Shropshire
About the Group
Our group meets at Bayston Hill Memorial Hall, nr Shrewsbury SY3 0DR (map)
Contact
Helen Anthony
01686 941795
shrops@hardy-plant.org.uk
For full details visit the Shropshire Group Website
2019 Programme
All meetings commence at 2-30 pm unless otherwise stated
| January 5th, 2019 'Bulbs of the Peloponnese and the Last of the Summer Flowers' Razvan Chisu After graduating in horticulture Razvan worked for 2 years in the Botanical Gardens in Transylvania. Now living in Cheshire, he has edited the magazine of The Saxifrage Society, and his design for the Cheshire HPS stand at Tatton in 2017 won a silver gilt medal. Razvan visited the Peloponnese in 2016 and will tell us about the autumn flowering bulbs in this hot-spot of biodiversity. |
| February 2nd, 2019 'Fronds, fernlets and fancies' Marian Goody Marian studied British Flora as a teenager; her shady garden provides a great opportunity to indulge in hardy ferns. She’ll be talking about the botany of ferns, their propagation and some garden worthy species and varieties. |
| March 2nd, 2019 'Fossil Plants – a Backyard Botanic Garden' Robbie Blackhall-Miles Robbie is one of a new generation of innovative horticulturalists blending the spheres of gardening and conservation. He is the driving force behind ‘FossilPlants’; a ‘backyard botanic garden’ housing a collection of early evolutionary plants from families that have a fossil record dating back to between 60 and 360 million years ago. |
| April 6th, 2019 'Cholmondeley Castle – a Garden of Distinction' Barry Grain Barry has been Head Gardener at Cholmondeley Castle since 2013 where the gardens are extensively developed through many exciting new projects and improved planting schemes. Barry will talk about the continuing evolution of the gardens and projects planned for this stunning garden. |
| Sunday April 14th, 2019 12-3pm Spring Plant Fair Bayston Hill Memorial Hall |
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May 4th, 2019 11am |
| May 4th, 2019 'The Wonderful World of Scented Violas' Jack Willgoss Jack and his wife Laura founded Wildegoose Nursery, specialising in hardy, perennial and scented violas and other perennials. In this illustrated talk on Violas, Jack will give you top tips on their cultivation and how to use them in the garden to maximum effect. Note: there is a garden visit this morning |
| May 8th, 2019 (Wednesday) COACH TRIP: Two gardens near Kidderminster. Stone House Cottage Garden: A romantic garden set in an old walled kitchen garden and Arley Arboretum and Gardens: Historic gardens and arboretum dating back to the late 1700's, more than 300 species of trees in formal and informal plantings and gardens. Cost £22. Full details in the Spring update. |
| June 1st, 2019 Garden Visits 11-00am Ceunant, Old Hall, Llanidloes, SY18 6PW 4 acre riverside garden started in 2013 in a beautiful setting on River Severn just 7m from the source. Wooded wildlife area, pond, orchard, ornamental garden, herbaceous borders, scented seating areas. Riverside path, meadow and veg plot. A developing garden full of unusual features. Planting is aimed at pollinators and to encourage wildlife. Parking. Partial disabled access, some wheel chair ramps and places to sit with views. Entry £4 + £2 for hot drink/cake. 2-00pm : Cwm-Weeg, Dolfor, Newtown, SY16 4AT 2½ acre garden in 24 acres of wildflower meadows and bluebell woodland with stream centred around C15 farmhouse. Formal garden in English landscape tradition with vistas, grottos, sculptures, stumpery, lawns and extensive borders terraced with stone walls. Translates older garden vocabulary into an innovative C21 concept. Please note there is only partial access to the garden for wheelchairs. Entry £5, teas/cake £3 |
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July 6th, 2019 |
| August 3rd, 2019 11-00am: The Flower Garden at Stokesay Court, Onibury, SY7 9BD. In the beautiful old walled kitchen garden at Stokesay Court, outside Ludlow, Barney and Victoria grow glorious seasonal cut flowers, to arrive on your table with the dew of the garden still fresh on their petals. Entrance £5.00. Refreshments £5.00 (possibly help yourself if they are busy). Please could visitors park in large car park. 2-00pm : The Hollies, Rockhill, Clun, SY7 8LR A garden of approx 2 acres at 1000ft which was started in 2009. Features include a kitchen garden with raised beds and fruit cage. Large island beds and borders with perennials, shrubs and grasses, specimen trees. Wildlife dingle with stream. Entry £4. No refreshments but the Maltings in Clun has been recommended for anyone wanting coffee etc. |
| September 7th, 2019 'Creative Gardening with bulbs' Christine Skelmersdale Owner of Broadleigh Gardens and nursery, near Taunton, Christine Skelmersdale has spent some forty years growing and showing bulbs at her home, and is a renowned expert in bulbs and woodland plants, Christine is an inspirational speaker, and here she will talk about the use of bulbs, with the emphasis on colour, shape and texture. |
| October 5th, 2019 'Wild about Perennials' Noel Kingsbury Designer, writer and lecturer, Noel is well known for naturalistic and sustainable planting and design, and has collaborated with Piet Oudolf on several garden designs. Noel sees perennials being at the heart of this planting style which is lower maintenance than most others. He takes a look at the 'new wave' of planting design with perennials, explaining the basic philosophy and practice of selecting plants for ecology of the site and to look natural. |
| November 2nd, 2019 'Enjoying Water in Small Spaces' Linda Smith Linda and her husband, Phil, are specialist growers of water plants in at Waterside Nursery in Leicestershire, UK since 1995; they exhibit their water plants and container ponds at RHS Chelsea Flower Show and have won 7 Gold Medals in recent years. Linda’s talk shows how to incorporate water in the smallest spaces in the garden. |
| December 7th, 2019 'The Perfumed Garden' Bob Flowerdew Anyone who listens to Gardeners Question Time will know that Bob’s expertise covers far more than growing vegetables, and here he’ll talk about perfumed plants, their history, function, and how to grow more of them – and, intriguingly, how to smell them more accurately! The talk will be followed by our ‘Bring a Plate’ Xmas tea |
2020 Programme
| January 4th, 2020 ‘The History of Horticultural Education’ Kate Nicholl At Attingham Park, Kate trained gardeners and is now responsible for training all National Trust gardeners; delivering a diverse range of courses, from garden history to plant health and practical skills and overseeing their apprenticeship scheme. She will talk about the history of horticultural training and life as an apprentice gardener. |
| February 1st, 2020 ‘The Road to Chelsea Flower Show’ Nick Bailey Nick Bailey, renowned garden designer, writer and regular presenter on BBC’s Gardeners World, was Head Gardener at the famous Chelsea Physic Garden when he made a first appearance at Chelsea Flower Show in 2016. He will tell us about creating an award-winning garden |
| March 7th, 2020 ‘Euphorbias and other Vibrant Perennials’ Don Witton Don, holder of the Plant Heritage National collection of hardy euphorbias, has 151 varieties on his allotment in Harthill in South Yorkshire and runs a small nursery specialising in Euphorbia and perennials. He is a popular, knowledgeable and entertaining speaker. |
| April 4th, 2020 ‘Wildflower Meadows and How to Create Them’ Dr Wolfgang Schaefer Wolfgang, from Cwm Weeg near Newtown, has a 2.5 acre formal garden set within 24 acres of wildflower meadows and bluebell woodland. He will talk about how wildflower meadows occur naturally and, from personal experience, how to create one. |
| Sunday 19th April 2020 12 noon to 3.00pm SPRING PLANT FAIR Bayston Hill Memorial Hall SIX Guest Nurseries, HPS Members Stall NON-MEMBERS WELCOME Free Admission, Light Refreshments Disabled Access and Toilet |
| May 2nd, 2020 Garden Visit 11am: Oteley, Ellesmere, SY12 0PB 10 acres with walled kitchen garden, architectural features, many old interesting trees.. 2-30pm ‘Creating an Interesting All Year Round Garden’ Malc Mollart HPS member, Malc trained in horticulture and garden design. He and his wife Jude garden 1/4 acre of quirky cottage garden which he designed for wildlife. It is described by visitors as atmospheric and inspirational. In this talk he shows that gardens don’t have to have off peak boring times. |
| June 6th, 2020 Garden Visit 11am: The Firs, Nantwich, CW5 6AY Canalside garden set idyllically by a wide section of the Shropshire Union Canal with long frontage. 2pm: Tattenhall Hall, High Street, Tattenhall, CH3 9PX Plant enthusiasts' 4½ acres, wild flower meadows, trees, pond, stream, walled garden, colour themed borders, glasshouse and vegetable garden. |
| July 4th, 2020 Garden Visit 11am: Kinton Grove, Nesscliffe, SY4 1AZ HPS Members Tim and Judy Creyke ¾ acre garden, colourful herbaceous borders, roses and many interesting trees and shrubs. 2pm : Merton, Bicton, SY3 8BT HPS member Jessica Pannett mature ½ acre botanical garden with a rich collection of trees, hardy perennial borders, hostas, gunneras refreshments £3. |
| Wednesday 15th July, 2020 Coach Trip Avondale Nursery and Coton Manor Avondale nursery and display garden, near Coventry, is full of rare and unusual plants with extensive collections of Geum, Geranium, Crocosmia, Agapanthus, Salvia, Eryngium and Helenium, and much more! Coton Manor, laid out in the 1920's by the grandparents of the present owner, has been developed and extended by successive generations capitalising on its natural setting, attractive views and abundant water. In July there are roses everywhere and, in the borders, achilleas, aconitums, delphiniums, galega, herbaceous clematis, thalictrums, salvias, foxgloves and much more. COST: members - £25, non-members - £30 (include coach travel, refreshments at Avondale, entrance fees) Coach leaves Oswestry 8.45am (TBC). Pick-up at Shrewsbury Abbey 9.15 am (TBC) Return trip leaves Coton 4.30/5pm. Booking essential (forms available early 2020) For more information talk to William Edmondson |
| August 1st, 2020 Garden Visit 11am: Aberclwyd Manor, Corwen, LL21 9SF 4 acre garden on a sloping hillside including an Italianate garden of box hedging, shrubs, ponds, perennials, roses and an orchard 2pm : Dove Cottage, Penyffordd, Chester, CH4 0JR 1½ acre garden, shrubs and herbaceous plants around lawns. Vegetable area, ponds, summerhouse and woodland planted area. |
| September 5th, 2020 ‘The Versatile World of Salvias’ Leila Jackson Leila is the owner of T3 Wall End Nursery near Leominster specialising in salvias and abutilon and is a frequent award winner at RHS Shows at Chelsea and Hampton Court and has featured on BBC Gardeners World. Leila will tell us about these beautiful, summer-flowering sub-shrubs. |
| October 3rd, 2020 ‘The Extraordinary Flora of Western Australia’ Dr Peter Llewellyn Peter is Chairman of the Wildflower Society, and after hearing him speak elsewhere on this subject several HPS members requested that we book him as a speaker, describing his talk as riveting and amusing. |
| November 7th, 2020 ‘Revitalising Bodnant Garden’ John Rippin Former deputy gardener at Hidcote and head gardener at Castle Drogo in Dartmoor, John was given a ‘chance in lifetime’ in 2015, when he was appointed head gardener at Bodnant. His ambition is to create a “wow factor” as famous as the Laburnum Arch in every part of the garden. |
| December 5th, 2020 ‘From Captivity to a Castle’ Tom Hart Dyke In 2000 plant hunter, Tom Hart Dyke, a trainee at RHS Wisley was captured and held prisoner for months in the Colombian jungle. After his release he created “The World Garden” at his ancestral home, Lullingstone Castle; this continues to grow and develop, as rare and new important botanical specimens are added. Visitors for this talk need to obtain a ticket in advance The talk will be followed by our ‘Bring a Plate’ Xmas tea |
2018 Programme
| 20th January, 2018 'How to Use Roses in the Garden' Michael Marriott |
| 3rd February 2018 'Paradise Found' Mark Duffell |
| 3rd March, 2018 12.noon AGM 2.30 pm 'Fossil Plants - a Backyard Botanic Garden' Robbie Blackhall-Miles |
| 7th April, 2018 'Bulbs for All Seasons' Anna Pavord |
| 5th May, 2018 11 am Garden Visit 2.30 pm 'An American Nurseryman's Reflections on English Gardening' Mark Zennick |
| 2nd June, 2018 11 am and 2 pm Garden Visits |
| 11th July, 2018 Garden Visit, Coach Trip |
| 4th August 2018 11 am and 2 pm Garden Visits |
| 1st September 'On the Wild Side - an Experiment in New Naturalism' Keith Wiley |
| 6th October, 2018 'How to be a 21st Century Gardener' Timothy Walker |
| 3rd November, 2018 'First Impressions - Second Thoughts' Bob Brown |
| 1st December 'Great Dixter - Past, Present and Future' Fergus Garrett followed by our ChristmasTea |
2017 Programme
| 21st January, 2017 'Something for Everyone' Jim Almond |
| 18th February, 2017 'Revitalising Vita' Troy Scott Smith |
| 18th March, 2017 12.noon AGM 2.30 pm 'A Gardener's Year' Helen Picton |
| 15th April, 2017 'Fostering a Worcestershire Wildlife Meadow' Rob Cole |
| 20th May, 2017 10.30.am Garden Visit Bryn y Llidiart, Cefn Coch, Oswestry SY10 0BP followed back at Bicton by our afternoon talk at 2.30 pm. The History of Walled Gardens Richard & Jill Rallings |
| 17th June, 2017 Garden Visits 10.30 am Guilden Down Cottage, Clun SY7 8NZ 1.30 pm Upper Shelderton House SY7 0PE |
| 15th July, 2017 25th Anniversary Celebration Garden Visits Wollerton Old Hall and Hodnet Hall Gardens 19th August, 2017 Garden Visits 10.30 am Windy Ridge, Little Wenlock TF6 5BB 1.30 pm Avocet, 3 Main Road, Plealey SY5 0UZ |
| 16th September, 2017 'Journeys and Plant Collections of William Lobb' Mark Pavoir |
| 21st October, 2017 'Once Seen, Never Forgotten' Don Witton |
| 4th November, 2017 'Let Them Eat Cake' - Opening a Garden for NGS Jude & Malc Mollart |
| 2nd December, 2017 'A Tale of Two Gardens - Harlow Carr and Hyde Hall' Matthew Wilson Followed by our ChristmasTea |
2016 Programme