After the festive season, we were delighted to donate our old Christmas trees to our local zoo, Northumberland College Zoo at Kirkley Hall, where they’ve been given a second life as enrichment tools for the animals.

Natural trees introduce new scents and textures and structures, encouraging curiosity and play for the animals. This is very important for keeping animals mentally and physically active, especially during the winter. Some of the animals will also choose to eat parts of the trees, which introduces extra nutrients into their diets to keep them healthy and happy.

Our team were delighted to receive some photos from the zookeepers, so we could see just how much enjoyment the animals got from our donation.

From lemurs climbing and burrowing through the branches to alpacas munching on and exploring something new in their environment, it’s been lovely to see the trees so well used.

We’re proud to support a local organisation doing such great work, while also finding a sustainable way to reuse our trees and spread a little extra joy to our animal friends.

We are excited to share that Her Grace, The Duchess of Northumberland, has authored two brand new books, which explain the story of her very own kingdom of Lilidorei.

Last week, a private launch was held at Lilidorei, where The Duchess was interviewed by the press, and took part in a private reading and sneak preview of the books with children from some of the local schools.

She said “I want readers to understand that Lilidorei is more than just a playground; it’s a living story, and now, through these books, everyone can be part of it.”

At the book launch and private reading, the Duchess said: “When I began to create Lilidorei, its story and inhabitants were alive in my mind, long before the village existed in reality.

The Duchess designed the Lilidorei attraction, which sits next to The Alnwick Garden, to encourage children to immerse themselves in their imagination. Her hope is that the books will further fuel the imagination of readers and visitors, as well as provide more context to the stories of the magical realm she created.

Watch the Duchess’ interview with ITV Tyne & Tees by clicking below:

After the festive season, we were delighted to donate our old Christmas trees to our local zoo, Northumberland College Zoo at Kirkley Hall, where they’ve been given a second life as enrichment tools for the animals.

Natural trees introduce new scents and textures and structures, encouraging curiosity and play for the animals. This is very important for keeping animals mentally and physically active, especially during the winter. Some of the animals will also choose to eat parts of the trees, which introduces extra nutrients into their diets to keep them healthy and happy.

Our team were delighted to receive some photos from the zookeepers, so we could see just how much enjoyment the animals got from our donation.

From lemurs climbing and burrowing through the branches to alpacas munching on and exploring something new in their environment, it’s been lovely to see the trees so well used.

We’re proud to support a local organisation doing such great work, while also finding a sustainable way to reuse our trees and spread a little extra joy to our animal friends.

As we approach the 25^th Anniversary of The Alnwick Garden, which takes place in 2026, we’re looking back and celebrating 25 years of our incredible volunteers, who started their journey with us a year before The Garden opened to the public.

Taking care of everything from jobs in The Garden and admin tasks, to assisting at our Drop-In and Gentlemen’s Garden, the hard work and dedication of our volunteers has been key to delivering the Duchess’ vision of a beautiful and inclusive space for the community to enjoy since The Alnwick Garden opened in 2001.

Our CEO, Mark Brassell, says this milestone is made even more remarkable by the seven volunteers who have been with us since the very beginning.

Without the help of our volunteers over the past 25 years, The Alnwick Garden simply wouldn’t exist. Their dedication, along with the commitment of every member of our volunteer family, is an outstanding achievement for which we are deeply grateful.

You can read more about what Mark said in our recently published 2024/25 Social Impact Report by clicking here.

Recently, we have had the honour of celebrating 25 years of our amazing volunteers as we hosted a special volunteers AGM at The Garden.

We were joined by Her Grace, The Duchess of Northumberland, where many fond memories were shared and tributes were made by a number of our wonderful volunteers.

Together, we shared in a day of joy, gratitude, and togetherness. Many fond memories and highlights from throughout the past 25 years were shared by our volunteers. Some of our volunteers spoke about how grateful they were to have met some well-known faces over the years, from TV chefs and gardeners to members of the Royal Family, including Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

To every single volunteer, past and present, thank you! Without you, The Alnwick Garden simply wouldn’t be what it is today.

Here’s to 25 years of service, kindness and community!

…and an extra big thank you to Margaret Whittaker for her spectacular photographs!