The Pines Garden

Permaculture projects for wildlife & food growing

Opening hours

The Pines Garden is open to the public during

the winter months, Oct – Mar from 10 am – 4 pm (3:30pm on weekends)
the summer months, Apr – Sept from 10 am- 5 pm.

An organically managed garden

This organically managed garden has a lake, poetry path and sustainability trail for children, as well as a grass labyrinth and organic kitchen gardens with over 40 different species of fruit and vegetables, from the exotic to the familiar.

Founded by ‘Flowering’ Fred Cleary in 1971, the garden contains many beautiful and unusual mature trees and shrubs including walnut, fig and pomegranate trees.

The Pines Garden uses both old and new models for sustainable land management and the garden has been run organically since 2002. This is far more than just not using herbicides and pesticides, with emphasis placed on working in harmony with the natural systems, composting, recycling and learning how to use natural predators to control pests.

March Notes from the Kitchen Garden – by John Tutton, Organic Kitchen Gardener

Due to the exceptional winter weather, work in the garden has been challenging. Despite this, we have made good progress, and the green shoots of Spring are at last starting to appear. Our outdoor beds have been stripped for the new season and our winter planting is...

February Notes from the Kitchen Garden – by John Tutton, Organic Kitchen Gardener

February is a busy month in the kitchen garden on two fronts: preparing beds for spring and summer planting, and propagating seeds. We have been busy with our bed preparation, not only for vegetable growing but for the establishment of annual and perennial flowers....

Organic and permaculture food growing

What I’m Doing As part of my food growing internship, I am focusing on organic and permaculture methods of food growing. I aim to create beautiful and productive food growing spaces that benefit the environment and wildlife around them. Selling our produce Currently,...

Companion Planting – The Three Sisters guild

The three sisters guild, consisting of corn, beans and squash, is one of the oldest known methods of companion planting, utilised by the Native Americans over 3000 years ago. It is called this because the plants support each other and thrive together, much like three...

Katie Tyler – Food Growing Internship

In my Bay Trust internship, I am mostly focused on food growing and getting a hands-on learning experience in the garden.

Permaculture in The Bay Trust

As the new CEO of The Bay Trust I have spoken with many members of the public since joining three weeks ago and regularly hear people ask questions about why we use permaculture design principles in our gardens and what it means. So I have written this brief blog to...

An organic garden in winter

Winter Maintenance The gardeners and volunteers have got stuck into winter maintenance - clearing and pruning, path and border edging, deadheading, mulching, weeding, leaf collecting and composting. The last of the leaves on the trees have nearly all dropped...

Garen to Plate

The Garden and Tea Room are at the heart of our ‘garden-to-plate’ food project. Making use of the fruit, vegetables and salads grown by our gardeners and volunteers, the menu changes daily depending on what’s fresh from the garden. We compost all organic vegetable...

Growing organic veg in July

Cucumbers To keep your cucumbers sweet, remember to pinch off the male flowers. You can see the tiny baby cucumber at the base of female flowers so you should be able to easily tell the difference. Keep your cucumbers tied in and take off and burn any leaves...

Volunteering at The Pines Garden

Volunteering brings many benefits, such as better health, learning something new, improving your existing skills and making friends. The Bay Trust has a team of volunteers who help out in a variety of ways. Anita Sedgewick spoke to some of them about why they chose...

Volunteering

We have lots of permaculture projects lined up for the year ahead. If you would like to get involved, learn new skills or offer your own expertise do get in touch.

Volunteer

St Margaret’s Bay

Whilst visiting, take time out to explore the beach at St Margaret’s Bay and stroll up the magnificent cliff top with glorious vistas across the Channel to France.

Activities for children

A perfect place for children to explore the natural world, with specific features designed to engage young minds. There are paths for buggy and wheelchair access and lots of seating for visitors to enjoy the views.

Kids activites

Our eco-venue

This award winning, highly sustainable chalk building is a centre for training and events related to healthy and sustainable living. It is available to hire for conferences,
private functions and weddings.

Pines Calyx

Tea Room

Another award winner! Whilst you are here take a break in our Tea Room. During summer you can eat in the Yurt or outside on the steps. Excellent local produce and veg sourced from our own organic garden.

Tea Room