Celebrate the magic of Christmas with festive events at Hillier Garden Centres
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This Christmas, Hillier Garden Centres is inviting visitors to step into a winter wonderland filled with festive cheer, seasonal delights and memorable experiences for all ages. From creative workshops and indulgent food experiences, to magical moments with Father Christmas, there’s something to capture the spirit of Christmas for everyone.
Kick off the festive season at the Christmas Launch Evening. Visitors can explore the exclusive 2025 Christmas range, enjoy evening-only offers, soak up seasonal entertainment and take part in family-friendly activities.
· Date: Thursday 6th November, 5-8pm
· Location: All Hillier Garden Centres, excluding Sunningdale
· Price: Free, no ticket or booking required
Truly Scrumptious Food Evening
Indulge in a delightful evening of festive flavours at the Truly Scrumptious Food Evening. Sample everything from mince pies and seasonal pastries to gourmet chocolates and enjoy family-friendly entertainment alongside exclusive discounts.
· Dates & locations:
o 19th November, 5-8pm: Aldermaston & Eastbourne
o 20th November, 5-8pm: Three Legged Cross & Weyhill
o 26th November, 5-8pm: Newbury & Syon Park
o 27th November, 5-8pm: Horsham & Lechlade
· Price: Free, no ticket or booking required
Christmas Wreath Making Workshops
Get hands-on this Christmas by creating your own festive wreath. Guided by the Hillier expert florists, participants can craft a beautiful wreath using fresh moss, foliage and seasonal decorations. Enjoy festive refreshments and take home your personalised creation – perfect for decorating your home or giving as a gift.
· Dates: 1st – 6th December
· Locations: All Hillier Garden Centres, with Saturday sessions at, Newbury, , Syon Park, Aldermaston, Sunningdale, Three Legged Cross, Weyhill & Winchester
· Price: £50 per person, booking required
Enjoy a magical late-night shopping experience at Hillier. Browse an exclusive range of Christmas trees, decorations and unique gifts while soaking up the festive atmosphere. With seasonal music and special evening discounts, it’s a perfect way to start your Christmas shopping in style.
· Date: Tuesday 3rd December, 5-8pm
· Locations: Horsham, Botley, Sunningdale, Newbury, Eastbourne, Cheddar, Lechlade, Three Legged Cross, Syon Park, Aldermaston & Weyhill
· Price: Free, no ticket or booking required
Breakfast with Father Christmas
Kick off the festive season with a joyful morning at Hillier Garden Centres. Enjoy a hearty breakfast while taking part in fun, Christmas-themed activities and meet Father Christmas himself. Children can get creative with seasonal crafts, share their wishes and receive a special gift to take home, while adults can relax and enjoy a warming breakfast in a festive atmosphere. A perfect way for the whole family to kick off the holiday season.
· Dates: 6th – 24th December (varying dates per participating centre)
· Locations: Aldermaston, Botley, Eastbourne, Newbury, Three Legged Cross & Weyhill
· Price: Children £25 & Adults £15, booking required
Storytime with Father Christmas
Exclusive to Newbury, bring the family for a magical festive story session with Father Christmas. Children can enjoy an enchanting Christmas tale, share their wishes with Santa and receive a goodie bag and tasty treats. Adults can relax and enjoy a festive cream tea while soaking up the seasonal atmosphere.
· Dates: 6th, 13th, 20th, 22nd & 23rd December at 3:30pm
· Locations: Newbury
· Price: Children £15 & Adults £10, booking required
Festive Afternoon Tea & Lunch
Take a break from Christmas shopping or wreath making and treat yourself to a seasonal feast at Hillier Garden Centres. Enjoy a festive two course lunch with options including roast turkey and confit duck leg, all served with seasonal vegetables and indulgent desserts.
Alternatively, indulge in a Festive Afternoon Tea, featuring filled rolls, seasonal savouries, sweet treats and Christmas spiced fruit scones – the perfect festive treat for friends, family or a special occasion.
· Dates: 23rd November – 21st December
· Locations Afternoon Tea only: Liss, Bath, Hemel, Chichester
· Locations Lunch & Tea: Aldermaston, Botley, Cheddar, Eastbourne, Hampton-in-Arden, Horsham, Lechlade, Marlow, Newbury, Sunningdale, Syon Park, Three Legged Cross & Weyhill
· Price: Two course lunch £22.99 & Afternoon Tea for 2 people £40, booking required
For full event details and bookings, visit www.hillier.co.uk.
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Editors notes
“To inspire the creation of green living spaces for now and the future” Hillier is one of the leading names in the horticultural industry, with 160 years of growing and retail experience.
Founded in 1864 by Edwin Hillier, the company remains a family-run nursery with the fifth generation now actively involved in the family business as it continues to grow.
Not only is Hillier the largest producer of semi-mature trees in Europe and grower of over one million plants at its Hampshire nursery, but it also employs over 750 staff across its nursery, amenity trees and 22 garden centre divisions and is a flourishing multi-million pound company. It proudly holds the world record for the most consecutive gold medals awards at the world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show, with 74 wins.
As one of the leading growers in the UK, Hillier is involved in many peat-free initiatives, including the RHS Peat-Free Fellowship, the largest peat-free collaborative research project globally. The company was amongst the first nurseries to become 100% peat-free across both its production nursery and retail garden centres, and all Hillier plants are grown in peat-free compost.
Recent successes for the company include the launch of its online shop, the substantial redevelopment of Hillier Garden Centre Newbury and the acquisition of the Rosebourne Garden Centre Group in November 2022, as well as sponsorship of BBC Gardeners’ World Live and BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair, and the incredibly popular free ‘Hillier Gardening Club’ loyalty program which now has over half a million members.
Renowned for being a leading breeder of plants in the UK at its 100% peat-free nursery in Hampshire, each year Hillier introduces amazing new varieties. Many of these have become essentials in British gardens and the company continues with the tradition of innovation and the introduction of new garden plants in the present day.
