Date |
Speaker |
Title of Talk |
Description |
19th October 2022 |
Matt Biggs BBC ‘Gardeners’ Question Time’ Expert |
The Wonder of Plants |
How plants live, survive and thrive across global habitats |
16th November 2022 |
Nigel Cox |
Permaculture |
Nigel Cox is senior lecturer in horticulture and environmental programmes at Bridgwater and Taunton College working at Cannington. Nigel’s talk will be about the challenges of setting up a permaculture project and what permaculture is. |
15th February 2023 |
Yvonne Bell |
Edwardian Gardens |
Yvonne Bell became interested in the Edwardian era when her family moved into a villa of that period and her talk will be a colourful and nostalgic look at the Edwardian Garden. |
15th March 2023 |
Noelle Mace |
Moving house and starting a new garden again |
Noelle has designed and planted 7 gardens as an amateur gardener. Her husband David helps with the design and together they carry out all the work themselves. |
19th April 2023 |
Steve Fry |
Slightly naughty plants |
Steve takes a fun look at plants that cheat, steal and deceive, followed by poisons, aphrodisiacs and perception altering plants including alternative uses that doctors would not recommend. |
17th May 2023 |
Anne Brake |
Why Create Botanic Gardens |
The focus will be on the unique garden created under the guidance of Nick Wray since 2005 on a new site at Bristol University and its scientific role in a growing global network. |
8th June 2023 |
Garden Visits |
Tredegar House and Llanover House gardens |
Coach trip to see these 2 beautiful gardens in Wales. |
20th September 2023 |
Micky Little Micky started his horticultural career gardening on the island of Jersey before taking a formal qualification at Cannington College, Somerset. He continued as a nurseryman at Kelways, before moving to become Assistant Head Gardener at Killerton House for four ears. He moved to become Head Gardener at Castle Drogo for six years then on to spend two years as Head Gardener at Hestercombe. He then moved on to become Head Gardener at the gardens at Achamore on the Isle of Gigha in the Hebrides, before settling to work at Avon Bulbs from 2015. His career has allowed him to 'meet and work with some great gardeners and nursery-folk gaining experiences and knowledge which is great fun whilst working within the magical plant kingdom'. |
‘Smoke that Thunders – A Peripatetic Journey ‘ |
“Smoke That Thunders” is the title of a book by plant-hunter Ernest Wilson where he tells of his travels meeting people and finding new plants. Micky's talk is loosely based on that theory which includes some of the gardens, plants and people he's met throughout his horticultural career. |
18th October 2023 |
Louise Burks Louise Burks is a graduate from the University of Bath where she was awarded the Aberconway Medal by the Institute of Horticulture. Mike and Louise Burks founded The Gardens Group when they opened Castle Gardens in 1987 |
Winter Hanging Baskets and Tubs |
Louise's favourite subjects include hanging baskets – both winter and summer. She is the director in charge of bedding plants with the group and is the inspiration behind the amazing Christmas displays at Castle Gardens each year. A live demonstration with a huge number of practical tips. Exactly as described, Louise will bring along everything you need and then show you how to do the job. |
15th November 2023 |
Anthony and Maggie Langdon Anthony served in the Royal Marines for thirty years before becoming Company Secretary to Bristol and West building society in 1989. In 2003 he joined the International Guild of Battlefield Guides, conducting tours of First and Second World War battlefields across Europe, mainly on behalf of the Royal British Legion. Maggie accompanied Anthony on many tours and took photographs. |
Gardens of Remembrance |
The graves of soldiers who died in the First World War, scattered across many battlefields, were later gathered into Gardens of Remembrance. The talk traces the history and work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission developing and maintaining over 150 garden cemeteries around the world today. |