Nottingham events: Sweet spring fair to be held in Wollaton Hall's 'secret garden'

A Spring Fair is to take place within Wollaton Hall’s ‘Secret Walled Garden’ this weekend. 

The Walled Garden was built, along with the head gardener’s cottage, large conservatory and farm buildings, in the second half of the 18th century.

Nottingham City Council, which owns the hall and estate, stopped using the gardens in the early 1990s and they were reclaimed by nature. 

In 2018, a group of volunteers, coordinated by Friends of Wollaton Park, started helping to restore, renovate and reuse the Walled Garden area. 

Thanks to the hard work of volunteers, the garden has been reclaimed from the ravages of time.

Now, with invasive ivy and brambles replaced by vegetable patches and rows of seasonal flowers, the garden is set to host a Spring Fair. 

The fair, taking place between 11am and 4pm on Saturday, April 20, and Sunday, April 21, will showcase the work completed by volunteers over the past six years. 

Entry to the fair is just £1, with visitors encouraged to follow a self-guided tour of the garden. 

Volunteers will also be selling fresh vegetables and flowers from the garden, along with books, cards, and bric-a-brac. 

Wollaton Hall is also running free tours of the Walled Garden each Thursday over the spring and summer months. 

Donations of £5 are encouraged to ensure the upkeep of the garden for years to come. 

You can book a place on one of the tours here.