Surrey Homes | SH29 | March 2017 | Fashion supplement inside

Final flourish...
This month sees the close of Kew Gardens’ Orchids
Festival on 5 March, so it’s your last chance to experience
the sights and scents of India in this vibrant celebration
of exotic beauty. And it only gets better after the sun sets,
as Thursday 2 March will be the last of the Orchid Lates,
with the Princess of Wales Conservatory staying open
until 9.30pm with entertainment including yoga classes,
traditional Indian violin performances and henna hand
and arm decorating. Be sure not to miss out! Find more
information at kew.org or call 020 8332 5655.
Orchid Festival 2017
March
notebook
Exhibitions & events
near you this month...
Lizzie Patterson
Mum’s worth it...
It’s all going on at Denbies wine estate for
Mother’s Day; the day begins at 9.30am, with a
classic Mother’s Day brunch and vineyard tours,
then throughout the day events continue with a
pre-harvest flower arranging demonstration from
Chelsea Flower Show florist Sue Flight, a carverystyle
buffet with live music in the garden room and
even leisurely 25-minute horse and carriage rides
through the beautiful vineyard. Each event needs
to be booked separately; for more information call
01306 876616 or visit denbies.co.uk
Wildlife whisk-up...
Join Great British Bake Off finalist, Miranda Gore
Browne, for a morning of coffee and cake with
a side of expert baking advice. The event is held
in the lovely Gate Street Barn and all proceeds
support Elephant Orphans in Zambia. Learn how
to decorate biscuits and bake a three-layer lemon
blossom cake, plus get the dish on what its like
to be on Bake Off! Call 01483 272323, or visit
davidshepherd.org to find out more.
Print works...
Learn how to hand-block print and make an
empire-line lampshade, a large silk scarf or a fine
batiste cotton table runner in one day. Workshops
will run from Thursday 16 March to Saturday 29
July, in the beautiful setting of The Old Rectory
in Bletchingley, a Georgian manor house with
an Italianate garden. Lunch and tea are included
and tuition will be provided by Trudi Savin, the
director of new home accessories brand, Yateley
Papers. Book your place at yateleypapers.co.uk
Andy Milton Photography
Run for it...
Racecheck’s top-rated UK event of 2016 returns
on Sunday 12 March. The Mercer Surrey Half
Marathon is a world-class race experience with live
music acts, food and drink outlets, and spectator
hotspots strategically dotted around the route, which
also caters to a 5k race and a kids’ run on the same
day. This event is famed for its fantastic atmosphere,
which is fuelled by supportive spectators and you
can still enter via charities up to Wednesday 8
March. So, whether you want to run or help cheer
others on, it’s not too late to get involved. Take a
look online at surreyhalfmarathon.co.uk for details.
Historical sleepover...
A unique opportunity to stay overnight at the
stunning Hampton Court Palace. Eat, drink
and be merry with an evening which includes
a three-course meal, tours and overnight stay.
As an added bonus guests are invited to wear
historical costume if they wish, and will have
complimentary entry to the palace and parking
the rest of the day. More information and booking
available on hrp.org.uk
Breath of tranquility...
Whether you’re stuck for a Mother’s day gift or
just looking for a bit of old-fashioned pampering,
Grayshott Spa has got you covered this month
with special offers. Not only is there a 20%
discount on Mother-Daughter Spa Breaks but
also a ‘Marvellous March’ offer including one
inclusive treatment per night booked. More details
and booking can be found at grayshottspa.com
21 wealdentimes.co.uk