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COMING UP ....
RESEARCH COLLECTIONS and WISLEY GARDENS - the LINDLEY LIBRARY
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Monday 25 November
The Lindley Library is the world's largest horticultural library. The main part of the library is based at 80 Vincent Square, London SW1 2PE. A short guided tour of the research collections is arranged for 2.30 – 3.30 pm on Monday 25 November. There will be a new public exhibition opening on this day in the Lending Library that focuses on the autochrome pictures of Wisley Gardens by William van Sommer and this can be viewed at the end of the tour. Cost: £9 per person. Booking form available here. If enough people are interested I can organise a pub lunch nearby at 12.30pm, contact Sue Tymon. Photo: Jorun Tharaldsen |
MEMBERS’ WINTER MEETING 2020
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Saturday 11 January 2020
We will hold our winter meeting in the beautiful new building at RHS Wisley for the first time, to take up the RHS’s kind invitation to use their smart new facilities there. The programme will include a lecture on Narcissus from John David, head of Horticultural Taxonomy at the RHS. There will also be a short bursary report, other association news, a light lunch, and time to explore. We have arranged complimentary transport from Woking station to Wisley. The cost, including lunch, is £29. Booking form here. |
WILD FLOWERS AND HOLY SITES OF ISRAEL
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Tuesday 25 February to Thursday 5 March 2020. - FULLY BOOKED
This nine-night tour is designed to appeal to specialist plant lovers who will see amazing wild irises, many other indigenous plants and varied landscapes. It will take in Tel Aviv, Haifa, the Lake of Galilee, the Dead Sea, Sde-Boker in the Negev Desert, and Jerusalem. The trip will be led by Oron Peri, plant hunter and the author of Bulbs of the Eastern Mediterranean. The photo shows part of the Samaria desert. Holders of guaranteed places please now pay final balances (MPG payment details at foot of booking form) and complete your passport details here. |
SOUTH LONDON BOTANICAL INSTITUTE
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Friday 3 April 2020
A hidden gem close to Tulse Hill station, south London. The institute has a tiny but beautiful botanical garden and a fascinating herbarium of British and European plants, lichens, mosses and liverworts. There is also a well stocked library with over 2,000 books collected over the last 100 years. We have organised a late morning visit for Friday 3 April to be hosted by President Roy Vickery, followed by lunch. Due to space restrictions in the herbarium numbers are limited to 15. We will open bookings in late November. Photo: Stephen Jury |
WALKING IN TUSCANY
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Monday 20 to Monday 27 April 2020
Next spring there will be a two-centre visit to Italy, staying for five nights at the Hotel La Caletta in Porto Santo Stefano, on the Monte Argentario peninsula, and two nights in the Hotel Sovana Resort, in the volcanic tuff area near Pitigliano. This is for members who are physically fit and enjoy walking. April is usually a good month for geophytes and orchids in this area. More information, the itinerary and links to a plant list and the booking form can be found by clicking here. Photo: Goffredo Filibeck |
EVIA IN SPRING
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Tuesday 28 April to Wednesday 6 May 2020
The visit to Evia, the second largest island of Greece, will focus mainly on wild flowers with two spectacular garden visits and some sight-seeing. The island has a peaceful traditional atmosphere with few foreign tourists. We will be based in Karystos (pictured left) in the south, and Rovies in the north. Transfers will be provided from and to Athens airport. It is also possible to join early on the morning of Wednesday 29 April. To book please click on Book Evia or, for more information, click Heather Martin. |
GARDENS OF EASTERN SICILY
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Friday 8 to Friday 15 May 2020 - FULLY BOOKED
We have organised a seven-night trip to visit both public and private gardens in and around Taormina, Mount Etna, Catania and Siracusa, together with two wildflower walks, visits to two nurseries and an archaeological site and a historic site; staying in both Catania and Siracusa. Our trip will be led by local horticulturist, Sergio Cumitini, who will introduce us to his area, with the assistance of local gardeners and other specialists. A provisional itinerary can be seen here. Booking form is available here. Anyone wishing to be placed on the waiting list should contact Madalyn Hughes. |
CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW EARLY-BIRD ENTRY
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Tuesday 19 May
MPG expects to be able to offer tickets for the Chelsea Flower Show on the first day, with entry from 6.30am. Members have enjoyed this very much in the four previous years we’ve been able to offer it. Tickets include a sit-down Champagne breakfast at reserved tables. More information will be available in January. |
SUMMER GARDENS TOUR, 2020
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Sunday 28 June 2020 - Thursday 2 July 2020. ONE ROOM AVAILABLE
Geoff and Maddy Hughes are organising the 2020 summer garden tour in Yorkshire, following our Annual General Meeting. The tour will visit renowned gardens from Parceval Hall in the Yorkshire Dales to Scampston in the east plus others not normally open, such as recently designed gardens of Littlethorpe Manor, near Ripon. Members will stay at Hazlewood Castle, near York. To check availability before booking, please contact Madalyn Hughes. |
BETH CHATTO GARDENS’ VISIT
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Friday 17 July 2020
We are pleased to offer a trip to the well-known garden, nursery and home of the late Beth Chatto. The day will start with a guided tour of the gravel garden led by David Ward , the garden and nursery manager and who has worked at the garden for over 35 years. Booking open here |
GREAT COMP GARDEN and SALVIA PROPAGATION
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Thursday 6 August 2020
Great Comp is a 7-acre garden near Sevenoaks, Kent, where garden curator William Dyson will give members a guided tour of the garden in the afternoon. The morning will be spent learning about salvias with William and he will give us a demonstration on propagation. Shrubby hardy salvias can form the mainstay of summer colour in the garden with a long flowering season. William has bred a number of Salvias including the pretty 'Dysons Joy'. The day will break include a simple lunch followed by the garden tour. Booking forms are open here. |
CAPE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY TO HOST INTERNATIONAL EVENT
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Sunday 23 August 2020 - Friday 4 September 2020
One of our sister associations, Cape Horticultural Society in South Africa, will host the 2020 international gathering next year. Members of our fellow socities will be welcome to share the amazing scenery, plants and gardens in and around Cape Town. The event consists of a conference weekend with optional coach tours and one-day events before and after. The organisers would appreciate receiving indications of interest by 10 September please. For more information and to register click here |