Kew winter visit
30 November 2023
On a bright November morning 13 of us and our three Kew volunteer guides (all MPG members), embarked on a fascinating day at Kew. Our first stop was the treasure trove of the Department of Economic Botany. The collection started at the time of Joseph Banks and contains every object one can imagine either manufactured from plant material or connected with the production or use of plants. Think everything from walking sticks to essential oils, poisons and a bicycle!
Rhodes autumn trip report
1 – 9 November 2023
After an introductory meeting we walked to the medieval city and saw the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes and then the archaeological museum. After that we walked round the moat, finding a number of plants such as Echium angustifolium, Heliotropium hirsutissimum, Ricinus communis, Vitex agnus-castus, Tribulus terrestris and Hyoscamus albus growing on the walls.
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park walking tour
22 September 2023
Eight years after our first visit to the Olympic Park in Stratford, south-east London, a group of members had a fascinating second visit. John Fielding’s pictures of the July 2015 visit can be seen at https://www.medpag.org/resources/gallery/queen-elizabeth-olympic-park-2015/ and a report on the latest visit follows.
Spring in Epirus
Sunday 28 May to Tuesday 6 June 2023
The stark mountains, deep valleys and greenness of hills in northern Greece contrast with the image of Greece most of us had before this expedition. Members loved both the nature and the man-made features of this trip. Picture shows Ramonda serbica which is remarkable for surviving heat and desiccation and coming to life again when it rains.
Chelsea Flower Show 2023
Tuesday 23 May 2023
Enthusiastic members snapped up tickets for 6.30 am entry to the Chelsea Flower Show with a sit-down breakfast again this year. We are grateful to Nesta Jolliff of flowering bulb specialists Jacques Amand International for inviting MPG members to participate, and it was good news that Jacques Amand themselves took home a Gold. Our picture shows Benton irises on the Nurture Landscapes show garden designed by Sarah Price, based on the garden at Benton End, former home of artist Sir Cedric Morris, and now under the care of the Garden Museum.
Gardens of Western Sicily
Monday 8 May – Monday 15 May 2023
What an action-packed week this was. It’s difficult to believe that so many layers of history exist in the relatively small area of northern Sicily that stretches from Palermo to Trapani. We scampered around 18th and 19th century villa gardens full of non-native species planted to impress. We paused for breath in peaceful Benedictine cloisters decorated in a fusion of Norman and Arab style. But perhaps it wasn’t until we reached the impressive remains of Phoenician and Greek cities that we really grasped the extent to which Sicily has been moulded by the cultures of its invaders.
Croatia: Spring Flowers of the Dalmatian Coast
Saturday 22 April – Saturday 29 April 2023
Our exploration of the flora of the Dalmatian coast and its near-hinterlands under the able stewardship of Başak and Chris Gardner began the morning of 22 April, as participants were fetched over the course of the day from Dubrovnik, Cavtat and the airport. Veterans of prior MPG adventures included Juliet Blackburn, David Foreman, Joanna Fortnam, Jane Furse, Nerissa Guest, Mary and Kosta Komodore, Cathy and Graham Rollinson, while Chris Earl, Sally Ishizaka, Margherita Janowski and Marcela Toro were on their first tour.
Autumn in the Peloponnese 2022
Tuesday 1 to Tuesday 8 November 2022
A one-week wildflower expedition to the southern Peloponnese, with a view to seeing autumn Crocus, Colchicum, Sternbergia, Cyclamen, Anemone, Galanthus and Narcissus. The trip started at Nafplio, travelling on to Kardamyli and then Gytheio. The aim was to botanise in open countryside, roadsides and historical sites near the road. Also included were visits to private gardens, an olive museum and an olive press. The tour was led by Oron Peri, acclaimed nursery and plants person, and author of Bulbs of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Great Dixter tour
Thursday 15 September 2022
A group of members were treated to a private tour of the gardens at Great Dixter by Head Gardener Fergus Garrett. The gardens were packed full of interest and colour, and looked splendid in the late summer sunshine. A short report and selection of photos can be seen here.
Medicinal Garden, Royal College of Physicians, London
Wednesday 3 August 2022
The visit to the Medicinal Garden at the Royal College of Physicians in London, postponed from mid-July due to very high temperatures, took place in early August with Dr Henry Oakeley and Dr Tim Cutler as guides. Lesley Jones shares photographs and some of the facts and interesting ways that plants are used for medicinal purposes in this summary of the day.
Delos garden at Sissinghurst
Tuesday 14 June 2022
Members had a magical summer’s day and brilliant guiding for the day at Sissinghurst, with the gardens almost to ourselves for the first hour. We had been invited to arrive before the general public to be shown round by the head gardener Troy Scott Smith.
With thanks to Jacques Amand International
Tuesday 24 May 2022
Two groups of MPG members were able to gain early entry to RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year thanks to sponsorship by Jacques Amand International, seeing much of the show before the doors opened for members. Cleo Cantone reflects on what she saw.
Western Ireland
Sunday 22 to Friday 27 May 2022
Two days in the Burren, Co Clare, were followed by two days visiting gardens in Co Limerick shown round by the garden owners. Two bursary holders have written reports. Vida Svahnström, who recently completed postgraduate studies at Kew, describes the wild flora, and Bridget Daniels, of RHS Rosemoor, writes about the gardens. Heather Martin also contributes with reports and photographs of some of the gardens visited.
Gardens of eastern Sicily
Wednesday 11 – Wednesday 18 May 2022
Briony Marriott gives an account of this trip which took in the gardens and native plants of eastern Sicily through a series of visits to public and private gardens in Catania, Taormina, Siracusa and on Mount Etna. The group also visited nurseries and historical sites and enjoyed nature walks.
Nature and walks in southern Tuscany
Monday 2 to Sunday 8 May 2022
This is a pictorial diary of the first overseas tour for MPG since March 2020, created by Lesley Jones. Members stayed on the Argentario peninsula for four nights, before moving inland to the ancient village of Sovana. There were walks on the coastal mainland, the island of Giglio and in woods and alluvial countryside, all expertly guided by Goffredo Filibeck of Tuscia University.
Yorkshire garden tour 2021
Sunday 4 to Thursday 8 July 2021
There was a high turn-out with many founder members attending the long-awaited 2021 summer tour. At the closing dinner, Merula Frankel made a touching speech of thanks principally to Maddy and Geoff Hughes who had organised a lively programme including an early-evening talk on the history of the castle where we stayed.
Ottershaw Cacti and Dunsborough Park
Monday 14 June 2021
Lesley Jones organised visits and a picnic in Surrey, assisted on the day by Melvyn Jope. The first time members had been able to gather in person felt special, as described by MG Jones in his report. Visiting a UK cactus nursery was a novelty for MPG.
Wild Flowers and Holy Sites, Israel
Tuesday 25 February to Thursday 5 March 2020
This is the most recent MPG trip before the Covid-19 lockdown. It was an energetic expedition covering a wide range of habitats from the Golan Heights in the north to the Negev in the south. One of our bursary recipients, Catherine Cutler, has written a wonderful resumé of this fascinating tour, led by Oron Peri.
Winter Meeting 2020
Our speaker at the Winter Meeting was John David, head of horticultural taxonomy at the RHS. His talk, entitled ‘To Spain for daffodils’, covered details of his research trips to study daffodils through a transect of the country from north to south, covering most of the 25 species found in Spain. Pictured here is Narcissus papyraceus. A recording of the lecture with video of the slides is available on Vimeo.
Visit to RHS Lindley Library, Vincent Square, London
Monday 25 November 2019
MPG members had an interesting tour of the RHS Lindley Library archive. We saw a small sample of the vast store of books – an edition of Gerard’s Herbal, the seed catalogue drawn by Ernst Benary and an insight into the early world of garden design in the book ‘A new orchard and garden’ first published 1618.
Mona’s Garden
Saturday 17 August 2019
It was a sunny Saturday for the MPG members to visit the exotic garden of MPG member Mona Abboud who was kindly hosted us for our second visit. Mona was generous with her time and plant stories explaining how she topiarises things to fit the garden. “My garden treads a fine line between messy and natural” she jokes. This year again Monas contributed the money raised to the MPG bursary fund and to Plant Heritage.
Dorset summer garden tour
Sunday 30 June to Thursday 4 July 2019
Our AGM this year was held in Dorset followed by a tour of gardens in glorious weather, all expertly arranged by Sue Bennison. Christopher Bailes’ lecture can be found on Vimeo.
Sir Harold Hillier Gardens and Cadland
Wednesday 12 June 2019
Several members to the opportunity of a private tour of Sir Harold Hillier’s famous Gardens by the current curator David Jewell and also the first curator of the Gardens, Roy Lancaster, OBE. Members then visited the gardens at Cadland, at the invitation of member Gilly Drummond.
Botanising in the Maremma
Sunday 5 to Saturday 11 May 2019
Our first plant-hunting trip in Italy was a memorable experience for members who walked, in almost perfect weather, the beautiful limestone hills and pine forests of the area led by professional botanist, Goffredo Filibeck. Finds included such as Orchis Morio (left).
Spring Flowers in Peloponnese
Thursday 21 to Thursday 28 March 2019
At the end of March, MPG members spent a spectacular botanising week, with excellent weather, in the Peloponnese region of Greece. Vida Svahnström held an MPG bursary for this trip. Vida says, ” “It was the most productive, well planned, and enjoyable botanising trip I have ever been on. Most of the trip was spent hunting for native wildflowers and other plants in stunning natural landscapes with our very knowledgeable and helpful guide John Fielding”.
Chiswick House Tour
Friday 8 March 2019
In mid March MPG were given a guided tour of the Camellia house with Head Gardener Geraldine King. The conservatory, built for the 6th Duke of Devonshire in 1820, was originally designed for growing fruit but by 1828 they grew the fashionable camellias form China, Korea and Vietnam. On display is a lovely collection of very old varieties, Camellia rubra plena being one of the original plants. This was followed by a tour of the gardens, propagation area and the Palladian house and we got to purchase some special camellias propagated by Geraldine’s team.
Visit to Cambridge Botanic Gardens and Orchid House
Thursday 28 February 2019
Organised by Denise Pawlett, our group of 25 members was split and led by three very knowledgeable volunteer tour guides around the heritage listed garden. On a lovely winter afternoon we discovered the rare and notable plants of the garden.
Lazio Tour of Gardens
Sunday 14 – Friday 19 October 2018
In the autumn members visited nine classic gardens in the Lazio area of Italy, from Hadrian’s summer villa dating back to c110 BC to the fascinating and astonishing gardens of the Sacro Bosco, with amazing oversized sculptures and Villa Lante, featuring a water chain, thought to be the first in horticulture. All Guy Cheeseman’s beautiful images from this tour can be viewed on Flickr click on ‘Lazio’ and then the monitor icon.
Mona’s Garden
Saturday 8 September 2018
In early September 25 members visited the exceptional garden of one of our members – Mona Abboud, after meeting for lunch nearby. Mona’s Garden, in north London, has been created entirely by opera singer Mona herself and contains a tremendous range of plants, many from the southern hemisphere and Mediterranean-climate areas. Mona contributed all the money raised to the MPG bursary fund, Plant Heritage and the NGS.
Lullingstone Castle, World Garden
Monday 6 August 2018
Tom Hart Dyke showed us around his garden at Lullingstone Castle. He designed it in his head while held hostage in the Colombian jungle in 2005, after being captured when he was hunting plants in the Darien Gap. Once released, he implemented his design in the walled garden of his home. The area is divided into continents and includes a collection of Mediterranean plants mostly grown from seed including the national collection of Eucalyptus. Cacti, orchids and other tender plants are housed in special hothouses.
Garden Visits, Dumfries and Galloway
Sunday 24 – Thursday 28 June 2018
Members travelled to Scotland for the Annual General Meeting this year. This was followed by visits to some interesting gardens, both private and public where many of us were enticed to buy plants to take home. You may also like to view the gallery of Flickr photographs of this visit from member Guy Cheeseman.
Tom Stuart-Smith’s Barn Garden
Monday 18 June 2018
On one of the first very warm days of summer members gathered near Kings Langley for a guided tour around The Barn and Serge Hill, the gardens of landscape architect and garden designer, Tom Stuart-Smith and his sister Kate. Tom’s repeat planting combines naturalism and modernity and make for a fresh look with plants very much in the water-wise gardening style.
Chelsea Visit
Tuesday 22 May 2018
Many members took up the opportunity to visit the Chelsea Flower Show early on Members’ Day, with entry to the grounds at 6.30am.
Fulham Palace Garden Tour
Saturday 19 May 2018
The tour of Fulham Palace Gardens, sited alongside the Thames, was guided by volunteer Jane Swithinbank who explained the importance of the site. Bishop Henry Compton (b 1632) was one of the botanising bishops, said to have selected missionaries for their botanising skills. His most talented and prolific protégé was John Bannister, who sent back seeds and specimens from North America, North West Africa, Gibraltar, India, the Virgin Islands and West Indies. Finds included seeds of Cedrus atlantica, Sequoiadendron giganticum, Liquidambar and Quercus coccinea. A highlight was the walled garden with its Wisteria from the late 1800s and the restored glass house.
Costa Blanca, Spain
Sunday 15 – Sunday 22 April 2018
Members had a memorable visit to the Elche and Denia areas of the Costa Blanca – visiting inland wild flower areas, a government research station with botanic garden, the palm groves of the city of Elche, private gardens owned by Spanish residents, a Moorish Tea Garden designed in the style of Granada’s Alhambra, and two of the famous gardens of Valencia. All interspersed with delicious meals.
Charmed Lives at the British Museum
Saturday 24 March 2018
Members visited an interesting exhibition documenting the lives of Patrick Leigh Fermor, John Craxton and Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika which has been on from March to July at the British Museum. Its focus is the art and friendship of these three men in post-war Greece. The exhibition was built around the places they lived: Ghika, on the island of Hydra, Leigh Fermor in Kardamyli and Craxton’s home in Crete. Artwork, photographs, writings and other memorabilia give an insight into their interlinked. Members enjoyed an excellent lunch afterwards.
Spring Walk – Highgrove
Thursday 15 March 2018
Planning a UK garden visit in March risks bad weather but the weather was perfect for our visit to Highgrove. The woodland garden with Cyclamen coum and scillas looked particularly good. The skill of the gardeners in the walled garden drew lots of positive remarks and the framework created by the topiary in parts of the garden near the house was very impressive. The opportunity to spend time talking to the head gardener Debs Goodenough was an unexpected pleasure. All in all a very enjoyable visit.
Tenerife – An Island of Climatic Contrasts
Sunday 25 February – Sunday 4 March 2018
Members were guided on this trip by Oron Peri. They visited the laurel forests of Anaga, the volcanic plateau, coastal plains, pine forests, green valleys and botanic gardens. The picture, taken in the Park of the Dragon Tree, Icod de los Vinos, shows the iconic Dracaena drago in the foreground and snow-covered Mount Teide in the background. See also Jenny Bovaird’s report of a previous lecture on the island’s plants.
Bulb Hunting in Greece
November 2017
A group of members went from Athens to Nafplio and on to the southern Peloponnese for a bulb-hunting trip led by John Fielding. Our first bursary recipient, Becky Cross, seen left with Sternbergia at the top of the ancient site of Mystra, has written an illustrated diary of the trip.
Buckingham Palace Gardens
Saturday 5 August 2017
Members met up for a privileged tour around the private gardens of Buckingham Palace with the head gardener, Mark Lane. The gardens hold the National Collection of Morus, (mulberry), with 34 named varieties across all the royal gardens. There were many delights including an interesting Buddleja nivea from China.
Lambeth Palace Gardens
Monday 17 July 2017
30 members visited the 10-acre private gardens of Lambeth Palace. Nick Stewart, head gardener, pointed out ancient trees dating from the Reformation, Mediterranean plants such as Plumbago and Alyogne and explained the history of the garden. Highlights included the stunning herb garden, shady border and terracotta pots made for the archbishop and bearing his crest. Christopher Woodward, director of the Garden Museum, talked about the museum, showed us the Dan Pearson garden, and Tradescant’s collection.
Isle of Wight Tour
Sunday 25 to Wednesday 28 June 2017
Members met on the Sunday for our AGM. This was followed, over the next three days, by a tour of some wonderful gardens, mostly private ones not regularly open to the public, but also including the Ventnor Botanic Gardens, shown to the left, and the gardens of Osborne House.
Early Bird Visit to RHS Chelsea
Tuesday 23 May 2017
Members took advantage of Manoj Malde’s invitation to visit the Chelsea Flower Show before the crowds: at 6.30 in the morning on the Tuesday, before the results of the judging were announced. It was a beautiful summer day and of course everything was looking at its absolute best. We all felt very privileged to have this unusual opportunity, including a Champagne breakfast after the gates had opened to the general public. Manoj’s beautiful ‘Beneath a Mexican Sky’ garden won Silver Gilt.
Garden Tour in the South of France
Friday 5 – Wednesday 10 May 2017
Sue Bennison’s illustrated report describes the tour of gardens in Provence, organised by Guy Cheeseman. The group included members from Australia, Spain and South Africa and visited gardens including La Louve and Olivier Filippi’s Nursery. The picture shows Olivier’s demonstration garden. To read the report click here
Visit to Eccleston Square Gardens, London – Home of the National Collection of Ceanothus
Friday 28 April 2017
Members visited one of the largest private gardens in a London square, shown round by Roger Phillips. Roger has managed the garden for decades and his expertise – combined with the input from more than one head gardener from the southern hemisphere – make this a precious sanctuary. The privacy inside the garden resulting from luxuriant planting on the perimeter amazed some of our members. Members lunched together after the visit.
The North London Garden of Botanist E.A.Bowles
Thursday 13 April 2017
Members had a great day out on Maundy Thursday to the Myddleton House Garden of the celebrated horticulturist E. A. Bowles. James Hall, the head gardener, gave a memorable tour and had much to show including a dry gravel garden trying many Mediterranean plants including Nerium outside. The image shows a lovely Thunbergia in the greenhouse. (Photo: Stephen Jury)
Mediterranean Bulbs at Kew
Tuesday 28 February 2017
Nearly 40 members went to look at Mediterranean and other bulbs at Kew in February. They were shown round by Tom Freeth, Rock Garden, Alpine and Aquatics Supervisor, and Kit Strange, a highly experienced horticulturist. The visit included the Davies Alpine House and surrounding rockery, with the extra bonus of going into the Bulb Yard not normally open to the public.
Winter Meeting, Chelsea Physic Garden
Saturday 20 January 2017
Guest speaker in the afternoon was John Grimshaw on the theme Broadening the horizons – Looking beyond the Mediterranean for Mediterranean plants, giving members exotic ideas from other continents for Mediterranean basin or even UK gardens. In the morning members looked round the Chelsea Physic Gardens, had structured opportunity to put forward ideas on MPG’s future programme of events, within the UK and overseas and heard a bit about 2016 events from John Fielding. The meetings and lunch were attended by more than 60 members.
Mediterranean Vegetables
Saturday 29 October 2016
Members met at Seeds of Italy in Harrow for a talk by Paolo Arrigo UK distributor for Franchi Seeds, a company that has been growing its own seed since 1783. He talked about fast-cropping lettuce, the best tomatoes for eating and cooking, the sweetest red onions, perfect sized tasty pumpkins, Moscard de Provence, how to dry Borlotti beans, grow fresh chickpeas and lentils. This was followed by a tasting of delicious homemade pesto Genovese and a wonderful Italian classic sauce ‘Bagna cauda’ made with giant Italian anchovies.
Gardens of Southern Morocco
March 2016
During our visit to Taroudant, Marrakech, the High Atlas and surrounding areas, we visited beautiful gardens created by enthusiasts of many nationalities, some designed by Eric Ossart and Arnaud Maurieres. We saw the raw, gritty side of the country too, at a poor potters’ village, at a weekly market where pitiful animals were suffering, and in an oasis village where women were cracking argan nuts as part of the slow process to produce oil. Christine Daniels has written a beautiful report of this trip. Do look at our gallery of images taken by members and Guy Cheeseman has kindly given us access to his Flickr images of the trip.
Visit to RBG Kew
November 2015
Members visited the Alpine House and Princess of Wales glasshouse, seeing many bulbs in flower and other plants including Hypericum aegypticum, restricted to parts of Crete and north Africa in the wild. John Fielding, Rossana Porta and Gareth Stanfield showed us the Mediterranean planting, on which Rossana, a Kew horticulturist until 2012, had worked in 2007. Three areas of trees – olives, cork oaks and stone pines – predominate, with a cistus collection on the slopes up to the King William Temple. Picture shows Lynne Leveson, Gareth, John and Denise Pawlett.
South Africa Trip
August/September 2015
This trip, led by Charles Smith, began by exploring Cape Town and taking a cable car up Table Mountain. Over the next 12 days the tour visited Kirstenbosch National Botanic Garden, the Cape of Good Hope, Clan William, Nieuwoodtville, Namaqualand, noted for fabulous wild flowers, the Babylonstoren garden, Springbok and Stellenbosch. A slide show of photographs is available in the gallery.
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London
July 2015
Twenty years ago it was a dumping ground for abandoned cars and old fridges where the 2012 Olympic Games were held. Now a stunning park provides employment and is used by thousands of local residents. One of the largest MPG London groups visited the park on 18 July, led by three specialists now maintaining the areas and Andy Churchman, head gardener of the South Park. See John Fielding’s images in the Gallery including the UK’s tallest sculpture (the ArcelorMittal Orbit).
Post-AGM Garden Tour
July 2015
Our Sunday evening AGM was followed by two and a half days of visits to gardens including the famous Bryan’s Ground owned by David Wheeler and Simon Dorrell, the Laskett owned by Sir Roy Strong, both in Herefordshire, and Allt-y-Bela just over the border in Wales created by Arne Maynard. The very popular programme was organised by Sue Bennison and attended by 50 members. The picture here shows Sir Roy Strong with MPG chairman Heather Martin. More images by Guy Cheeseman may be viewed on Flickr.
Six day field trip to Armenia
July – August 2015
Richard Robinson sponsored Dr Asatryan in this work in memory of his mother who had taught him the names of many English wild flowers even before he started school. Richard’s mother died shortly before he and his wife Vicky travelled to Armenia as members of the MPG’s field trip in June 2015.
Wild Flowers of Armenia
June 2015
MPG’s visit to discover the rich endemic flora of Armenia, led by Dr Anna Asatryan, senior researcher at the Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences, consisted of eight full days visiting contrasting habitats. Here Caroline Bilsby is photographing Anemone fasciculata in a wet meadow. Members walked in the hills near Dilijan, beside ancient monasteries, on the shores of Lake Sevan, and on mountain slopes south of Goris at over 3100 metres where a huge variety of plants were observed. Read John Fielding’s illustrated report.
Garden Tour in Northern Tuscany
May 2015
Carol Smith and Heather Martin led two groups each with 22 members on consecutive tours based in the beautiful walled city of Lucca. As well as grand villas such as Villa Oliva (left), the visits included many to private gardens ranging from tiny ones in the old hillside village of Buggiano Castello to magnificent ones of Italian, British and Dutch plant lovers, and a citrus nursery.
Chelsea Flower Show Win for “Perfumer’s Garden in Grasse”
May 2015
Members of MPG and sister associations in France and Portugal arrived at the Chelsea Flower Show at 6.30 am on Tuesday 19 May, thanks to an invitation from James Basson’s company Scape Design. Scape won a Gold for its main show garden “Perfumer’s Garden in Grasse”. “It was a dream. Having gone to Chelsea almost every year for the past 50, I can definitely say that this was our best ever visit,” writes Rosemary Halford who sent this picture of James’s gold-winning garden.
Cleveland Square
April 2015
Members met at Sue Baring’s beautiful home in Cleveland Square, London, on Friday 24 April for a garden visit. After coffee on the south-facing terrace, members divided into two groups for guided tours and explanations of the planting and the problems of shade, honey fungus and children playing football. The guides were experts: garden manager Suzanne Etherton and head gardener James Leonard. Most of the group went on to have lunch nearby.
City Gardens
March 2015
A group of members visited the Barbican Conservatory in the morning then after an early lunch were led by professional guide Tina Baxter to see a side of London most had not known before. Tina is also a volunteer with Friends of City Gardens and gave a lively and knowledgeable insight as well as taking the group to some gardens not normally open to the public.
The Pergola
Hill Garden and Golders Hill Park, 2014
Gareth Stanfield, a professional gardener who worked in the Hill Garden planting in the 1990s, led a visit to the Pergola at the Hill Garden, Hampstead Heath. The garden was originally created between 1906 and 1925 and was restored from 1992 using cultivars that would have been present in the Edwardian era. The kitchen garden was designed to incorporate low-maintenance plants. We went on to visit the area of Mediterranean planting in Golders Hill Park, before lunch at the Old Bull and Bush.
Cornwall and Tresco
April 2014
A group of 16 visited Cornwall in the first week of April 2014, and spent one day at the Abbey Gardens on Tresco. The group was shown round by owners and head gardeners. Click here for the full article.
Montenegro
May 2012
A group organised by Heather Martin and John Fielding visited Montenegro. You can read John’s diary of their trip.