Bringing you the best from the Estate this June
We’re truly feeling the effects of sunny days across the Estate, notably in High Park where the trees’ lush green canopies are out in full – like this one; our oldest oak looking magnificent against blue skies.
Estimated to be about a thousand years old, this tree sits within a forest of ancient oak trees – the largest collection in Europe, in fact. Now is the perfect time to visit High Park – accessible on a walk around the Park perimeter – to admire the natural beauty of the forest and catch a glimpse of the wildlife that make this part of the Park unique in its biodiversity.
Life on the Estate
We’re very excited to be selling estate-grown oak saplings at the Blenheim Palace East Courtyard Gift Shop for the very first time. The saplings are grown from acorns from our ancient oaks, and allow you to take a piece of the estate home and cultivate the next generation of Blenheim oaks. Make a trip to the Gift Shop to pick up a sapling for you or a loved one.
After building and installing ‘bee B&B’s’, our Estate Team have reported that two of the 28 wild bee colonies on the estate have moved in. Just in time for World Bee Day last month we had our very first bee mating at Blenheim- it is wonderful to see these colonies growing and thriving.
We were thrilled to have chainsaw champion Matthew Crabb in the Park last week, transforming a fallen ancient oak into a beautiful bench for guests to enjoy. The bench took more than 50 hours to carve, and the design was inspired by the oak forest in which it sits.
Our Homes (and yours)
We asked our friends at Loft Lifestyle, a charming boutique in Woodstock, their thoughts on the Spring/Summer season trends for your home. As we have another season of entertaining from home on our hands, items which can be used indoors and out are set to be on trend as well as bold colours, plenty of greenery and natural fragrances through your living spaces this Summer.
In your Garden
Growing your own fruit is not only rewarding, but tasty! Gardens of all sizes can be home to fruit plants, with strawberries perfect for the smaller garden through to plum or apple trees if you have the space, tending to fruit and reaping the rewards is an activity all the family can get involved in. RHS have all the details you’d ever need for growing your own…
If you’re struggling with a problem in your garden, from moles to a brown lawn, Gardener’s World has shared 12 simple solutions for common garden problems. Preventing weeds in your border can be simply resolved with packed planting- just don’t give them space to grow; who knew it could be so simple?!
In the Kitchen
Warmer weather calls for lighter food with plenty of greenery. Our go-to is a bright salad packed with flavour, perfect for a light lunch or an accompaniment for whatever’s on your BBQ. Our friends over at Searcys shared their grain, broccoli and grapefruit salad which we’re sure you’ll agree looks delicious!
Grain, broccoli & grapefruit salad recipe
We all know how important hydration is on a summers day so why not spruce up your water with some spring flavours? Watermelon and Mint is our favourite, with refreshing tones of sweet melon and a bunch of mint, it makes a perfect pitcher to share with friends and family in the garden.
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