Wild orchids in Crete

Tuesday 11 February – 5.30pm for 6pm

MPG helped to fund an orchid-hunting expedition to Crete in April 2024. Hamish Sinclair, a horticulturist volunteer at RHS Wisley and an MPG member, will talk to members with the theme “Wild orchids of Crete”. He is pictured here with some alpine plants he was given by the RHS.

Corfu gardens and flowers

Wednesday 11 March – 5.30pm for 6pm

Jackie Hunt will share in a Zoom presentation the beautiful gardens and landscapes which the MPG group saw in Corfu last April. She’ll also talk about plants she has since introduced to the dry garden at Turn End in Buckinghamshire where she works. She’s picured here (L) in Perithia on Corfu.

Wild flora of Elba

Friday 28 March to Saturday 5 April 2025

Our tour on the island of Elba will focus on the natural vegetation and be led by Goffredo Filibeck who has led two previous tours for MPG. Goffredo is a professor of vegetation ecology at the University of Tuscia.  Image: Anthyllis barba-jovis, near Biodola.

Pashley Manor Gardens, Ticehurst East Sussex

Friday 25 April 2025 11 am

We are delighted to offer a trip to this 11-acre garden during its special tulip festival with over 40, 000 tulips planted for the event. To book this please follow the links on the events page.

Albania in spring

Saturday 3 to Monday 12 May 2025

This fascinating country is changing fast but retains traditional charms with a wealth of cultural sites. Human influence on the landscapes is minimal over much of the country. The tour will be led by Oron Peri who has loved exploring for wild flowers there several times recently.

Broughton Grange, Oxfordshire

Tuesday 17 June 2025– 11am

The head gardener will guide a two-hour tour of these outstanding and varied gardens which have, on the upper terrace, a Mediterranean walled border containing warm-coloured perennials. After a ploughman’s lunch and cake, members can explore the woodland gardens, arboretum, and water meadow.

Garden tour in Fife

Sunday 22 to Thursday 26 June 2025

This distinct area of Scotland, bounded to the south by the Forth and to the north by the Tay, has fine gardens, some with views across the estuaries. We will visit gardens restored to former glory on country estates and others developed in recent years. Most of the tour will be in the East Neuk and we will stay just over the Tay on the waterfront in Dundee, with interesting cultural sites nearby. Thank you to Teasses for the image of their garden.

Flora of the Cape

Thursday 14 to Wednesday 27 August 2025

The Cape in South Africa is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world, with its unique fynbos and a profusion of geophytes. The tour led by Frank Gaude will focus on the native flora. Frank has been guiding in the Cape for 10 years. An optional extension will give a chance to see the sights of Cape Town and its surrounds.

Parham House and gardens

Thursday 28 August 2025

This fine Elizabethan house has a seven-acre garden laid out in the 18th century, with a lake, a brick and turf maze and many specimen trees. The four-acre Walled Garden contains herbaceous borders, roses, vegetables, a cut-flower garden and an orchard. A morning guided tour of the house, home to members of the Pearson family since 1922, is followed by lunch and an afternoon guided tour of the four-acre walled gardens set in the 300-acre estate of Parham, between Storrington and Pulborough, West Sussex.

Wild flowers and sights, Cyprus

Wednesday 25 February – Tuesday 3 March 2026

This tour with two bases in western Cyprus will focus on the spring flora, including orchids and geophytes, lovely scenery, walks and some historic sites. It will not require a high level of fitness and the nearest airport is Paphos. The tour will be guided by local specialist Yiannis Christofides. The cost is likely to be less than £1000 per person. This will include hotels, guide, local transport, most meals and drinks. Maximum 20 members.