A keen lepidopterist has reported seeing a Black Swallowtail butterfly in the gardens in June near the pond. As this species is native to North America we are wondering if it has escaped from a collection, Buckfastleigh Butterfly Farm maybe? Any more reports of rare...

Although the weather forecast for the evening may be fine, the afternoon is predicted to have heavy rain and we can't risk laying electric cables across the gardens. With much regret we will have to postpone the Italian Masquerade, please hang on to your tickets as...

We've come to the end of the 3 month trial period of extended working hours on volunteer days. This was intended to give working families the opportunity to come along between 5 and 8 pm to work and maybe picnic afterwards. Members of our small group did their best to...

30 Year 6’s came along to the Italian Garden at Homeyards Botanical Gardens last Tuesday 17th June. They worked hard all day clearing weeds from walls and paths, taking wheelbarrows to the composter, watering trees and sanding and painting benches. It was a really hot...

Following closely on the heels of the amazing 25th anniversary Shaldon Festival we bring you more glorious music - in the open air. Saturday July 19th is Italian Masquerade day. Beginning in afternoon FunkyJunk mask crafting and leaning towers of pizza 3.00 - 5.00 pm,...

For the Botanical Gardeners this is the summer of the Italian Garden - specialist advisers have visited, inspected and commented in some detail. Armed with their advice and with new volunteers to join the regular working party our June work day turned into something...

Shortly after he was introduced to the new local pastime of catching a bouncy egg in a small bucket, Councillor Clarance officially opened the fully restored rill garden. It was a beautiful sunny spring morning just right for photographing working councillors, egg...

Towards the end of winter we devoted a work session to cleaning out the planting pockets around the big pond, long impacted with reed, bramble, rose of sharon, honeysuckle etc. Every year we cut it down but this year the team took it out completely - probably the...

The high winds on St Valentine's Day have caused yet more damage. Another big pine tree near the castle has come down, damaging the retaining wall and a smaller tree in its path. Several trees have lost branches, one by the Witch's Cave and another near the allotments...