National Garden Scheme – Sunnyside Trail

Posted on January 10, 2023 in News

Sunnyside Rural Trust is a therapeutic horticultural charity and social enterprise, which supports young people and adults with learning disabilities with training and employment at 3 garden sites in Dacorum. Our three 6 acre gardens in Hemel Hempstead, Northchurch & Berkhamsted will open for the National Garden Scheme for the first time in 2023, as a group on Saturday 13 May, 11 to 4pm.

The Sunnyside Rural Trust Trail is bookable for you to explore – 3 sites on just one ticket!

NGS – Sunnyside Rural Trust Trail information and booking

Nestled alongside local allotments the Northchurch site is a market garden & small animal farm. We grow vegetables to organic principles using ‘no dig’ methods & a variety of fruits. There are a number of diverse habitats including an orchard with over 300 chickens, nature trail, wildlife pond & courtyard perennial garden. The site is also home to a small number of therapeutic animals.

At Berkhamstead located just above the town is Sunnyside’s Activity Center. There are 2 rest gardens nestling under mature fruit trees including a fine specimen of the rare Aylesbury prune. There is a vegetable growing area and extensive cane & espalier fruit garden, with a woodland & hazel coppice, each busy with wildlife. We make delicious jams and chutneys from the fruit and vegetables.

Sunnyside – Hemel Hempstead is a Green Flag award site accessible from the Grand Union canal that is also a plant nursery growing peat free perennial & annual bedding for domestic & commercial clients. We have an orchard, quiet space & market garden growing a range of vegetables for our own use & to sell in the farm shop & use in the Sunnyside Up café, which makes a great barista coffee.

There is assisted wheelchair access at all 3 sites, where there are woodland & grass paths.

A select range of perennial plants, veg seedlings & herb plants will be available for sale as well as homemade chutneys and jams from our own produce. You won’t be able to resist.

For a day out why not drop in to all three sites under a combined ticket and pop into our farm shops and cafes for cake & a great barista coffee!