A bit of floral colour to start the week at @thebaytrust.bsky.social - crocuses/croci in #ThePinesGarden. Elsewhere everything from a grant funding panel to proposals for tea ceremonies are in this week’s diary…

With all the excitement (and lovely feedback) surrounding the Cafe & Visitor Centre at #ThePinesGarden @thebaytrust.bsky.social - including the #GardenOfCuriosities exhibition - we can report work is still going on in the gardens themselves. Here’s something from behind the scenes.

My @thebaytrust.bsky.social colleagues, working with @danthompson33.bsky.social, have done a phenomenal job in setting up The Pines Café & Visitor Centre. The story of #ThePinesGarden, the charity’s work and some very fine cakes (savoury delights available too) in one place :-)

The Poustinia, at The Pines Garden, St. Margaret’s Bay, Kent. Formed of circular rammed chalk walls (mostly white in this photo), maybe around 3 metres high, with a rectangular entrance/exit at the front. A brown/grey wooden fascia edges a grass domed roof (built using a Catalan vaulting method) above the walls. The structure sits on a raised stone and grass platform, with two wide stone steps leading up to it. Behind are tall leafless trees (this is a winter image) on a high bank, set against a pale blue sky, with green leafed bushes and a pine tree lower / closer to the rear of the Poustinia.

How about The Poustinia, at #ThePinesGarden, in Kent as a building with a good sound? I attempted a field recording in it earlier this year; nearby sea, breezes through trees and birdsong all seemed focussed in there :-) More info in ALT text. #LentoAdvent day 13.

Something to look out for at @thebaytrust.bsky.social in early 2026 :-)
In case you are wondering, the #wildflowers in the photo are among a planter that is actually part of a building designed by #ChristopherWren - it’s been at #ThePinesGarden since the 1970s!

Autumn colours in The Pines Garden... 🍂

Why not come down and see them for yourself this week?
Open: Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-3pm.
Garden entry by donation. Dogs on leads welcome. 🌱

#thepinesgarden #autumn #kentautumn #stmargaretsbay

Make the most of what the season has to offer this weekend in #ThePinesGarden and Tea Room. 🍂

Catch the autumn leaves and late blooming flowers in the garden, and enjoy light lunches, Sunday roast, teas, coffees and cakes in The Pines Tea Room. ☕🍰

Open 10am -3pm all weekend. 🌱

Where would we be without our garden staff and volunteers?! Every week they come to #ThePinesGarden with the skills, energy and enthusiasm that makes all the difference.

And the best part? They're really fun to work with! 🌱

We had a fantastic day at the East Kent Schools Together's annual Big Explore, welcoming 60 pupils and teachers from Kent to #ThePinesGarden. They engaged in art, music, and medicine-making - and did a great job! Huge thanks to the pupils, staff, and facilitators for a wonderful day 🌱

Whilst I was in London yesterday, at a public spaces expo no less, it didn’t include a visit to the Cleary Garden - these shots were taken by a @thebaytrust.bsky.social #volunteer recently, and are great to see! #FloweringFred #CityOfLondon #ClearyGarden #ThePinesGarden.

Away (2): Great to see colleagues work at @thebaytrust.bsky.social depicted here - some of this is around the holiday cottage (yes, you can stay at #ThePinesGarden.) The grape 🍇 harvest looks lovely. We’re recruiting for a new cook too - see the Trust’s socials for more info :-)

Need a moment of calm? Welcome to the mindful labyrinth at #ThePinesGarden 🌱🌼

Open Wednesday - Sunday 10am - 4pm
📍St Margaret's Bay - just 2 minutes walk from the beach
Free entry (though donations are always appreciated!)
🐶 Dogs on leads welcome

Something uplifting from us at @thebaytrust.bsky.social #ThePinesGarden this week - our first kiwi fruit :-) 🥝

In case anyone “unbooked” was coming along, this event has been CANCELLED due to illness. Any news on rescheduling will be announced through the @thebaytrust.bsky.social feed here on BlueSky. #ThePinesGarden.

Looking forward to hosting this at #ThePinesGarden @thebaytrust.bsky.social tomorrow - particularly the section on the sounds of soil - it may be the first time it has run outside of #Devon (though I will check!) Anyway, meet-up is at 10.50am outside The Pines Tea Room…

Looking forward to welcoming everyone who is attending ‘The Wishing Tree’ with @bernadetterussell.bsky.social at #ThePinesGarden @thebaytrust.bsky.social today.

I have to say the #PortOfDover staff #volunteering for us at @thebaytrust.bsky.social #ThePinesGarden did some fantastic work. New log seating installed, overgrowth clearances and creation of a log pile for our #GenerationRestoration gardens among it all! @unbiodiversity.bsky.social

Earlier this year @bernadetterussell.bsky.social published #ConversationsOnKindness (both @theguardian.com & #BBC covered it); next month she is running a storytelling event - ‘The Wishing Treee’ - for us at #ThePinesGarden @thebaytrust.bsky.social! Ticket info etc. is linked to in the post below.

I’ve just listened to a snippet - I wonder if we can make use of a track from this (with the correct permissions) to help announce the re-emergence of the wooden owl in #ThePinesGarden this summer? :-) #musictovarnishowlsby

Our pocket wildflower meadows started as an experiment, but quickly became one of the most popular sights in #ThePinesGarden! And they're only just getting started this year 🌱🌼

Pop by and see for yourself today:
📍The Pines Garden, St Margaret's Bay
⏰Open 10am - 4pm
🎟️FREE entry, donations welcome

If you're visiting The Pines Garden this week, keep your eyes peeled for our new bat box! This wonderful new addition to our restoration garden area was installed by our garden team last week 🦇🌱

#restorationgarden #ecogarden #batbox #wildlifegarden #kentwildlife #thepinesgarden

The beans are in!

Why not pop by this weekend and see how they've grown in a week of sunshine? Garden entry is free (though donations are appreciated), dogs on leads are welcome and the tea room will be open serving food and drink 10am - 4pm.
#thepinesgarden #growyourown #homegrown

The top third of the image features a blue sky with some light cloud cover. Below this is a band of various trees and, to the mid-left, a headland that comes to an abrupt end with a chalk cliff facing to the right (the sea is out of shot.) Almost all of the lower half of the picture shows unmown grassland, interwoven in places with (mainly yellow) wildflowers, and a swathe of leafier plants (nearly all green) sprouting out from a hugelkultur bed (which also includes a little bare earth) dominating on the left. The roofing of a few buildings can be seen in a few random areas of the picture.

It is now #NoMowMay and so here is a #ThrowbackThursday of a photo I took at #ThePinesGarden of @thebaytrust.bsky.social during last year’s. There’s also a bit of a #hugelkultur bed in view! I will endeavour to post a 2025 image or two in the coming weeks :-) @plantlifeuk.bsky.social

Happy May Day! And how perfect that we've spotted this golden 𝐜𝐨𝐰𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐩 (Primula veris) growing in #ThePinesGarden today. Once abundant in hayfields and chalky pastures, cowslips were traditionally gathered for 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬, making them a beloved herald of spring in Britain.🌿

I saw this on another platform and the fact someone asked if we could deliver a plant-based tart to them in #Netherlands (based on them sampling it here at #ThePinesGarden) certainly brought a smile to my face! @thebaytrust.bsky.social

Repost: from a recent visitor to the Pines Garden.

If you're fancy a sweet home-made treat this week, you know where to find us!

#ThePinesGarden #StMargaretsBay #HomeBaked #Cakes #Pastries #KentLunch

We would love to see you in the Pines Garden and Tea Room this weekend, where we're making the most of what the season has to offer! ☀🌱
Open 10am-3pm. Garden entry is free (donations appreciated) and dogs on leads are always welcome.
#ThePinesGarden #StMargaretsBay #Kent #Dover

We're starting the week with a mystery...
If you visited the garden last week, you may have noticed these patches of freshly dug earth suggesting an exciting plan for some new growing! Any guesses for what we've got in store for this spot?🌱

#ThePinesGarden #GrowingAGarden #RegenerativeGarden

We have been blessed with glorious sunshine this week - what a tantalising taste of Spring for all that is growing in the Pines Garden! The Garden will be open Wednesday - Sunday 10am - 3pm. Don't miss this rare opportunity to catch some March rays! ☀️🌱
#thepinesgarden #thepinestearoom

Bring on March! The evenings are getting lighter and the sun is getting stronger! Join us in #ThePinesGarden this weekend for some early Spring sunshine, and see how many colourful flowers you can spot blooming around the site. Dogs on leads are welcome the garden and the Tea Room 🐶 🌱Open 10am-3pm