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10 January 2024

10 January 2024

Christine Skelmersdale

“Winter is not just snowdrops”

Christine is Managing Director of Broadleigh Nurseries near Taunton which specialises in smaller bulbs and woodland plants. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience, holds the prestigious RHS Victoria Medal of Honour and has been described as “an exhilarating lecturer” with “contagious enthusiasm”. 

7 February 2024

7 February 2024

The Green Jeanie

The Secret Lives of Garden Bees

Jean Vernon is on a mission to unravel and demystify the secret world of our garden pollinators and especially our bees. She has written two books “Garden Bees” and “Attracting Garden Pollinators”. She will be bringing a small nature table with her this evening.

6 March 2024

6 March 2024

Pip Smith

The Fragrant Garden

Gardens can be fragrant all year, with scent throughout the seasons” to quote Pip who will give us some ideas on how to achieve this. He has a wealth of horticultural experience, latterly as Head Gardener of Old Wollerton Hall, Shropshire.

3 April 2024

3 April 2024

Val Bourne

Peonies & Roses

Val is an award winning garden writer, organic gardener and lecturer. She gardens on the wind swept Cotswolds at Spring Cottage, high above Bourton-on-the Water in Gloucestershire. She will tell us about the history of peony breeding, their use as a companion plant for roses and recommend varieties.

1 May 2024

1 May 2024

Nigel Hopes

John’s Garden through the seasons

Nigel is head gardener at John Massey’s private garden at Ashwood Nursery. A true garden for all seasons. John has developed his private garden at Ashwoods over many years.  In this talk, Nigel provides a Head Gardeners behind the scenes tour, with highlights through the year and plenty of practical advice. 

5 June 2024

5 June 2024

Chris Radford

Fantastic Gardens

Our very own HGC chairman Chris Radford provides June’s talk. Chris has taken her 12 years of garden visits with her husband as the inspiration for an entertaining talk featuring beautiful locations, great photos and personal anecdotes.

4 September 2024

4 September 2024

Abigail Willis

Somerset - A County of Glorious Gardens

Abigail is a writer and author of Secret Gardens of Somerset. In this talk she will explore why Somerset is such a great place to be a gardener, plus an armchair tour of some of the exhilarating variety of styles that can be found in the County. They range from cottage gardens to cutting edge creations.

2 October 2024

2 October 2024

Matthew Biggs

Dig for Victory

Matthew is a radio personality, best known for his appearances on Gardeners’ Question Time. He is an unparalleled authority on all things that grow. His talk takes us back to the time when this country needed us to grow food. He tells us the story of the Dig for Victory Campaign, the education of “new” gardeners, the techniques used and its impact on the way we garden today.

6 November 2024

6 November 2024

Derry Watkins

Gravel Gardening and Drought tolerant plants

Well known to us, Derry is proprietor of Special Plants at Cold Ashton. Wishing to grow her favourite plants which dislike heavy clay Derry established several gravel gardens so she is well placed to advise us which plants will help us manage in an ever more difficult climate

4 December 2024

4 December 2024

Alan Down, Felicity Down, Nick Wray

Gardeners’ Question Time

Gardeners’ Question Time
Alan Down, Felicity Down, Nick Wray
Following the success of our bespoke HGC GQT in March 2020 the panel is back in festive mood!

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