People love to write poetry about Westonbirt. The editor of the Westonbirt Magazine regularly receives many poems inspired by the beauty of the arboretum and people’s experiences amongst the trees.

Haiku poetry competition

To celebrate autumn, when Japanese maples become the stars of the show, Westonbirt Arboretum are asking you to create your own haiku-style poems inspired by the arboretum in autumn. The best will feature on our autumn trail where your creativity could be enjoyed by 100,000 visitors!

Haiku is a short form of Japanese poetry that is intimately linked with nature, feelings and experiences – perfect for Westonbirt. In English, haiku are typically three lines long, with five syllables in the first and last lines and seven in the middle line. The challenge is to paint a mental image in the reader’s mind in a concise way. Here’s an example:

In the wide, tall glade
Turning orange and red, leaves
Green behind for fall.

By Elizabeth T’Sas

Local poet and performer and supporter of Westonbirt Arboretum, Rosie Bailey, will judge the competition and will be looking for entries that capture both the essence of a Westonbirt autumn experience and the traditions of this ancient poetry form.

You can bend the number of syllables a little, but entries should capture the essence of a Westonbirt autumn experience and the traditions of this ancient form of poetry.

Send in your poem by adding it to the Poetry Corner forum or by mail to:  Editor, Haiku Competition, Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum, Tetbury, GL8 8QS. The deadline for entries is Friday 24th June 2011.

GET OUTDOORS AND INVOLVED THIS SPRING

Spring events for everyone at Westonbirt – the National Arboretum

Westonbirt – the National Arboretum, which is managed by the Forestry Commission, has launched 2010 with a packed calendar of spring events.

New for visitors is the International Garden Photographer of the Year Exhibition. During April and May, an exclusive collection of photography from the trees category of this prestigious international award will be on display on the historic Downs area.

The Easter Challenge, Mothering Sunday ‘Family Trees’ and ‘Awakening Woods’ events will give families the chance to explore the outdoors, as Westonbirt’s flowers and trees awake from the winter. 

Visitors will also get a rare and exciting opportunity on April 12-13 to discover the whole historic Westonbirt estate. Guided tours and access to the house, gardens and Arboretum are included in the normal admissions price across these two days.

There’s also guided wildflower walks, photography courses, wood sales and charity events. Throughout April and May, visitors on Wednesdays will receive 50 per cent discount on admissions.

Visit www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt for full details on Westonbirt Arboretum events listings.

Blondie have announced a West Country date for the summer with an appearance at Westonbirt Arboretum on 20th June, as part of Forestry Commission Live Music, where bands perform in beautiful woodland locations around the country.

One of the most significant bands of the popular music era, Blondie emerged from New York’s celebrated new wave scene producing innovative music and scoring major hits worldwide with rock/disco, reggae and hip-hop songs. Fronted by the iconic Debbie Harry, their groundbreaking material brought them a stash of hit singles including ‘Denis’, ‘Picture This’, ‘Rapture’, ‘Sunday Girl’ and ‘Hanging On The Telephone’. Few acts can match their 20 year span of No 1 hits that includes ‘Heart Of Glass’, ‘Atomic’, ‘Call Me’, ‘The Tide Is High’ and ‘Maria’. Classic recordings like ‘Plastic Letters’, ‘Parallel Lines’ and ‘Eat to The Beat’ have contributed to their 40 million + album sales to date. Blondie will release a new album, their first in six years, this spring.

Tickets cost £33.00 (subject to booking fee) go on sale at 9.00am Friday 12th February from the Forestry Commission box office tel 01842 814612 or buy online at www.forestry.gov.uk/music

With a new CD coming in 2009, Vanessa Mae, the world-famous classical superstar violin prodigy continues to attract an international following and is lined up for Westonbirt on Saturday the 18th of July. The combination of artist and setting is intriguing and this is a rare chance to experience Vanessa performing outdoors in one of Britain’s most beautiful settings.

P.S. And Westonbirt has just added David Gray to this year’s schedule!

Paul Weller has announced a gig at Westonbirt Arboretum on the 20th June 2009. This will be a long-awaited return for his fans, having last played some forest dates in 2004 to capacity crowds.

Described as both the ‘modfather of rock’ and ‘Britpop’s elder statesman’, Paul is ultimately acknowledged by the media, fellow musicians and the public as one of the greatest singer-songwriters of British popular music. Since his early days in The Jam, then Style Council and subsequently as a hugely successful solo artist, Paul continues to make pioneering music. Last year saw the release of the critically acclaimed number one album ‘22 Dreams’, his ninth solo album in a career spanning over three decades.

Twisted Wheel are now confirmed as Paul Weller’s support act. They were recently the main support for Oasis’s stadium shows and the NME have said the Oldham band are one of the bands to watch through 2009. Summer 2008 festival live shows were much talked about similar to early Clash and Jam shows!