Events & lectures

‘The Changing Seasons at Munstead Wood’ - a talk by Head Gardener Annabel Watts

Date:  Thursday 8 October

Time:  2.00 pm

Venue:  Rushton Hall

Annabel shares the magic of Munstead Wood, home of world-renowned gardener Gertrude Jekyll.  

Annabel was working as a secretary/pa in London for 25 years when, in 2002, she decided to stop commuting and look for a local part time job. Looking through the Surrey Advertiser her eye was drawn to a small advert ‘Part time gardener required. No experience necessary’.   She phoned the local number and was invited for an interview at Munstead Wood that afternoon; 4 days later she was reporting for work. Annabel considers the first 11 years as her apprenticeship, 13 years ago she was appointed head gardener. The short advert Annabel answered 24 years ago - completely changed her life!

Refreshments included.

‘A Labour of Love, Restoring the Lost Gardens of Canons Ashby’ - a talk by Laura Malpas

Date:  Thursday 12 November

Time:  7 pm
Venue:  Great Houghton Village Hall. 

Laura spent ten years working for the National Trust overseeing the re-presentation of Canons Ashby, bringing it to life with a refreshed story and the restoration of the historic gardens. Since retiring, Laura regularly travels to Japan and is studying Ikebana, Japanese flower-arranging, with Ikenobo, the oldest ikebana school in Japan.

A Labour of Love: after nearly a century of neglect the once admired gardens of Canons Ashby had become a wilderness. This presentation features historic and contemporary photographs and describes the restoration process completed by the National Trust team recreating the beautiful early eighteenth century formal gardens.

Free to members

Christmas Celebration and talk ‘Gardening to Save Songbirds' by Nicola Oakey

Date: 10 December

Time: 7pm

Venue: Great Houghton Village Hall

Nicola Oakey is a garden designer based in Rutland. After spending 3 years working alongside designer and television presenter Adam Frost, she set up her own garden design studio working across Rutland and the surrounding counties. She has three RHS medals from BBC Gardeners' World Live, RHS Tatton Park Flower Show and most recently, RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Her songbird-inspired Chelsea Show Garden was awarded an RHS Silver-Gilt Medal and is the topic of her upcoming talk.

Nicola will share a fascinating insight into her Chelsea experience, while offering advice and inspiration on how we can all make our gardens a haven for songbirds.