January
Saturday 27th
Talk: ‘Pond Owner’s Calendar’ by Linda Smith.
2.30pm Stowupland Village Hall IP14 4BQ
About the speaker: Linda Smith started Waterside Nursery twenty-one years ago. The Nursery is the winner of six Chelsea Gold Medals and is the only recipient of a Chelsea Gold for Aquatic plants in the Chelsea Pavilion during the last twenty years. The exhibit showcases their plant range of water lilies and pond plants and also the small fibreglass container ponds with miniature plantings that allows water to be introduced to the very smallest of garden spaces.
February
Saturday 24th.
Talk: ‘Kirstenbosch and the Cape Floristic Region.’ by Philyp Styner.
2.30pm Stowupland Village Hall IP14 4BQ
About the speaker: In 1999, Phylip took up a placement within the Kirstenbosch Botanic Garden in Cape Town, on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, which grows and maintains collections of indigenous South African flora gardens. Trained at Askham Bryan College, York, Phylip has gardened widely throughout the UK and was Head Gardener at Cottesbrooke Hall in Northamptonshire for nine years. He regularly appeared on BBC Radio Northampton’s gardeners’ question time.
March
Saturday 24th
Talk: ‘Hepaticas: The Ashwood Story’ by Sam Hopes.
2.30pm Stowupland Village Hall IP14 4BQ
About the speaker: Sam initially trained as a Field Geologist, but became more distracted by the plants than the rocks that dwelled beneath them! She re-trained at Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Glasshouses, while training at Pershore College and went on to work at the RHS Garden Wisley for a year with their Rock and Alpine team, with additional training at Kew and Great Dixter. Since then she has spent the last four years as part of the team at Ashwood Nurseries, growing Hepaticas and Roscoeas in particular.
April
Saturday 28th
Talk: ’28 to 360 acres; the delights and possibilities of RHS Garden Hyde Hall’ by Robert Brett.
2.30 Stowupland Village Hall IP14 4BQ
Through their ten year Strategic Investment Plan, the RHS are making a very conscious shift to invest back into the organisation and this investment includes some major garden developments at RHS Garden Hyde Hall: a new Winter Garden, large scale Perennial Meadow and a new Global Growth Vegetable Garden. This talk occurs at two years into this strategic Investment, and explores these new developments and other ideas as seen through the eyes of its new curator, Robert Brett. Robert has had a distinguished career in horticulture including working at Cambridge’s Botanic Garden and the Eden Project and began his training at Kew.
May
Sunday 27th
Plant Fair: Plant Heritage Spring Plant Fair and Artisan Market
10 am – 4 pm, Helmingham Hall, IP14 6EF. Entrance: Adults £7.00 – Children: Free
(includes admission into the Grade 1 Listed Gardens).
• Free plant for the first 800 visitors
• Hundreds of rare and unusual plants
• Garden and lifestyle accessories
• Specialist nurseries & National Plant Collections
• Expert advice & demonstrations
• Garden tours
• Live music & entertainment
• Local food and drink producers
• Children’s activities
July
Sunday 1st
Garden Party: 40 Years of Plant Heritage
4 pm – 6 pm, Garden of Roydon Hall, Creeting St Peter, IP6 8QX. Entrance free to members.
Suffolk Plant Heritage members are invited to celebrate Plant Heritage’s 40th anniversary with champagne, strawberries and cream , courtesy of our member Mrs Doreen Wrinch.
This celebration is free to members.
RSVP – headed GARDEN PARTY to Isobel Ashton: isobel.ashton@btinternet.com; 01284 754993.
September
Saturday 15th
Talk: ‘A Passion for Climbers’ by Jane Lindsay and Toni O’Connor.
2.30 Stowupland Village Hall IP14 4BQ
About the speakers: Tynings Climbers are a nursery specialising in hardy and tender climbers run by Jane Lindsay and Toni O’Connor. They are proud National Collection holders of Passiflora, Jasminum, Thunbergia and Mandevillas with many other unusual climbers. They are regular RHS flower show exhibitors and gold medal winners. Most of the plants grown on the nursery are propagated and grown from cuttings.
Sunday 16th
Plant Fair: Plant Heritage Autumn Plant Fair and Artisan Market
10 am – 4 pm, Helmingham Hall, IP14 6EF. Entrance: Adults £7.00 – Children: Free
(includes admission into the Grade 1 Listed Gardens).
• Free plant for the first 800 visitors
• Hundreds of rare and unusual plants
• Garden and lifestyle accessories
• Specialist nurseries & National Plant Collections
• Expert advice & demonstrations
• Garden tours
• Live music & entertainment
• Local food and drink producers
• Children’s activities
October
Saturday 27th
Talk: ‘Mr Bowles and his Garden’ by James Hall.
2.30 Stowupland Village Hall IP14 4BQ
About the speakers: James Hall started his gardening career at RHS Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire and went on to complete a three year apprenticeship in botanical horticulture at Kew. He has been head gardener at Myddelton House Gardens since May 2015.