Flower Power

Wake up your senses, detox from technology and get inspired as we celebrate the power of plants and flowers.

Discover the history behind the use of plants and herbs in our diets and around our homes, from health & wellbeing to language and colours.

Find out about keeping clean in Tudor England with traditional soap making & attitudes to personal and household cleanliness with Sally Pointer in Tindall’s cottage. Where you can also meet Paul Henry who will be demonstrating the process of flax making in the cottage garden.

Learn about the delicate art of distilling with Marc Meltonville in Tindall’s Cottage, where Marc will be looking at the distilling process using flowers and herbs.

The Chichester Beekeepers Association will be joining us in Cowfold barn, as they look at the importance of bees in nature and our gardens.

Find out how to make a simple floral button hole making with Tony Lucas, from Flowers from the Farm in Sole street, and have a go. He will also have a floral display of his work in the orientation gallery which demonstrates his work with Dementia support.

Meet Clinical Aromatherapist & Essential oil consultant Laura Hoy as she demonstrates how to make perfume from Rose petals. Discover the process from distilling to the end product.

Find out about which edible plants you can grow in your garden containers, with demonstrations from Stuart Overden, author of ‘The Flowerpot forager’.

Local plant nursery owner, Ben Cross from Crosslands Flower Nursery, whose family run business was established back in 1936 will be talking about his ‘British Flower Rock’ campaign. Ben is a champion of the British flower industry and raises awareness of the environmental costs associated with refrigerated flowers which are shipped and flown in.

Medical herbalist Emma Baynes will take visitors on a herbal walk and demonstrate how flowers and herbs can be used make remedies and infusions. Flower remedies, herbal oils and tinctures will be discussed and made.

Julia Whiteart, artist and printmaker, will be demonstrating how she creates botanical inks and uses flowers and plants to print and create beautiful works of art. Visitors will be able to ‘have a go’ at the printing process.

Our gardens team will be busy in all our historic gardens, with timed talks throughout the day. You can also explore the ‘Historic Gardens: The Power of Plants’ exhibition which is on in our Longport galley.

Have a go at making a wildflower seed bomb, a scented lavender bag and plant a sunflower in a biodegradable seedling pot in the Building Crafts Gallery, and dancing around our Museum maypole outside Whittaker’s cottage.

Hear spoken word poetry from a local poetry group Words Out Loud from Chichester, they will be giving poetry performances on a floral theme throughout the day.

Also, over this weekend our volunteers will be celebrating Midsummer across the Bayleaf Farmstead.

Find out more information in the Flower Power weekend programme

Information for Visitors

The Museum’s 40 acres site, historic gardens and buildings are fascinating places to learn about rural history. Visitors can purchase grain from the Shepherds Hut (coffee cart) and feed the hungry ducks on the mill pond. Whilst enjoying the great outdoors and fresh air, look out for the heavy horses and other traditional breed farm animals which can include our heavy horses. There are a number of lovely woodland trails, including a woodland play area for children to explore.

Our waterside café will be open or visitors can bring a picnic as there are plenty of picnic areas available on site. Takeaway refreshments will be available from our Shepherd’s Hut (coffee cart) located near the Stables. Dogs on leads are welcome and there is ample free parking. Please note that the Museum is a no-smoking site. Visitors with access needs are advised to read our accessibility page in advance of their visit.

All activities are subject to change.