RSPB flies into Knoll Gardens

The RSPB will be bringing its expertise and advice to Wimborne’s Knoll Gardens for a special Open Day on Friday 28 April.

From 8am the RSPB will lead an early morning guided stroll. Timed to take place before the gardens open to the public, the tranquil surroundings provide the perfect setting to listen as Knoll’s many birds greet the new day with their song.

Blue Tit on a feeder

The RSPB will then stay on in the garden for the rest of the day to meet visitors, answer questions and help with ideas to encourage nature into your garden. Also for this special Open Day all RSPB members and volunteers are invited to visit Knoll Gardens completely free-of-charge to see at first hand how Knoll’s gardening ethos is creating a beautiful, wildlife-friendly environment.

Knoll’s owner, Neil Lucas is a lifelong member of the RSPB and wants to encourage others to support the charity’s work. To show his support he will be refunding the garden admission charge for anyone who joins the RSPB during the Open Day at Knoll.

“We are a nation of bird lovers but we are still not doing enough to ensure future generations will be able to hear the amazing dawn chorus I enjoy every morning at Knoll,” said Neil. “We regularly record over 30 species of bird including woodpeckers, nuthatches and nightjars, and we have a thriving population of tits, bucking the recent Big Garden Birdwatch trend which recorded a national decline of 10% compared to 2016.

“Our charity, the Knoll Gardens Foundation, works to promote sustainable gardening to the benefit of wildlife and the gardener. We all need to welcome wildlife into our plots and I’m hoping that in partnership with the RSPB we can show our visitors how they can make a real difference on 28 April.”

The RSPB Open Day at Knoll Gardens runs from 10am – 4pm on Friday 28 April. All are welcome, but proof of RSPB membership or volunteering status is required for free garden admission.

Booking is essential for the early morning guided walk as numbers are limited. The walk costs £4 and can be booked online at www.knollgardens.co.uk  or by calling the nursery at Knoll on 01202 873931. More details on all this year’s events at Knoll Gardens and the work of the Knoll Gardens Foundation can be found at www.knollgardensfoundation.org