Calendar for 2024

Wednesday 3rd January

2pm, The Memorial Hall, Great Adddington

A visit to Tresco and the Abbey Garden

By Gillian Underwood 

Gillian has been a member of The Addingtons Horticultural Society for a number of years and is a very keen gardener growing both flowers and vegetables both at home and on her allotment.

She has travelled extensively to visit beautiful gardens around the world.

In August 2023 Gillian visited Tresco in the Scilly Isles and spent a wonderful time at the Abbey Garden there. Her talk will be focused around some of the photographs she took during her visit.

Tresco, a family owned island is situated 28 miles off the Cornish coast and as such has a subtropical climate. The Abbey Garden was established in 1834 and is home to 2,500 species from every Mediterranean climate zone across the globe.

Wednesday February 7th   Geoff Hodge ‘Grow your own vegetables’

2pm, The Memorial Hall, Great Adddington

Geoff is a freelance gardening and horticultural writer, author, editor and radio and TV broadcaster living in Peterborough. After graduating from Reading University with a  degree in Agricultural Botany Geoff became a garden centre manager and started writing freelance for a couple of gardening magazines. He enjoyed the writing work so much he decided to develop that and has edited Garden Answers magazine and Garden News magazine. He then realised the future was digital and after setting up a couple of gardening websites, became the Web Editor for the Royal Horticultural Society

Wednesday March 6th        John Lee ‘Penstemons’

2pm, The Memorial Hall, Great Adddington

Our speaker this month curates the National Collection of Penstemons at Froggery Cottage, Desborough. Society members will be visiting Froggery Cottage in August (see below). The garden has been developed by us over the past sixteen years on land that was formerly allotments laid out by the local Coop Society in the early 1920’s providing the townfolk with somewhere to grow their fruit and veg’s keeping hens and the odd pig. As the popularity of allotments diminished in post war years as a result of new dwellings being built with large gardens many of the plots began to be built upon and today almost every plot has been developed for housing. More at https://www.froggerycottage.com

The only reminders in the garden of those early days are the four large apple trees which have been retained and around which the cottage garden has been developed. These provide a pleasant shading for the visitors and to rest and enjoy a cup of tea and some home made cake.

https://www.froggerycottage.com

Wednesday April 3rd.          Karen Gimson ‘Growing plants from bulbs, corms and tubers’

2pm, The Memorial Hall, Great Adddington

Karen is a garden designer and has been a travelling head gardener for several large gardens over the last 25 years. She is an ambassador for Rainbows hospice and a member of Leicestershire’s National Garden Scheme. Karen's notes to accompany her slide show are reproduced HERE.

Wednesday May 1st.           Becky Webb ‘Flower Farming',

2pm, The Memorial Hall, Great Adddington

Becky and her husband were lucky enough to build a house on the family farm near Towcester and that got her thinking about a project of her own. Over the last 10 years she has transformed a corner of a rather slopy field into a "cutting patch" and so Pink Welly Posies was born; providing floral bunches and bouquets, Christmas wreaths and running workshops and special events.

Friday 24th May, 2pm Lamport Hall Gardens (self-drive / car-share). Details to be advised

Approximately 10 acres of tranquil gardens, the result of over 450 years of love and dedication, enclosed by a spacious park. Although their size and location are the same as when they were first laid out, their design has been strongly influenced by the interests and tastes of successive owners.

Wednesday 19th June, All day Batsford Arboretum (coach trip from Lt & Gt Addington + Woodford). Details to be advised

Batsford Arboretum, Moreton-in-Marsh, is home to a unique collection of some of the world’s most beautiful and rare trees, shrubs and bamboos spread across 60 acres. www.batsarb.co.uk

Thursday 18th July,  2pm Cottesbrooke Hall Gardens (self-drive / car-share) Details to be advised

The 13 acres of gardens wrap around the west side of the house in a series of rooms – gardens themselves – divided by formal hedging and warm brick walls, with views and vistas punctuated by statuary. Beyond the gardens, the park provides a stunning backdrop with vistas towards far distant ridges and churches, notably All Saints Brixworth (680ad), lakes and wonderful trees. Flanking a small brook on the other side of the park, is The Wild Garden. Spring bulbs, gunnera, fine acers and wonderful specimen trees abound.

 Wednesday 21st August, 2.30pm Froggery Cottage Gardens, Desborough (self-drive / car-share) Details to be advised

A 3/4 acre garden developed on an old Co--op allotment with herbaceous borders, old apple trees and a National Collection of Penstemons.

Wednesday September 4th. Simon White of Peter Beales Roses, ‘Roses - who Dares Prune’

2pm, The Memorial Hall, Great Adddington

Passionate about roses since 1968 Peter Beales Roses have become renowned for specialising in the very best varieties that the world of roses has to offer, including many modern, classic, unusual, old fashioned, historic and rare roses. Winners of 28 RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW GOLD MEDAL.

Wednesday October 2nd. AGM followed by Alan Mason ‘A gardener’s life, part 3’

2pm, The Memorial Hall, Great Adddington

Alan makes a welcome return to the Hort. Soc. to present the next chapter in his life as a gardener.

Wednesday 6th November, Anniversary Dinner

Wednesday 4th December, Christmas Programme

Calendar for 2025

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Wednesday 8th January, Russell Attwood, "No Dig Gardening"

Wednesday March 5th Douglas Goddard ‘Butterflies in the Garden’

Wednesday April 2nd Timothy Walker title to be decided 

Wednesday October 1st Dr. Andrew Ward title to be decided.