Events

Open Day

Camellia (autumn & winter flowering)

Sunday, 11 October 2026 11.00am - 4.00pm

Colchester , Essex

Open day to visit the National Plant Collection.

Event

Surrey group committee meeting 151026

Thursday, 15 October 2026 6.30pm - 8.30pm

Surrey

Surrey Group Committee are meeting via Zoom.

Although closed to the public we welcome anybody from the Surrey Group who would like to contribute.

Open Day

Colchicum

Saturday, 17 October 2026 12.00pm - 5.30pm

Norwich , Norfolk

Open day to visit the National Plant Collection.

Talk

Over the Garden Wall - Joe Whitehead

Sunday, 18 October 2026 2.00pm - 4.00pm

Norfolk

Joe Whitehead is the Head Gardener at Burghley House and, once again, will be known to a number of you from when he worked in Norfolk. Joe has a love of walled gardens and his talk will encompass a number of walled gardens he has worked in. There will be plants for sale.

Visit

Savill Gardens by John Anderson, Keeper of the Gardens visit

Thursday, 22 October 2026 11.00am - 3.00pm

Englefield Green, Egham , Surrey

Savill Garden is a 35 acre haven of gardens, woodland and seasonal displays, commissioned by George V and created by Eric Savill in 1932. Autumn in the gardens is such a great time to see wonderful displays of naturally changing colour, some of the best are the Acers, Liquidambers, Caryas and of course the brilliantly colouring Nyssas. There is also a National Collection of Mahonias, some of which should be flowering at this time.

Open Day

Chrysanthemum (hardy)

Saturday, 24 October 2026 11.00am - 4.00pm

Warwick , Warwickshire

Open day to see the National Plant Collection.

Talk

Janette Merilion - Garden Designer

Saturday, 24 October 2026 2.00pm - 4.00pm

Park Road, Wetherden , Suffolk

After a career in marketing on the south east coast of England, Janette returned to her roots, attending De Montfort University, where she studied horticulture and garden design. Janette has had a love affair with plants all her life, as is evident in her knowledge and enthusiasm demonstrated in her work. She is a talented, innovative designer, who not only provides inspiration and practical advice, but has made a considerable name for herself as a professional speaker.

Open Day

Salvia rosmarinus cvs.

Sunday, 25 October 2026 10.00am - 5.00pm

Sevenoaks , Kent

Open day to visit the National Plant Collection.

Open Day

Carpinus betulus cvs., Catalpa, Taxodium spp. & cvs.

Sunday, 25 October 2026 1.00pm - 4.00pm

Barnet , Hertfordshire

Open day to visit the National Plant Collections.

Open Day

Quercus

Sunday, 25 October 2026 1.30pm - 4.30pm

Tiverton , Devon

Open day to visit the National Plant Collection.

Open Day

Quercus

Tuesday, 27 October 2026 1.00pm - 5.00pm

Tiverton , Devon

Open event 27-31 Oct to visit the National Plant Collection.

Talk

Talk: 'Made in Shade’ by Maureen Sawyer

Wednesday, 28 October 2026 1.30pm - 3.00pm

Mere, Knutsford , Cheshire

Join our friendly Cheshire group for a talk by Maureen Sawyer about great plants for a shady garden. Talk starts at 2pm but come along from 1.30pm. All welcome. If you are a regular to our Cheshire group talks, please note the new venue. 

Talk

Talk 'Plant Pathology and Pests' with Louise Jones

Thursday, 12 November 2026 7.00pm - 9.30pm

Cobham , Surrey

Speaker - Louise Jones, RHS Plant Pathologist

Attend in person in Cobham or via Zoom. 

Please note the deadline for requests for a Zoom invitation for this talk is 11am on the morning of the event.

Talk

Talk by Rachael Collings - A look at Araliaceae

Thursday, 12 November 2026 7.30pm - 9.30pm

Shawford , Hampshire

Rachael's talk will provide a broad overview of Araliaceae, discuss her research findings and take a new look at some of the usual as well as the more unusual Araliads cultivated in our gardens with some general growing advice.

Talk

Annual Meeting of Devon & Cornwall Group plus talk

Saturday, 14 November 2026 10.00am - 4.30pm

Devon

Save the date, details will be added early 2026

Talk

Snowdrops need friends too!

Saturday, 14 November 2026 1.45pm - 5.00pm

Cheltenham , Gloucestershire

Talk by Helen Picton, Old Court Nurseries

Event

Annual General Meeting followed by Social

Sunday, 22 November 2026 2.00pm - 4.00pm

Norfolk

Following our usual format, this is where we can deal with the official business of Norfolk Plant Heritage, but also enjoy a social event with delicious refreshments, displays and plant sales. As ever, a fitting end to our year.

Talk

Talk: ‘A Year in John’s Garden’ by Samantha Hopes

Wednesday, 25 November 2026 1.30pm - 3.00pm

Mere, Knutsford , Cheshire

Join our friendly Cheshire group for a talk by Samantha Hopes 'A Year in John's Garden'. Talk starts at 2pm but come along from 1.30pm. All welcome. If you are a regular to our Cheshire group talks, please note the new venue. 

Event

Suffolk Group AGM followed by a talk by Mel Collins - 30 years of Exhibiting

Thursday, 26 November 2026 2.00pm - 4.00pm

Park Road, Wetherden , Suffolk

Hostas - 30 years of exhibiting.  Originally market gardeners, the family moved their focus to Hostas in 1992. Mel became a partner in the family business in 2006. Mickfield Hostas' National Plant Collection was accredited in 2007 and they won their first RHS Gold Medal in 2011 at the Malvern Spring Show.

Talk

Quiz and Christmas Tea

Saturday, 12 December 2026 1.45pm - 5.00pm

Cheltenham , Gloucestershire

The quiz is back...

Talk

Group AGM and Talk Along the Lycian Way in Spring and Autumn

Saturday, 9 January 2027 2.15pm - 5.00pm

Cheltenham , Gloucestershire

Along the Lycian Way in Spring and Autumn by Diane Clement

Talk

Zoom talk by Steve Edney - RHS Trials

Thursday, 21 January 2027 6.30pm - 8.30pm

Steve runs NoNameNursery in Kent, with his partner Louise, a sustainable project called 'The Land', which they established in 2019.  Steve is a grower, breeder, horticulturist and experimenter with 30 years experience.  Steve is on the RHS Herbaceous Committee and RHS Plant Trial Forum and has been involved with many RHS Trials. At present, he is involved with the Dahlia trial and is Chair of the Baptista trial.

Event

Surrey group committee meeting 020227

Tuesday, 2 February 2027 6.30pm - 8.30pm

Surrey

Surrey Group Committee are meeting via Zoom.

Although closed to the public we welcome anybody from the Surrey Group who would like to contribute.

Open Day

Hamamelis cvs.

Sunday, 7 February 2027 11.00am - 4.00pm

Colchester , Essex

Open day to visit the National Plant Collection.

Talk

Surrey Group AGM 2027

Thursday, 11 February 2027 7.00pm - 9.30pm

Cobham , Surrey

Our group annual meeting - attend in person in Cobham or via Zoom. 

Please note the deadline for requests for a Zoom invitation for this talk is 11am on the morning of the event.

Talk

The Great Geranium Robbery!

Saturday, 13 February 2027 1.45pm - 5.00pm

Shurdington, Cheltenham , Gloucestershire

Talk by David Marsh (and via Zoom)

Talk

AGM and talk by Jack Aldridge - 'The Importance of Being Evergreen'

Saturday, 13 February 2027 2.00pm - 4.00pm

Sparsholt , Hampshire

Evergreens of all kinds are such important but easily overlooked components of any garden, providing structure, shelter, texture and form all year round. This illustrated talk will highlight a diverse and eclectic mix of unusual evergreens, including trees, shrubs, conifers, perennials and ferns, looking at how they can be best used to add to the garden's rich tapestry.

Talk

Talk 'Sex, Lies and Putrification' with Timothy Walker

Thursday, 11 March 2027 7.00pm - 9.30pm

Cobham , Surrey

Speaker - Timothy Walker

Attend in person in Cobham or via Zoom. 

Please note the deadline for requests for a Zoom invitation for this talk is 11am on the morning of the event.

Talk

Saving Orchids

Saturday, 13 March 2027 2.15pm - 5.00pm

Cheltenham , Gloucestershire

Talk by Phil Seaton

Visit

Guided Tour - woodland garden at Mac Penny's - The Home of Choice Rare Plants

Thursday, 8 April 2027 2.00pm - 4.00pm

Bransgore, Nr Christchurch , Hampshire

Mac Pennys Nursery is a family owned & run retail nursery consisting of a mature 4 acre woodland garden, with alphabetically laid out sales' beds.

Talk

Talk 'Cones of the World' with Jonathan Newell

Thursday, 8 April 2027 7.00pm - 9.30pm

Cobham , Surrey

Speaker - Jonathan Newell

Attend in person in Cobham or via Zoom. 

Please note the deadline for requests for a Zoom invitation for this talk is 11am on the morning of the event.

Talk

Growing Dahlias in your garden

Saturday, 9 October 2027 1.45pm - 5.00pm

Shurdington, Cheltenham , Gloucestershire

Talk by Robin Pearce