Programme 2018

• All events start at 2pm (unless shown otherwise)
• Handy one page guide to the 2018 Programme

Saturday 6th January 

Nick Wray. “The Evolution of Flowers”

Nick is the curator of Bristol Botanic Garden. You may remember his presentation a few years ago when he talked about moving the entire garden to a new site. http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2016/february/rhs-nick-wray.html

Saturday 3rd February 

Andrew Brogan.  “The Story of the Making of Henstead Exotic Garden”

Andrew gardens near Beccles in Suffolk, almost as far east as it is possible to be in England. Nevertheless he manages to persuade many exotic plants to grow and thrive.                                                                                         www.hensteadexoticgarden.co.uk

Saturday 3rd March (Meeting Cancelled)

Alun and Jill Whitehead. “Irises for the Natural Garden”

Alun and Jill hold a national collection of Siberian Irises and it is these that they will be talking about.                                                                            www.auldenfarm.co.uk

Saturday 31st March  10am-12 noon

Seedling Swap, at John Rowe’s Fox Meadow, Water End Rd,  Potten End, HP4 2SH

Saturday 7th April 

Dianne Nichol- Brown.   “Barking up the Wrong Tree”.

Dianne and her husband run Polemonium Plantery in County Durham and hold two national collections; of Polemoniaceae and Hakonechloa.

If you think you do not have room for a tree in your garden then Dianne might persuade you differently. She will talk about suitable varieties and those to avoid.   www.polemonium.co.uk

Sunday 20th May 2 – 5pm

Members’ Tea Party at Leonora Vaughan’s 45 Oakridge Avenue, Radlett, Herts WD7 8EW

Friday 1st June 6 – 9pm

Delivery, sorting and pricing of plants for Annual Plant Sale. United Reformed Church Hall, Homewood Rd, St Albans, AL1 4BH.

Saturday  2nd  June 10am – 12 noon

Annual Plant Sale (help required from 9am) URC Hall (as above)

Saturday 7th July

Coach trip to Stone House Cottage Garden and Nursery, Worcs, and Ashwood Nursery and John’s Garden, West Midlands. Further details and application forms in Spring 2018 newsletter.

Sunday 5th August 2 – 5pm

Members’ Tea Party at Roger and Patt Trigg’s. 7 Armitage Close, Loudwater, Rickmansworth, WD3 4HL

Saturday 6th October 

Marcus Dancer  “Scented Plants throughout the Year”.

Marcus runs a nursery in Hampshire specialising in Clematis. www.clematisplants.co.uk

Saturday 3rd November 

Peter Osborne. “St Stephens Compost – Make Friends with the Worms”

Peter Osborne explains his personal approach to quality compost making.

If you have ever been to Heather and Peter Osborne’s garden and marvelled its beauty and lushness then you will be interested to hear how Peter makes the compost that contributes to the spectacular display they produce every year.

The talk will be follow the AGM

Saturday 1st December 

Bob Brown “Geraniums – Restraint and Discrimination”

A welcome return from the ever popular speaker. How do you choose the best Geraniums from the wealth available? No doubt Bob will tell us in his inimitable style.                                                                                                                            www.cgf.net

The talk will be followed by our Christmas Party.