DATES FOR your Diary
2023 Events Calendar
Unless indicated otherwise events are also open to non-members.
Spring Show
Saturday March 25th, 2023 - Smarden Charter Hall, 12:30pm to 4:00pm
Spring Show results
Non-members are welcome to attend, but only during the public viewing session detailed below.
Staging: 12:30pm – 2:00pm
Judging: 2:00pm – 2:45pm
Public Viewing: 2:45pm – 3:30pm.
Prize Giving: 3:30pm (approximately)
Container Gardening Talk
Thursday April 27th, 2023 - Smarden Charter Hall, 6:45pm for 7:30pm
Steve Edney, who is a very popular speaker with many of our Members, returns to give us a talk on Container Gardening. Steve is a garden consultant, garden designer, nurseryman, on the RHS herbaceous committee, a Chelsea Gold winner and holder of Best in Show at Hampton Court. Not to mention having been the head gardener at the award winning Salutation gardens for 17 years. Steve, together with Louise Dowle, has created the No Name Nursery out of a desire to share great garden plants with fellow garden lovers. This is set on a three acre site which is designed as a plant playground for growing and testing plants with the aim of sharing these plants for sale in a sustainable manner by growing these on site themselves.
Entry Fee: Members £5 and Non-members £7.50
There will be a raffle and complimentary refreshments. Please note this is a cash only event.
Plant Sale
Saturday May 13th, 2023 - Smarden Charter Hall, 10:00am to Noon.
Once again we are holding our annual plant sale at the Charter Hall where a wide selection of Flowering Plants, (annuals and perennials) and Vegetables will be available.
All contributions to the above, from members will be very welcome and should be brought to the Charter Hall car park between 9:00am and 9:45am on the day of the sale. Please note that the sale does NOT start before 10am as the committee are still setting up and pricing the sale.
This is the Society’s main fundraising event for the year, and is open to members and non-members alike - so please tell your friends and support us by coming along on the day to buy.
Please note this is a cash only event.
The American Garden
Saturday May 20th, 2023 - The American Garden, Saltwood, Nr Hythe, CT21 4EH
Event report
Admission cost is £7.50 per person including refreshments.
Renowned for beautiful rhododendrons and scented azaleas, the American Garden was created by Archdeacon James Croft after being given the living at Saltwood in 1812 from which date he started planting in a piece of bog land called the Saltwood Alders.
In 1820 he started planting varieties of Rhododendron some of which now thirty feet high can be seen in the Dell Walk.
In 1854 Archdeacon Croft appointed William Acomb as gardener who developed the garden over the next 30 years until his death. The garden continued to be developed in the following years to the present day where its history and planting is cherished by the current owner, Nigel Harland. The American Garden is a hidden gem of astounding beauty.
We will meet at Smarden Charter Hall, leaving at 1:30pm and aim to return by approximately 6:00pm. Transportation details to be confirmed.
RHS Wisley
MEMBERS ONLY EVENT
Saturday June 10th, 2023 - RHS Wisley
Event report
Total cost including entry and round trip transportation with Wealden Wheels is £17 per person.
We will meet at Smarden Charter Hall, leaving at 9:15am and aim to return by approximately 6:00pm.
(Image courtesy of RHS)
Summer Show
Saturday July 15th, 2023 - Smarden Charter Hall, 12:30pm to 5:00pm.
Summer Show results
Non-members are welcome to attend, but only during the public viewing session detailed below.
Staging: 12:30pm – 2:00pm
Judging: 2:00pm – 3:30pm
Public Viewing: 3:30pm – 4:30pm.
Prize Giving: 4:30pm (approximately)
Wine 'n' Wander
MEMBERS ONLY EVENT
Friday July 21st, 2023
An evening visit between 6:30pm and 8:30pm, to the lovely gardens of members Marian Rice & Steve Jeffreys. Come and enjoy the beautiful, peaceful surroundings with fellow society members. Wine and soft drinks will be available.
There is no charge to attend this Members Only event.
Sussex Prairie Garden
Saturday September 2nd, 2023 - Sussex Prairie Garden, Henfield, West Sussex, BN5 9AT.
Total cost will be £18 per person for the entrance fee and transportation with Carrs Coaches. (This is a reduction on the actual cost of £26, as the Society is covering half of the transportation cost).
Our group will enjoy exclusive access that morning. Included in the entry fee is a complimentary introductory talk by Pauline McBride, one of the owners, to explain how, when and why the garden was created. After this we will be free to wander at will in the beautiful garden, and to enjoy the plant nursery; the Sculpture exhibition ‘Expressions of Nature’ curated by Gabrielle Argent of the Glass Garden; the Artist in Residence Exhibition and the Indian Bazaar.
Delicious cakes and a selection of teas, coffees and ice-cream will be available to purchase from the time we arrive. They will not have any savouries on offer but our group can of course bring a picnic to enjoy in the garden. The Indian Bazaar will also be serving delicious vegetarian Thali curry lunches !
We will meet at Smarden Charter Hall, leaving at 9:00am and aim to return by approximately 4:30pm.
Image courtesy of Sussex Prairie Garden
Kent Wildlife Trust Talk
Thursday September 7th, 2023 - Smarden Charter Hall, 6:45pm for 7:30pm
Maureen Rainey from The Kent Wildlife Trust will be giving a presentation entitled “Nature Friendly Gardening for all” showing how any garden - large or small, can be managed in a nature friendly way, without affecting the aesthetics.
There will be a raffle and a sales table. Refreshments will be available with complimentary coffee, tea and soft drinks and wine at £3 a glass.
Entry Fee: Free for Members, £5 for Non-members
Please note this is a cash only event.
Autumn Show
Saturday September 16th, 2023 - Smarden Charter Hall, 12:30pm to 5:00pm.
Autumn Show results
Non-members are welcome to attend, but only during the public viewing session detailed below.
Staging: 12:30pm – 2:00pm
Judging: 2:00pm – 3:30pm
Public Viewing: 3:30pm – 4:30pm.
Prize Giving: 4:30pm (approximately)
Eagleswood
Saturday October 14th, 2023 - Eagleswood, Lenham, ME17 2EG
Event report
Total cost including entrance fee, refreshments and round trip transfers with Wealden Wheels is £13.50 per person.
A three acre plantsman's garden which has been developed from sheep pasture since 2000, resulting in a wide palette of plants mainly in island beds of varying sizes. Acid loam over flint and clay soil means the garden contains acid loving choices such as magnolias, acers and camellias.
Combined with trees and shrubs is a range of herbaceous including asters, ornamental grasses and salvias
We will meet at Smarden Charter Hall, leaving at 1:45pm and aim to return by approximately 5:30pm.
Autumn Talk
Thursday October 26th, 2023 - Smarden Charter Hall, 6:45pm for 7:30pm
A talk entitled "Growing Exotics in Climate Change" by Graham Blunt of Plantbase. The nursery is situated in three acres of beautiful Kent/Sussex countryside. They grow every single plant on site and the goal is to have as many species as possible growing outside all year round. The Nursery is laid out in cultivation areas of desert; jungle; woodland; alpine; waterside; prairie and border, all the plants are separated to give as biodiverse a collection as possible.
There will be a raffle and a sales table. Refreshments will be available with complimentary coffee, tea and soft drinks and wine at £3 a glass.
Entry Fee: Free for Members, £5 for Non-members
Please note this is a cash only event.