Petersfield Tree Festival at Petersfield Community Garden
Saturday 25th November, 10am - 3.30pm
This year will see the launch of Petersfield Tree Festival - a special event run in partnership with PeCAN, Petersfield Community Garden, The Tree Council, and East Hampshire District Council, to celebrate the benefits of trees and learn more about them.
It will be an opportunity to find out more about tree care, planting, pruning, grafting on rootstock, and fan training. There will be free demonstrations throughout the day, as well as expert advice available on mini forests, soil suitability, and planting for the future - with climate change in mind.
This will be an event for the whole family, with activities for children - allowing them to explore tree seeds and find out how to identify different types of trees, as well offering a chance to get creative, with acorns and fairies!
Fruit trees currently for sale at only £12 each can be collected at the Tree Festival, you can pre-order your trees HERE. We will also have some trees for sale on the day.
Tree Festival Information
Demonstrations, Trails & Tours
From how to plant trees and create hedges to grafting and pruning, these demonstrations will give you the knowledge to look after your trees.
Fruit Tree Pick-up Point
We will have a wonderful selection of fruit trees available to collect at the Festival, but you must pre-order, available now at only £12 per tree!
Children's Activities
We are planning a variety of fun and engaging activities for children of all ages, from nature trails to marshmallow toasting! Click below to find out more.
Ask An Expert - The ENTS Tent
In our big marquee - otherwise known as the ENTS (Explore Nurturing Trees) Tent - we are pleased to offer a wonderful range and depth of expertise.
Travel & Logistics
Essential information about where the festival is and how to get there, parking advice, maps and other useful details.
Food & Drink
There will be delicious street food available at the Tree Festival from Thai Angle, as well as snacks and hot drinks. Make a day of it and come for lunch!
Demos, Trails & Tours Programme
Phil Paulo, from The Tree Council, will be on hand all day to demonstrate how to plant your trees and hedging plants, and he will also offer advice on grafting, layering, pruning and training. Find out everything you've ever wanted to know about how to look after a tree! Unless stated otherwise the 25 minute demonstrations will take place in the area marked out by the green flag.
Petersfield Area Lichen Enthusiasts will also offer a couple of fascinating lichen trails, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Join them to have your eyes opened to a precious microscopic world we all take for granted.
Sue will offer tours of Petersfield Community Garden throughout the day.
10.30 Planting Your Tree
11.00 Grafting & Layering
11.00 Pruning (Community Garden) 11.30 Training Your Tree
12.00 Lichen trail with an expert
12.00 Pruning (Community Garden) 12.30 Planting Your Tree
13.00 Grafting & Layering
13.30 Training Your Tree
14.00 Lichen trail with an expert
14.30 Planting Your Tree
15.00 Pruning & Training
Fruit Tree Pick-up Point
For the widest selection of trees you can pre-order here but we will also have some trees for sale on the day.
When you arrive at the Community Garden you will be directed to the tree pick up point where you can confirm your tree order and receive a label for collection. From there you can collect your trees to either take away or deposit in the holding bay - while you grab some delicious lunch, embark on the Scavenger Trail (which takes you through the orchards, around Adhurst Allotments and past the demonstration space and mini forest), make the most of the expert advice on offer, attend free demonstrations, and explore the craft stalls and activities for children!
Please bring along a large plastic bag for each tree you are collecting. Old compost sacks work well. The bare root trees will need to be covered in transit to stop their roots drying out. You will be sent full planting instructions before the pick up date, but it is worth remembering that bare root trees should be planted within 48hours of pick up. If you can't plant them within that time frame then you will need to heel them in. We will provide more information on this in the demonstrations.
Children's Activities
We will have a wealth of activities for children on offer...
There will be a BIG Scavenger Trail of the whole site - suitable for both accompanied children and adults! Follow the clues and collect the intriguing seeds, which you will be able to identify at the end. This is also an opportunity to explore the orchards, allotments, demonstration space and mini forest on your way round.
Then make your way to the self-contained Community Garden, where you will find many more activities. You will have the chance to identify your seeds, and explore how to tell which tree twigs and leaves came from. There will be an opportunity to study bugs and mini beasts through a magnifying glass as well.
You can also get creative, making acorn people and a fairy garden - and we might even have marshmallows to toast around the campfire!
Ask An Expert - The ENTS Tent!
In our big marquee (otherwise known as the ENTS - Explore Nurturing Trees - Tent) we are pleased to offer a wonderful range and depth of expertise.
The Tree Council will be there to talk to you about tree planting and care, mini forests, laying hedges and concerns around issues such as disease resistance.
Local tree wardens and representatives of Petersfield Society Green Infrastructure Group will be present to offer general advice, including how to care for trees as they age, looking out for signs of distress and how to remedy these. You can also ask questions about tree health and climate change - and anything else that springs to mind!
PeCAN will be there of course, to chat about the importance of trees for nature recovery.
How to get to the festival
The Festival will be held at the Petersfield Community Garden with trails and demonstrations on adjacent parts of the Adhurst Estate. Everything will be within easy walking distance.
Full address: Waterworks Rd, Petersfield, GU32 2AT
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We ask that you please walk or cycle, if you can. If you are collecting a tree, potted trees can be easily carried, in a bag or backpack, or even secured in a rear bike basket! We have also seen bare root trees transported by bicycle at previous fruit tree collections. There will be bike racks available, both next to the Community Garden and at the Adhurst Allotments entrance area.
For those travelling by car we ask that you share transport where possible, particularly since we might be very busy. Please park on Long Road and walk to the Community Garden pedestrian gate on the corner. This will be the main entrance point. Please take care when crossing the road.
Toilets will be available on site, near the Adhurst Allotment car park.
Food and Drink
We are very pleased that Nic from Thai Angle will be at the Festival, offering his delicious street food. He will also have snacks, tea and coffee on offer. You will find his marquee near the Community Garden.
Near the big marquee and tree collection area you will also find delicious hot mulled apple juice on offer.
