (under-16s, free).

Snowdrop Week

Come and discover our mile of snowdrops and help us celebrate Lili Wen Fach with Snowdrop Week (Jan 25-Feb 2).

Pick up a leaflet when you visit and take the Snowdrop Trail then you’ll be ready for our origami, cake-decorating and painting family activities. For those who fancy a bit of a sing, we’ll teach you the words to the pretty Lili Wen Fach song. We’ll also have microscopes on hand to help you get a closer encounter to the snowdrop flower and we’ll show you where and how to plant a snowdrop.

As part of the wonderful Patchwork Meadow exhibition in our Stable Art Gallery, we invite you to come to the gallery and stitch your own patchwork on Thursday January 30th. What plant you choose to depict is up to you but one of our snowdrop varieties in the Garden may inspire you.

Family activities take place in the Apothecary’s Hall on the weekends of January 25-26 and February 1-2.

St Dwynwen’s Day

Discover the story behind the lovespoon and hear the secrets of St Dwynwen – the Welsh patron saint of love – in the Garden on Saturday January 25 (St Dwynwen’s Day).

There will be experts on hand to tell you the stories behind these important Welsh cultural icons.

* Entry to the Food Fair is £2 for adults and free for under-16s. Admission for the rest of January is FREE for all.

* For more information about events at the Garden, go to www.gardenofwales.org.uk or call 01558 667149.