Garden Visits (Apr - Sept)
Group lead - Lynn Hawkey
Meet on the second Thursday of every month at 10:30am (usually). Venues and times vary - a programme is published each spring)
Garden visits are run between April & September inclusive each year.
We visit a variety of gardens, many are part of the National Garden Scheme (NGS) that open especially for us. Normally we meet at a particular garden at 10.30 and often commence with an introductory talk by the owner or head gardener, who are also usually on hand to give advice during our visit. Convivial morning refreshments are an integral part of the outing! Some gardens are local but others may be further afield in adjoining counties, if we travel by car we try to keep the destination to within an hour of home. We also arrange one, if not two, coach trips each year which allow us to go further afield. Sometimes we visit RHS, National Trust or English Heritage properties so an historic house may also be included.
We frequently see upwards of 30 members on our outings and whilst the group has a large membership it is extremely friendly and welcoming, often with interesting tales to tell of our expeditions! Bookings are essential with payment being made in advance which avoids any potential time wasting on the day.
Our programme of outings for 2024 has now been published and includes two coach outings both to Devon along with more local visits to Fonthill House, Wincombe Park, Broomhill and Saddlestones.
Please see links to the right of this page for summaries of the gardens we visited during 2023.
The group is full although, some limited space may become available on some of the outings. Please contact Lynn for further information (use the 'dove' link above right).
Please remember that all activities are undertaken at your own risk.