We meet every month and hold a varied programme of talks and visits
We arrange about seven or eight talks each year. Topics range from cultivating particular groups of plants, combating pests and diseases to talks and demonstrations by professional gardeners, horticulturalists & botanists and also countryside experts from our area about their lives and experience.
We are fortunate to have access to some exceptional people with a considerable range of knowledge and experience in both practice and theory. We also arrange visits to notable gardens in the Wessex area, often combined with lunch or a cream tea! |
We meet on the second Thursday of each month in the Village Hall, starting at 7.30.
Garden visits are shown as 'all day' or 'afternoon' as appropriate. |
Programme for 2024
More details of each event will be published below at least one month ahead.
Thursday 11th January
Wildlife Gardening by Ben Candlin.
Thursday 8th February
Monica's Fun Quiz. Drinks, Bring & Share Buffet & Raffle.
Thursday 14th March
Killerton Trees & Gardens by Karl Emeleus, Head Gardener.
Daffodil Competition.
The competition will be judged at our April meeting on 11th April
Thursday 11th April
My Garden at Woodbury by Karen Vanstone.
Thursday 9th May
Outing to Haldon Grange. Afternoon
Thursday 13th June
David Austin Roses by Cheryl Fellows-Bennett
Thursday 11th July
Outing to Bickham House, Kenn. Afternoon
Thursday 8th August
Summer Picnic
Thursday 12th September
Outing to Russet House, Talaton.
Thursday 10th October
Topic and speaker TBA.
Thursday 14th November
AGM. Drinks, Bring & Share Supper & Raffle
December
Club Christmas meal
Thursday 11th January
Wildlife Gardening by Ben Candlin.
Thursday 8th February
Monica's Fun Quiz. Drinks, Bring & Share Buffet & Raffle.
Thursday 14th March
Killerton Trees & Gardens by Karl Emeleus, Head Gardener.
Daffodil Competition.
The competition will be judged at our April meeting on 11th April
Thursday 11th April
My Garden at Woodbury by Karen Vanstone.
Thursday 9th May
Outing to Haldon Grange. Afternoon
Thursday 13th June
David Austin Roses by Cheryl Fellows-Bennett
Thursday 11th July
Outing to Bickham House, Kenn. Afternoon
Thursday 8th August
Summer Picnic
Thursday 12th September
Outing to Russet House, Talaton.
Thursday 10th October
Topic and speaker TBA.
Thursday 14th November
AGM. Drinks, Bring & Share Supper & Raffle
December
Club Christmas meal
Our May 2024 Meeting
Visit to Haldon Grange
Haldon Grange near Exeter is a hidden family gem that boasts one of the largest collections of rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias and camellias, interspersed with mature and rare trees and complimented by a lake and cascading ponds
The older parts of the garden date back over one hundred years, and while the old house is now a hotel, Haldon Grange itself was built about one hundred years ago in twelve acres of the original pleasure grounds. Current owners Ted and Mary Pythian rescued the derelict gardens when they moved in thirty years ago and have transformed it into a peaceful space.
There is the three hundred year old ‘Haldon Oak’ and a mossy dell below the lake where Magnolia ‘Leonard Messel’ over hangs the stream. Beside a small cascade Rhododendron ‘Trewithen Orange’ blooms with beautiful foliage,while the view up the extensive and immaculate lawn to the house is stunning in spring with Japanese Maple above a carpet of bluebells, fritillaries and other wildflowers.
A five acre recently planted arboretum has ‘Mount Pleasant’ at the top with views to Exeter and Exmouth over the rolling red soil fields of Devon.
We will have a tour around the gardens with the Head Gardener, Andrew followed by tea and cake provided by the owners.
Haldon Grange near Exeter is a hidden family gem that boasts one of the largest collections of rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias and camellias, interspersed with mature and rare trees and complimented by a lake and cascading ponds
The older parts of the garden date back over one hundred years, and while the old house is now a hotel, Haldon Grange itself was built about one hundred years ago in twelve acres of the original pleasure grounds. Current owners Ted and Mary Pythian rescued the derelict gardens when they moved in thirty years ago and have transformed it into a peaceful space.
There is the three hundred year old ‘Haldon Oak’ and a mossy dell below the lake where Magnolia ‘Leonard Messel’ over hangs the stream. Beside a small cascade Rhododendron ‘Trewithen Orange’ blooms with beautiful foliage,while the view up the extensive and immaculate lawn to the house is stunning in spring with Japanese Maple above a carpet of bluebells, fritillaries and other wildflowers.
A five acre recently planted arboretum has ‘Mount Pleasant’ at the top with views to Exeter and Exmouth over the rolling red soil fields of Devon.
We will have a tour around the gardens with the Head Gardener, Andrew followed by tea and cake provided by the owners.
Address - Haldon Grange, Exeter, EX6 7YE. Directions - From A30 through Ide village to Dunchideock 5m. Left to Lord Haldon, Haldon Grange is next left. From A38 (S) turn left on top of Haldon Hill follow Dunchideock signs, right at village centre to Lord Haldon.
Our tour will commence at 2pm so please arrive in plenty of time. You are welcome to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in the grounds before our tour. Tea and cake will be available during the afternoon, please bring cash.
Our tour will commence at 2pm so please arrive in plenty of time. You are welcome to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in the grounds before our tour. Tea and cake will be available during the afternoon, please bring cash.
Our June 2024 meeting
David Austin Roses by Cheryl Fellows-Bennett
In the early 1950s David Austin set out to create a more beautiful rose. Sixty years on, this simple objective remains. Rose breeding is often described as being as much an art as a science.
All David Austin roses have a collective style and reflect one man’s vision. All have beautiful blooms and in most cases wonderful fragrance held on graceful attractive shrubs. A garden of these outstanding roses is hard to beat for sheer exuberance of flower and fragrance.
Today, most of their growing is still carried out by hand, just as it was at the very beginning. Every plant that they sell has been hand-budded, a traditional and intricate skill carried out by their experts millions of times each year.
Cheryl Fellows-Bennett began working for Mr David Austin senior in 2003. She was responsible for the front of house eg The Rose Garden ,Plant Centre , gift shop and tea rooms . She was also involved in production and breeding .
In 2013 she took over their Japanese Centre , and worked there until the pandemic.
She knew both Mr and Mrs Austin very well and their family .
Her talk will involve the history of the company, the Man himself and how to buy, plant and care for Austin roses.
All David Austin roses have a collective style and reflect one man’s vision. All have beautiful blooms and in most cases wonderful fragrance held on graceful attractive shrubs. A garden of these outstanding roses is hard to beat for sheer exuberance of flower and fragrance.
Today, most of their growing is still carried out by hand, just as it was at the very beginning. Every plant that they sell has been hand-budded, a traditional and intricate skill carried out by their experts millions of times each year.
Cheryl Fellows-Bennett began working for Mr David Austin senior in 2003. She was responsible for the front of house eg The Rose Garden ,Plant Centre , gift shop and tea rooms . She was also involved in production and breeding .
In 2013 she took over their Japanese Centre , and worked there until the pandemic.
She knew both Mr and Mrs Austin very well and their family .
Her talk will involve the history of the company, the Man himself and how to buy, plant and care for Austin roses.