Talks

 Dahlias by Richard Ramsey March 2022

Spring Ideas by Simon Horrill October 2022 and Big Ideas October 2023

Clematis through the seasons by Everett Leeds Feb 2023

50 shades of Grey ( shady plants ) by Colin Moat March 2023

Gardens of Surrey by Cherrill Sands  a local consultant garden historian August 2023

Brussel Sprouts to Tangerines by Jacqueline Aviolet December 2023 

2 March 2024 Dan Cooper Containers in the Garden

A little bit of information re Dan

Dan, aka The Frustrated Gardener, has 40 years of hands-on gardening experience. He tends 2 coastal courtyard gardens, 1 large allotment, 150 dahlias and over 200 houseplants at home in Broadstairs, Kent. Dan’s gardens have opened for the National Garden Scheme since 2014 and he appeared on BBC Gardeners’ World in 2019 & 2020. The gardens have appeared in print across multiple magazine titles, including the FT, Homes and Gardens and RHS The Garden (2020 and scheduled for April 2024), and in books including ‘Fearless Gardening’, ‘Garden Design, A Book of Ideas’ and ‘Garden Design, A Book of Style’ (published in 2023). 

Dan founded Dan Cooper Garden in 2022 with a mission to curate the best gardening products and present them alongside sound advice. Dan works with leading horticulture brands such as Niwaki and Gold Leaf Gloves as well as developing his own range of tools. He offers garden consultations and mentoring programmes to people who want to develop their garden and gardening skills. Dan has 15.4K Instagram followers @thefrustratedgardener and 3.8k @dancoopergarden. His podcast with Julia Parker, Two Good Gardeners, launched in March 2023 and is now in its second series. 

Approx 70 people attended the talk and were entertained by Dans fabulous slides and engaging manner, some even spending a few pennies on this goodies.

Annual General Meeting 14 August at 7.00pm  followed by a talk Beekeeping Challenges 2024   Pauline Lane and Peter Jones

Approx 22 people plus the committee attended the AGM - Minutes below . This was followed by a fascinating  talk by Pauline and Peter  about the challenges facing beekeepers in 2024 particularly the Asian Hornet which was truly frightening having seen the damage they have already caused in France. Pauline started beekeeping 8 years ago and has 2 hives in Cranleigh and 3 more in a field on a nearby estate.She is an active member of the Guildford Association and is involved in the Theory and Practical Training course for new Beekeepers. There were a few jars of honey for sale the remainder of last years crop all of which went very quickly, and I must say taste wonderful.

Saturday 28 September 2024 at 10.30  Main Hall Steve Edney - The Long Border

60 people attended the talk by Steve , covering his and Louise's gardening history and his joy in all things concerning gardening and plants- 

Steve Edney and Louise Dowle created the no name nursery out of a desire to share great garden plants with fellow garden lovers, both Lou and Steve are professional gardeners with Steve having been the head gardener at the award winning Salutation gardens in Sandwich for 17 years. The new venture is set on a 3 acre site which is designed as a plant playground for growing and testing plants with the aim of sharing these plants for sale in a sustainable manner by growing on site ourselves.

They don’t want to be Pidgeon-holed into one group of plants but  they have a real love of perennials and exotics so you’ll always see those on their display table plus all sorts of special plants to suit a range of situations.

They hold 4 national collections of plants. Persicaria virginiana cv’s, dark leaved dahlia’s, pseudopanax cv’s and plectranthus.

100m long and 6m deep the long border is one of the major highs of the no name nursery, 2,000 perennials, tree’s, shrubs and roses make up the hundreds of plant species planted for late summer, autumn and winter interest makes this border different from most. This lecture looked at the borders creation, maintenance and highs through the season, with of course lots of plant recommendations.

Saturday 2 November  Caroline Halfpenny 

Scentsational Gardening  A fun month by month look at different plants that can be grown to give us wonderful scents in our garden with lots of information and stories about the plants. Interactive with sample plants to sniff

Caroline is passionate about gardening and the landscape, she began her horticultural career with Gravesham Borough Council with responsibility for the Grounds Maintenance Contracts from the Riverside out to Camer Park. In addition she managed to secure the role of Allotments Officer which she loved, as she enjoys growing fruit and vegetables and wandering round allotments was a dream job.  She was guilty of organising the daffodils growing through the verges from Meopham to Gravesend (cheeky as it was her route to work).

She then became a self employed gardener while she completed her degree in Landscape Management and became a Mum.

From 2007 to 2014 she managed the Diploma in Horticulture at Hadlow College at both the Tonbridge and Canterbury site, in addition to lecturing at all levels from schools and Foundation through to Higher Education. She still lectures part time today as well as running Growth Matters , which covers all her loves Gardening and Education.

I have a copy of the slides available , If you would like a copy please let me know

Workshops

Flower arranging workshop April 2022 

Christmas workshops Dec 2022 and November 2023

Saturday 10th February 2024 – A discussion led by Sylvia Pocock (one of our show judges) 

Sylvia, a RHS Judge generously ran an informal chat and workshop for 20 members which was warmly received , and we all picked up a few tips to help with this years shows.

Visits

Visit to Wisley by coach 14 July 2022 

Self Drive to Munstead Wood, May 2023

Trip to RHS HYDE HALL July 2023

Self-drive visit to Heathside in Cobham 25 July 2023

Self-Drive to Orchard Cottage 28 May 2024

30 of us visited this NGS garden owned by a Sussex Hardy Plant Society member in Crowborough , the weather was dry but cold and lacking in sunshine but the plants were lovely and such a variety in this 1½ acre informal garden from colour themed herbaceous borders, to woodland and meadow areas, pond/bog area and  a kitchen garden. There is an array of amazing and unusual plants, something for everyone plus great cake. 

Self-Drive Visit to Tollsworth Manor, Chaldon 11 July @ 2 .00 pm

 20 of us visited Tollsworth Manor, Rook Lane, Chaldon, Surrey  CR3 5BQ

This is a listed Building dating back to 1326 and was derelict when the current owner, Gordon Gillett (and his late wife) bought  it in 1983. The garden is open one day during June each year

Gordon  gave us an illustrated talk in the manor hall on the history and then twe divided into two groups, half were taken round the house and are asked questions based on what they had heard, whilst half tour the garden. Then we swapped over.  Good fun and so interesting to see such an old and well preserved house.

Teas and very good cakes followed. 

Coach Trip to West Dean 25 July 2024

24 of us visited West Dean , on what can only be described as a very wet and grey day but the gardens still delighted us all and the cafe sold very nice cakes !

This is one of the best restored gardens open today. Originally started in 1622, with many changes over the years, admire the walled kitchen garden, Victorian glass houses all 13 of them, Edwardian pergola, arboretum, sunken garden, river garden and much more. The new Dry garden was wonderful so much colour even on a very damp day.