To book a talk, please send an email or use the contact form. Most can be given as

Zoom presentations

 

“Andrew has a unique style of presentation which made his talk entertaining, informative and memorable…”
Biddenham Garden Club

 

“Members were delighted by the information, the confidence and audibility of the presentation

and the humour”

Onecote Bloomers Gardening Group

 

“Loads of information and a lively delivery. Your talk was much appreciated!”

Mickleton Garden Club

 

“You have definitely inspired the group...”

Nottingham Hardy Plant Society

 

“Thank you so much for a most enjoyable talk yesterday evening.

There was a noticeable buzz in the hall after your talk...”

Evenley Gardening Society

 

“[A] delightful presentation delivered with great panache, wit, style  but above all...in depth horticultural knowledge”

Harpenden Gardening Society

 

 

Talks, demos and workshops

NEW Do your roots need doing?   Good root growth is essential for healthy and productive plants. How can you be sure your plants are performing well under ground when you can't even see them

NEW Gardening in the 2020s   Adapting to a changing climate and the movement away from use of pesticides, fungicides and weedkillers

Lamport Hall and its gardens
    Lamport is famous as the home of garden gnomes – but how did they get there?

Plants for free (demonstration/workshop)
*    Propagating plants – how to collect and prepare seed and take cuttings, plus – cutting up bulbs! Autumn only

Topical tips for the season
    Content depends on time of year – plants to enjoy, gardens to visit, pruning (or not!), likely pests and diseases, etc.

Plants for shade 
    Gardeners often wonder what to plant in a shady spot – in fact, the possibilities are endless!



Hellebores   
    The botany of these star performers and how to choose, grow and propagate them

Container gardening (demonstration)*

Unkindest cut? (pruning demonstration)*

The garden at York Gate, Leeds 
    Created by the Spencer family, this beautiful garden is now maintained by Perennial,  the Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Society

Apples
    Britain's favourite fruit. The history of apples, apples in commerce, and why we should be growing them in gardens

Shakespeare's plants and gardens   
    Plants and gardens had a particular importance to Shakespeare and his contemporaries. Looking at the restoration project at Kenilworth Castle in particular, we explore what plants meant to the Elizabethans

Gardens of the USA
    A look at the history of gardening in the US, including some contemporary gardens designed by Martha Schwartz and Isabelle Greene, with a flying visit to Hollywood

Pin me to the wall – and do what you want with me
    How to choose and manage climbers and wall shrubs

'Come into the garden, Maud'
    The gardens of Victorian England

Roses
    Their place in history – and which are the best varieties for the garden today

Permaculture for gardeners  

March of the women    Who are the notable women gardeners of the past - and today? Includes some American gardeners

 Right plant, right place    What to grow where, in other words...

Conifers  Their botany and history, how to choose, plant and care for them, and their place in garden design

Plants as pets   Choosing and caring for houseplants

Trees!   We should all be planting more trees. How do you decide which is/are best for you?

 

*Not suitable for Zoom

 

 


CALENDAR

2020

 

January 15

Chinnor U3A/Gardening Group

'Pin Me to the Wall...'

 

February 5

Roade Garden Club

Hellebores

 

February 18

Evenley Gardening Society

'Pin Me to the Wall...'

 

February 19

Brixworth and District U3A Gardening Group

The Garden at York Gate,  Leeds

 

February 26

Boddington and District Garden Association

Hellebores

 

March 4

Great Bourton Garden Club

Shakespeare's Plants and Gardens

 

March 10

Long Buckby and District Gardening Club

'Pin Me to the Wall...'

 

March 11

Women's Horticultural Society, Coventry

'Come into the Garden, Maud'

 

March 12

Moreton Pinkney Garden Club

'Pin Me to the Wall...'

 

March 16

Great Brickhill Gardening Club

'Pin Me to the Wall...'

 

March 18

Chardstock Gardening Club

Permaculture

 

March 24

Lower Windrush Garden Club

Permaculture

 

 

April 2

Hose Garden Club

Topical Tips

 

April 6

Harwell Gardeners' Club

Permaculture for Gardeners

 

April 8

Breadsall and District Horticultural Society

Permaculture for Gardeners

 

April 15

Newbold Verdon Garden Club

TBC

 

April 21

Oakley Gardening Club

Roses

 

April 25

Preston Bissett Nurseries

Plants for Shade

 

April 29

Southport Chyrsanthemum and Gardening Society

TBC

 

 

 

 

 

May 13

Chieveley Gardening Club

Container gardening

 

May 14

Chalfont St Giles Gardening Association

TBC

 

 

June 12

Marsh Gibbon Horticultural Society

Plants for Shade

 

June 18

Odell Garden Club

'Pin Me to the Wall...'

 

June 25

Kinver Horticultural Society

TBC

 

 

 

July 16

Bourne End Horticultural Society

Right Plant, Right Place

 

 

August 25

Textile History Group

'Come into the Garden, Maud'

 

 

September 8

Winslow and District Gardening Society

Come into the Garden, Maud

 

September 15

Great Haseley Horticultural Society

Container Gardening

 

September 16

Mickleton Gardening Club

Topical Tips

 

September 21

Ramsey Horticultural Society

TBC

 

September 24

Speen Garden Group

'Pin Me to the Wall...'

 

 

October 5

Broughton Gifford Gardening Sociey

March of the Women

 

October 6

Shalbourne & District Gardening Club

Plants for Free!

 

October 13

Ockbrook & Borrowash Garden Club

TBC

 

October 14 (afternoon)

Women's Horticultural Society, Coventry

Plants for Free!

 

October 14 (evening)

Cropredy Gardening Club

TBC

 

October 21

Brixworth and District U3A Gardening Group

The Garden at York Gate,  Leeds

 

October 28

Hertford U3A Gardening Group

Hellebores

 

November 4

Pattishall Garden Club

TBC

 

November 9

Dunstable Garden Club

Hellebores

 

November 11

Buckland, Drayton Beauchamp and Aston Clinton Horticultural Society

The March of the Women

 

November 12

Blunsdon Village Gardening Club

TBC

 

November 13

Box Gardening Club

Shakespeare's Plants and Gardens

 

November 18

Kennington Horticultural Society

Plants for Shade

 

 

2021

 

January 19

Evenley Gardening Society

Plants as Pets

 

February 2

Adderbury Gardening Club

Hellebores

 

February 3

Pattishall Gardening Club

Right Plant, Right Place

 

February 23

Lower Windrush Garden Club

Permaculture

 

March 2

Tanworth-in-Arden Gardening Club

Hellebores

 

March 3

Hanslope Garden Club

TBC

 

March 8

Burton Dassett Gardening Club

Roses

 

March 11

Norrthwood Green Gardening Club

Hellebores

 

March 17

Bladon Gardening Club

TBC

 

April 9

Market Bosworth Gardening Club

Shakespeare's Plants & Gardens

 

April 12

Midhurst Garden Club

Shakespeare's Plants and Gardens

 

April 13

Wing Garden Club

'Pin Me to the Wall...'

 

April 21

Chardstock Gardening Club

Permaculture

 

April 27

Otmoor Gardening Society

Right Plant, Right Place

 

May 10

Wootton Bassett Gardening Club

TBC

 

May 13

Chalfont St Giles Gardening Association

TBC

 

May 14

Marsh Gibbon Horticultural Society

Plants for Shade

 

June 10

Paulerspury Horticultural Sociey

Come into the Garden, Maud

 

June 11

Box Gardening Club

Shakespeare's Plants & Gardens

 

June 24

New Waltham Garden Club

"Pin Me to the Wall..."

June 29

Olney Garden Club

TBC

 

July 7

Kenilworth Horticultural Society

Shakespeare's Plants and Gardens

September 1

Henleaze Garde Club

Topical Tips

 

September 7

Southmoor Gardening Club

'Pin Me to the Wall...'

 

September 14

Marlow & District Horticultural Society

Plants for Free

 

September 16

Newent Gardening Club

'Pin Me to the Wall...'

 

October 6

Hanslope Garden Club

'Pin Me to the Wall...'

 

October 13

Surrey Garden Design Group

Conifers

 

October 18

Bitton Gardening Club

Trees

 

October 20

Brixworth and District U3A Gardening Group

The Garden at York Gate,  Leeds

 

October 21

Bourne End Horticultural Society

Right Plant, Right Place

 

November 5

Market Bosworth Gardening Club

Shakespeare's Plants & Gardens

 

November 8

Dunstable Garden Club

Hellebores

 

November 15

Great Brickhill Gardening Club

TBC

 

November 17

Chinnor U3A/Gardening Group

Right Plant, Right Place

 

November 18

Bledlow Ridge Horticultural Society

Shakespeare's Plants & Gardens

 

November 24

Southport Chrysanthemum and Gardening Society

Topical Tips

 

 

 

2022

April 7

Hose Garden Club

Topical Tips

 

April 11

Midhurst Garden Club

Shakespeare's Plants and Gardens

 

April 12

Wing Garden Club

'Pin Me to the Wall...'

 

April 13

Breadsall & District Gardening Club

Permaculture for Gardeners

 

April 19

Rugby Gardeners Guild

"Pin Me to the Wall..."

 

April 20

Chardstock Gardeners' Club

Permaculture for Gardeners

 

April 22

Clent Gardening Club (with Belbroughton Horticultural Soc.)

TBC

 

April 23

Preston Bisset Nurseries

Climbers and wall shrubs

 

April 27

Warborough and Shillingford Mowers and Growers

Plants as Pets

 

Burbage Garden Club

Hostas

 

Whilton Gardeners' Association

Right Plant, Right Place

 

Royal Leamington Spa Horticultural Sociey

Shakespeare's Plants & Gardens

 

September 5 (afternoon)

Barwell Garden Club

Hostas

 

September 13

Wharfedale Gardeners' Group

TBC

 

September 21

Moreton Pinkney Garden Club

"Pin Me to the Wall..."

 

September 30

Hughenden Allotment and Garden Association

Hellebores

 

October 3

Marshalswick Horticultural Society

"Pin Me to the Wall..."

 

October 4

Barrow upon Soar Gardening Club

Plants for Free!

 

October 10

Wroxton Gardening Club

"Pin Me to the Wall..."

 

October 20

Yarnton Gardening Club

TBC

 

October 27

Kinver Horticultural Society

Plants as Pets

 

November 1

Kimble abnd Ellesborough Horticultural Society

TBC

 

November 7

Harwell Gardening Club

Trees

 

November 8

Long Buckby and District Gardening Club

Plants as Pets

 

November 15

Oakley Gardening Club

TBC

 

November 17

Bourne End Horticultural Society

Right Plant, Right Place

 

 

 

2023

 

January 9

Adel Gardeners' Club

Hellebores

 

January 10

Ockbrook and Borrowash Gardeners' Club

Plants for Shade

 

January 17

Oakely Gardening Club

TBC

 

January 18

Mickleton Gardening Club

Roses

 

February 8

Appleton & Eaton Gardening Club

Shakespeare's Plants & Gardens

 

February 16

Welford Gardening Club

TBC

 

February 18

Somersham Garden Club

Right Plant, Right Place

 

March 7

Tanworth-in-Arden Gardening Club

TBC

 

March 13

Denton and District Gardening Club

TBC

 

March 22

Kemnington Horticultural Society

TBC

 

March 23

Hagbourne Garden Club

"Pin Me to the Wall..."

 

March 28

Textile History Group

March of the Women

 

April 13

Prestwood Gardening Club

Right Plant, Right Place

 

April 20

Clifton Gardening Club

"Pin Me to the Wall..."

 

April 27

Kinver Horticultural Society

Roses

 

May 9

Winslow & District Gardening Society

TBC

 

May 16

Biddenham Gardeners' Association

Trees

 

June 13

Wing Garden Club

TBC

 

July 20

Odell Gardening Club

Pruning

 

September 5

Kingston Bagpuize and Southmoor Gardening Club

Permaculture

 

September 12

Marlow & District Horticultural Society

Shakespeare's Plants & Gardens

 

November 8

Wolverhamton Horticultural Society (with Tendershoots Garden Network)

TBC

 

November 16

Bledlow Ridge Horticultural Society

Gardens of the USA