A visit from Charlie Dimmock!

Green-thumbed locals recently gave a warm welcome to TV personality, Charlie Dimmock who joined them for a ‘Flowers and Fizz’ event at Stour Gate, Retirement Living development in Blandford St. Mary.

The popular TV presenter from BBC’s Garden Rescue spent the afternoon at Stour Gate on Barley Place, where she shared tips and tricks for creating a beautiful potted plant display for balconies and small outdoor spaces.

Guests later gathered in the stylish communal lounge for photos and a more candid conversation with the gardening guru whilst also enjoying a glass of fizz and delicious light bites. On the day, visitors were also able to learn more about the retirement living options at Stour Gate, where almost 50 percent of the one and two-bedroom properties have been snapped up.

The event was inspired by a recent study by McCarthy Stone, which revealed that gardening is one of the top three favourite hobbies for retirees, alongside photography and walking, with one in three (35 percent) of the 2,000 mature Brits surveyed saying they are more active now than they have ever been.

Commenting on the visit, Charlie said: “I was delighted to be invited to Stour Gate to meet homeowners and their guests and share my passion for gardening with them. I was amazed by the level of enthusiasm shown by everyone, especially now that summer is fast approaching. I had a fantastic time and I really hope I’ve been able to shed some light on how they can easily transform their outdoor spaces.”

Verity McKay, Divisional Marketing Manager at McCarthy Stone, said: “The event was a huge success and our guests thoroughly enjoyed meeting Charlie and learning about garden care. On behalf of the team and our homeowners at Stour Gate, we’d like to say a huge thank you to Charlie for making it such a memorable experience.