Our Events & Talks
Newick Horticultural Society’s Upcoming Events
UPCOMING TALKS: May 16th. (Details below). September 12th & October 17th . All talks commence at 8pm; doors open at 7:30pm
Click here to download the list of plants from Mark Saunders’ 11th April talk.
VISITS
Afternoon visit May 21st. 2pm. Clinton Lodge, Fletching
SOLD OUT Morning visit. July 17th 10.30-12.30 The Oast, Mayfield (limited numbers).
SOLD OUT Evening visit. August 8th 5pm-7pm. Evening visit with drinks and canapés at The Beeches, Barcombe
TALKS. In more detail:-
16th May. ‘Nymans: Past, present and future’. Joe Whelan (head gardener)
A look at what Joe and his team are aiming to achieve at Nymans, now and in the future. He will explore the value and global importance of some of the plant collections, how they aim to develop the garden and increase biodiversity in ways sensitive to the spirt of the garden. He will also explore some of the pressures that historic gardens face in relation to rising visitor numbers and climate change. Joe has been Head Gardener at Nymans since 2019 having moved to the UK from northwest Ireland. Before Nymans, he spent time working at various other historic gardens including Glenveagh Castle Gardens. He’s passionate about the conservation of historic gardens, and the role they can play in educating people of the importance of living collections.
12th September ‘Bates Green Garden’ Emma Reece
Bates Green Garden was designed and planted by the late Carolyn McCutchan over a period of many years from 1968. The tranquil 1.5-acre garden surrounds the farmhouse, which was built circa 1814. The 5.5-acre Wildflower Meadow, with its mown paths and seating, has adiversity of flora and fauna within. The soil is heavy Weald clay, and the garden is planted in a naturalistic style, blending into its rural surroundings. Carolyn was an acclaimed Plantswoman and her garden was featured in publications such as The English Garden, The Sunday Telegraph, Homes & Gardens, and Homes & Antiques to name but a few. Bates Green Garden attracted visitors from all around the globe and was annually opened for the NGS and various horticultural societies and groups. Sadly, when Carolyn became unwell in 2012 so many parts of the garden became wild and neglected.The Garden is now undergoing a period of restoration headed up by Emma Reece with the help of a team of supporters.
17th October ‘The Wildlife of Sussex’ Michael Blencowe.
From village halls to national conferences and seminars, from the Eden Project to the middle of the North Atlantic, Michael has been inspiring, educating and entertaining audiences for fifteen years. Through his unique combination of natural history knowledge, passion and humour (and a few tall tales of his own adventures) Michael is well known as one of the most popular and engaging public speakers in Sussex and beyond. He quickly adapted to presenting online and in 2020/21 his online presentations were watched by thousands of people from around the globe. This Talk is about the diverse habitats of our County, which support a wide range of amazing species. Michael takes you on a guided tour from the rockpools through the woodlands and up onto the South Downs and we’ll meet some amazing wildlife along the way.
And…. For 2025…. A huge ‘feather in our cap’…. February 13th Andy Sturgeon
Since 1988 Andy Sturgeon, internationally renowned Landscape and Garden Designer, has been dedicated to creating dynamic external garden design projects for private, commercial, and international clients. Based in Sussex, Andy and his team work on projects across London, the UK, Hong Kong and overseas. Twice voted one of the top 10 garden designers in the UK and winner of numerous awards including 9 Gold Medals and 3 Best in Show at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Andy blends strong design, natural materials and innovative planting to create bold, architectural and timeless gardens. Recently featured in a TV documentary, Andy designed the award winning gardens at Battersea Power Station, which were planted in Spring 2021.