Focus on Garden Clubs and Societies

Dorset Group of the Hardy Plant Society

The Hardy Plant Society‘s Dorset Group was formed in 1998 and this year celebrates its tenth anniversary. Our hall was packed to capacity in January for Fergus Garrett. Other well-known speakers have been Carol Klein, Matthew Biggs, Penelope Hobhouse and Timothy Walker.

Lectures are held monthly (except August and December) at Colehill Memorial Hall, just outside Wimborne, on alternate Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons. The speakers usually bring specialist plants for sale and we have our own plant sale at each meeting.  We publish a magazine twice a year and a monthly newsletter.

Plant sales are held in May and September, to which local specialist nurseries are invited, although most plants are grown by dedicated members. For details contact Barbara 01202 882590, or Elaine 01258 451580.

Tisbury and District Horticultural Society

Our long-established club meets once a month, on the third Wednesday at 7.30pm in the Methodist Hall in Tisbury High Street, and in the Elizabeth Hall, almost opposite, in Park Road.

The highlight of each meeting is an informative and entertaining talk by a visiting speaker..

The society has a healthy membership of about 40 and welcomes new members. We don’t just talk about flowers, much as we love them; allotment holders and vegetable enthusiasts will also find that the society offers new and useful connections.

National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens in Dorset

There are two groups of the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens in Dorset and together we have a varied programme of lectures.

The council seeks to conserve, document, promote and make available Britain and Ireland’s rich biodiversity of garden plants for the benefit of everyone through horticulture, education and science.

The East Dorset group meets at the Allendale Centre, Wimborne, at 2.30pm. New members are always welcome and are entitled to attend meetings at both groups. Visitors may come to the lectures on payment of a donation at the door. See the Time Off section of Country Gardener for programme details.

Speakers often bring plants which are their speciality for sale. In addition, many of the more unusual plants which have been propagated by members are also available. There is a competition, a plant display table, a secondhand book stall and a small range of gardening sundries for sale.

Members receive two local newsletters a year and the National magazine Plant Heritage twice a year. Outings are arranged from time to time.

For further details, call Diana Guy for the East Dorset Group on 01258 840894 and Enid Cogswell for the Dorset Group on 01305 833538.

Contact telephone numbers are 01962 890160 or 01256 322581, and the website is www.hampshire-organic-gardening.org