Group_Leisure___Travel_-_April_2020

What does a typical day entail?

As gardens manager, in the morning I catch
up with emails, process any
orders, and meet with the
garden team leaders.
Depending on the time
of year I will then see
what’s in flower, and
possibly share some
images on social media;
this also provides the
ideal opportunity to keep a
check on any pests and disease.
The remainder of my day can be a mixture of
projects and meetings.

What’s the best time of year for groups to visit
Waddesdon’s gardens?

Spring is becoming increasingly spectacular;
we have added 350,000 bulbs and are planning
to add more this autumn. But my favourite time
has to be late summer, when all the bedding is
looking at its best and the garden is the most
colourful with decorative containers and pots.
This shows Waddesdon at its most exuberant,
and we get to show off the range of Victorian
Bedding and tropical foliage plants that we can
grow here.

What’s your favourite feature of the gardens?

Without a doubt, the Pulham rockwork in the
Water Garden and Dairy. This imposing feature
runs the length of the entire garden and in
places stands three metres tall. But what makes
it so special is the fact that it’s all artificial, made
up of clinker, Portland cement and crushed
brick dust shuttered onto brick work, with a few
pieces of natural rock thrown in.

What’s something visitors might not know
about the site?

There were very few trees on the site in
1874 when Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild
purchased it. He moved trees of around 30 to
50 years old from various locations around
Buckinghamshire and as far away as Dartford,
to create an almost ‘instant garden’. Some of the
trees were so large that overhead cables needed
to be lowered so the trees could pass.

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visiting Aerospace Bristol

Geoff Allen, who runs Travallen Travel & Events shared a

recent group trip experience at the attraction.

After checking in at an impressive

reception at Aerospace Bristol we

were given a short introductory

talk before guests began a free

flow tour. The first stop had to

be a refuel in the spacious and

accommodating cafe where an

ample choice of refreshments

were available.

It was evident that this was a place for both families

and older people with nostalgic memories of the era.

Three of our older guests were even armed with their

own memorabilia to show to other guests. One had

an outward and return Concorde ticket signed by

the flight crew!

It was also apparent why the venue was a finalist for

the Best Museum category at the 2019 Group Leisure

& Travel Awards.

Starting in the early 1900s, guests were taken through

two world wars. They explored the vital role of aircraft

in these global conflicts, through the drama and

technological advances of the space race and on to the

modern day, and discovered the latest technologies

of today’s aerospace industry. The exhibition was well

laid out and the presentation of the displays, some

interactive, was excellent. There were hundreds of

exhibits from small model to helicopters, rockets

and missiles, with guests exploring the galleries and

discovering the local history.

See the following pages for an interview with

Aerospace Bristol’s visitor services manager.

• Travallen members enjoyed a
  day at Aerospace Bristol.

10 April 2020 groupleisureandtravel.com

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