Keen amateur gardeners from Dulverton have been able to write a generous cheque to the local food bank, thanks to the proceeds of Visit Dulverton’s ‘Secret Gardens’ event in June.

On Sunday 23 June, a dozen private gardens around the charming Exmoor town welcomed visitors from across the area.  The event was entirely run by Dulverton volunteers and with the profits from the admission fee and refreshments in the Town Hall, Dulverton Town Council was able to donate £1250 towards the Moorland Food Bank.

Pictured above from L to R: Chris Nelder of the Visit Dulverton Partnership Group; Christine Dubery, Chair of Dulverton Town Council and the Visit Dulverton Partnership Group; gardener Adele Bain; Jenny Barker, founder of the Moorland Food Bank (formerly known as the Dulverton Food Bank); and gardener and food bank volunteer Allison Crisp.

The Moorland Food Bank was initially set up during the early days of the Covid lockdowns to support Somerset communities right across Southern Exmoor, including Dulverton, Brushford, Bridgetown, Brompton Regis, Wheddon Cross, Winsford, Withypool, Exford and more.  The Somerset Community Foundation provided the early funding, and now it continues thanks to donations from generous private individuals, the Exmoor Rotary, groups of field sports enthusiasts, Exford Harvest Festival, Winsford PCC, the Co-Op and others.

Founder Jenny Barker said “We are very grateful to all those who are able to donate towards the Food Bank.  It is a much needed service and we need all the help we can get! We are also desperately looking for a new location for the Moorland Food Bank, as we can only stay in the portacabin at Dulverton Junior School until next spring when it is to be handed back to Somerset Council.  Any ideas warmly welcomed – no rent or council tax to pay please!”

Anyone requiring the services of the Moorland Food Bank is requested to apply via the local Somerset Village Agent, Nikki Bonner.

The ‘Secret Gardens of Dulverton’ day on 2 July was a great success and Visit Dulverton is delighted to announce that profits from the garden visitors and cake sales have meant that a generous donation has been made to Exmoor National Park’s CareMoor charity.  Ten private gardens were especially opened for the day across the pretty moorland town of Dulverton and visitors were treated to unusual plants, summer colour and careful landscaping – and tea and cakes in the Town Hall of course!

Christine Dubery, Chair of Dulverton Town Council, was keen for any profits from the day to be made as a charitable donation to a local relevant cause.  After discussion with the Visit Dulverton team and with the ten garden owners themselves, a donation of £1000 was made to Exmoor National Park’s CareMoor ‘Sowing the Seeds Appeal’. Christine said: “We are delighted to have been able to give back to our local community in this way – and our huge thanks to the owners of the ten gardens for kindly opening their gardens and making this a possibility. We look forward to opening more of Dulverton’s ‘secret’ gardens to visitors next summer.”

Katrina Munro, ENPA’s Sustainable Economy Officer said: “Thank you so much for the donation from the Open Gardens to our Sowing the Seeds Appeal.  It will help with the purchase of a new piece of specialist equipment required and the setting up of a wildflower seed nursery on ENPA land at Exford”.

The ENP website explains that meadows attract a multitude of wildlife and often support flora and fauna that cannot thrive in other habitats. Typically characterised by species such as black knapweed, ox-eye daisy, yellow rattle, hawkbits, vetches and rarer orchids, they can also support colourful waxcap fungi with names such as parrot, snowy and crimson. In addition to being aesthetically beautiful, they are ecologically important as they provide areas for pollinating insects, nesting, food gathering, shelter and even animal courtship displays.

Like other ecosystems, meadows experience increased pressure due to climate change, especially as precipitation and weather conditions change. However, grasslands and meadows also have an important climate change mitigation potential as carbon sinks; deep-rooted grasses store a substantial amount of carbon in soil.

The ENPA have been running informative sessions about the creation of wildflower meadows, one of which was attended by Visit Dulverton volunteer Ken Warren who said:  “The session in Simonsbath included a presentation on how to convert grassland, whether a garden lawn or many acres, into a wildflower meadow. We were shown a brush harvester which is used to collect fresh seed from existing wildflower meadows. That seed is then used to sow potential new meadows. We then walked to nearby land where many, many acres of wildflower meadows have been created. To see meadows as some of us might remember them was a privilege and a memorable experience.”

For more information on the Sowing the Seeds Appeal visit: ENPA CareMoor Sowing the Seeds Appeal

Main image by Emma How of Dulverton – one of four Highly Commended photographs entered into the 2022 Dulverton Photographic Competition.

Only 4 weeks until the pretty Exmoor town of Dulverton opens its ‘Secret Gardens’ for all to enjoy!

On Sunday 2 July ten gorgeous gardens will be opened by Dulverton residents from 10am to 4.30pm.  This is a rare opportunity to visit some of the delightful gardens that are normally hidden away. The gardens are of all shapes, sizes and stages of development, some being established for many years, while others are more recently started. They are all located within walking distance of the centre of the town, making it easy to visit all of them during the day.

The entrance fee of £5 (in advance) or £7 (on the day) includes a map showing each garden’s location, together with a short description written by the owner. Tickets can be bought in advance from Dulverton Post Office or the Tantivy shop.  Alternatively tickets will be available to buy on the day in Dulverton Town Hall, along with delicious refreshments.

Known as the Southern Gateway to Exmoor, Dulverton is one of the main towns on the moor.  It is situated on the River Barle in West Somerset on the southern edge of the Moor and has the oldest mediaeval bridge on Exmoor. There are pleasant walks along the riverbank and the meandering leat which used to power 4 mills. Located in the main square is the National Park Centre, behind which is the Heritage Centre which houses exhibitions about the heritage of the town. This thriving community town has a wide range of independent shops, cafés, restaurants and pubs.

The event is organised by Dulverton Town Council and Visit Dulverton and a donation will be made to local charities.