Events & lectures

Evenley Wood Garden

Tour by Head Gardener Dan Winter

Tuesday 17 February 2026 at 11.00 am

Set amongst the beautiful Northamptonshire countryside, this 60-acre privately owned woodland garden contains a large and notable collection of plants. Started by Timothy Whitley in 1980 it includes collections of Rhododendrons, Magnolias, Camellias, Euonymus, Snowdrops, Narcissus, Scilla, along with various other trees and shrubs and flowering bulbs some of which are rare in cultivation and endangered in the wild.

The Snowdrop collection was the first to be established in great numbers, today there are over 80 named varieties of cultivated snowdrops that cover the woodland floor. These are joined by early daffodils, Hellebores, and cyclamen.

The tour will highlight the best of the snowdrops and information will be given on the different types, how they originated, the differences between them, and how the collection is improved year on year.

Snowdrops will be available to buy on the day.

A Year of Fungi and Wild Mushrooms

Date: 26 March 2026

Time: 7.00 pm

Venue: Great Houghton Village Hall

Justin Long is a fungus fanatic, and has been studying and photographing wild fungi for around 25 years. His photographs appear in books, magazines, journals and websites. He shares his mycology expertise and love of fungi through talks on varied aspects of the fascinating fungal kingdom and leading mushroom walks, explaining how to identify wild mushrooms and understand their role in nature. In particular the complex mycorrhizal relationship between plants and fungi in gardens as well as woodland. He is an active member of the Buckinghamshire Fungus Group sharing his passion for fungi with experts in this field.

AGM followed by lecture:

‘The violets, sweet briar, and primroses perfume the air, and the thrushes are full of melody and make our concert complete’: Why taking a sensory approach to garden history matters

Date: 16 April 2026

Time: 7.00 pm

Venue: Great Houghton Village Hall

Dr Clare Hickman is a reader in Environmental and Medical History at Newcastle University, her latest book is The Doctor’s Garden: Medicine, Science and Horticulture in Britain. Clare’s areas of expertise include: sensory history for inclusion in historic landscape interpretation; the design and use of nineteenth and twentieth-century English hospital and asylum gardens and the role of medical practitioners in the Victorian Parks movement.

The Life & Times of Chichele College and the Walled Garden

Date: 14 May 2026

Time: 7.00 pm

Venue: Chichele College, Higham Ferrers

Built in 1422, dissolved by Henry VIII in 1542, a public house by 1721, Chichele College has had many different functions. The college was generally neglected in the 18th and 19th centuries until the Ministry of Works became responsible for the building in 1948 and started renovation works in the 1950s. However the story of the transformations continued when Higham Ferrers Tourism developed plans to restore the medieval gardens in 2011. Today the ancient walled gardens of Chichele College and the Duchy Barn bring delight to all who enter the grounds. Long term members of the NGT Jenny Burt, Carol Fitzgerald, Gwen Tobin and Liz Barnatt have been instrumental in bringing the College and the gardens to life, and are delighted to share their journey with you. Refreshments included.

A Guided Tour of Nevill Holt Gardens by Head Gardener Andy Bretherick

Date: 5 June 2026

Time: 10.00 am

Venue: Nevill Holt Gardens

The historic Nevill Holt Estate is situated on Nevill Holt Hill, with panoramic views towards the Welland Valley to the south-east, and Rockingham Castle on the far side of the valley being an important eyecatcher. The 10 acres of stunning designed gardens have been created by Chelsea Gold medalist Rupert Goldby. Highlights include three distinctive walled gardens and expansive herbaceous borders, together with exceptional pieces of British sculpture including work by Antony Gormley, Rachel Whiteread, Allen Jones and Marc Quinn. Refreshments included.

Summer Party at Coton Manor

26 June

An evocative harmony of colour and form pervades the inspiring gardens of Coton Manor, home to Northamptonshire Gardens Trust President Susie Pasley-Tyler and her husband Ian. Visit Coton Manor any time of the year and you will find Susie busily tending the extensive borders, creating a stylistic masterpiece of colour and texture which is cleverly woven throughout the garden, bringing joy and sensory pleasure to all who visit.

A Guided Tour of Castle Ashby Gardens by Head Gardener Peter Cox

23 July at 2.00 pm

Home to the Compton family since 1512, the parkland of Castle Ashby has great historic significance. In 1761 Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown prepared a ‘great General Plan’ for Charles, 7th Earl of Northampton. Castle Ashby House has recently been passed to Earl Compton, the son of the 7th Marquess. The estate is known for its veteran trees, many planted around Brown’s new rides and serpentine carriage drive. These include native trees such as oak, beech, lime and horse chestnut and the more exotic Cedar of Lebanon, Brown’s trademark tree. The gardens are continually undergoing change and restoration. We will retire to the outstanding nearby garden of members Richard and Gill Dicks for refreshments.

Waterperry Gardens – a horticultural journey with Rob Jacobs

26 August at 11.00 am

A talk in the Garden School on the history and horticulture of Waterperry. Rob joined Waterperry in 1979 and has been horticultural manager since 1993. He is as entertaining as he is knowledgeable of this famous garden founded by Beatrix Havergal and Avice Sanders in the 1930s. The gardens were designed to offer something different throughout the year. Fruit and vegetables are equally important in this garden that played a vital role in WW2. Find out how the garden was created and has evolved for almost a hundred years; the characters who played their part and the link to Northamptonshire. Entry to the garden is not included however it is an RHS partner garden, free to members on Wednesdays. There is also an excellent café, art gallery, gift barn, garden centre, historic tools shop/display.