As many of us start looking ahead to festive fun, I’m delighted to announce that our award-winning Christmas displays will return to Castle Gardens, Brimsmore Gardens and Poundbury Gardens during October – reimagined and rebuilt to keep the season safe and special.

While this year’s themes remain tightly under wraps, as Louise and her team put the finishing touches on displays they’ve been planning since January, we can reveal the steps being taken to keep families safe and socially distanced as they are transported to magical winter wonderlands.

Every element has been carefully reviewed with safety in mind and new measures include additional space within the displays, reorganised routes to avoid congestion, hand sanitising points before and after each display, extra tills to reduce queuing, one-way systems and two-metre markings to help guide social distancing.

With our ever popular opening night events sadly unable to take place this year, due to the huge numbers that regularly gather for this annual spectacle, we are encouraging people to consider visiting at quieter times of day over the coming weeks.

To help with this, our restaurants will be offering extended breakfast and afternoon tea menus, so you can enjoy the full experience at any time of the day. Marquees have also been erected to provide additional space at all three restaurants and at The Apple Tree Farm Shop, allowing plenty of room to share in the joy of festive food and drink.

Promising inspirational themes, unique products and plenty of Christmas cheer, our award-winning displays will be open seven days a week, up to and including Christmas Eve, from the following dates:
Poundbury Gardens, Dorchester – Thursday 1 October
Brimsmore Gardens, Yeovil – Thursday 8 October
Castle Gardens, Sherborne – Friday 16 October

Mike