Photo taken at Savill Garden on the HPS Day Trip        

HOME PAGE

Welcome to the website of the Hardy Plant Society Dorset Group. We are a Group of gardening enthusiasts, of all levels of expertise, who enjoy listening to excellent speakers regularly, growing and  buying plants, and visiting beautiful gardens and nurseries. We welcome new members and visitors to all our events. The Group 
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We are one of the regional groups of the Hardy Plant Society, whose aims include stimulating interest in growing hardy perennials. In fact last year, 2018, we celebrated our 20th anniversary year since we were formed, by 21 members breaking away from the Hampshire Group in 1998. 

​For photos and write up of previous meetings ​click here.

Gilly Baxter, winner of the 2018 Photographic Competition, collecting her prize from James Alexander Sinclair

NEWS UPDATES

• 21st   July  2019 - GQT now SOLD OUT
  
• 24th Jun 2019 - Sale of Gardeners' Question Time Tickets now available to local horticultural societies and general public. See details and poster below to see how to apply for tickets.
• 13th Jun 2019 - We have been chosen to host a recording of 2 episodes of BBC Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time on Tuesday 23rd July at 5.30 pm. Members given first opportunity to purchase tickets at £4.50 each.
• 9th Jun 2019 - Back to Manor Farm, see Calendar of Events. Fergus Garrett tickets will be available there.
• Also check out the write up for our day Trip to Savill Garden, written by Marion Davies, together with some of her photos. See Events/Day Trips
• 25th Apr 2019 - A few of our members will be selling plants at the NGS opening of Old Down House, Wimborne on May 29th, and June 2nd and 5th. Check out our Calendar of Events page for more details
• 17th Mar 2019 - As we issue this month's Hardy Times, Fergus Garrett tickets are now on sale. He will be coming to see us on Saturday October 26th. Doors will open at 2 pm, with refreshments served BEFORE the Talk, which will start at 3 pm. The cost of tickets will be £2.50 for Dorset Group members and £8.00 for non members, to include your refreshments. Tickets will be available at any of our meetings, but may also be purchased by contacting us via our Contacts page on this website, or using our group email.
• 23rd Feb 2019 - For the first time in many years, we shall be announcing a "Seedling Swap" to take place during the April Speaker Meeting so sow extra seeds now and bring them along to exchange for more plants in April.
• 23rd Feb 2019 - Our member, Jane Norris, has offered to run a "Twin Scaling" masterclass for all those who would like to create more snowdrops by this method later in the year. No dates fixed at present but if you are a member who is interested, please contact us so we can get an idea of numbers.
• 16th Feb 2019 - Questionnaire issued to members to ask them what they want from their Group, attached to February Hardy Times, see below. Completed surveys to be emailed to address on the form, or brought to the February Meeting
• 1st Feb 2019 - Prospect House Day Trip now SOLD OUT. Wait List available so please let us know r if you would like first refusal if anyone cancels nearer the time
• 26th Jan 2019 - Our AGM took place and the following changes have been made to our main committee. Leaving us - David Burnham-Slipper (Treasurer), Sheila Westgate (Secretary), James Westgate (Speaker Secretary) and Roger Melton. They have been replaced by Richard Cooke, Penny Cleaver, Kevin Steele and Judy Spratley. Thank you to the outgoing members for all your help, and welcome to the new ones. For more details about them click on Committee Members
• 7th Jan 2019 - Holiday now SOLD OUT. Wait List started so register if you are interested.
• 5th Jan 2019 - We have started receiving postal applications for both the Day Trips and the Holiday. Only 1 place left on the holiday. ​

HARDY TIMES FOR SUMMER 2019

Our 2019 season continues with,
BBC Radio 4's
"Gardeners' Question Time"
comes to Colehill

We have been lucky enough to secure a visit from the BBC, on 23rd July 2019, to record 2 programmes of the long running "Gardener's Question Time". It will be at our usual meeting place, Colehill Memorial Hall, see address below and on the poster from 5.30 pm, finishing about 8.30 pm.
Tickets cost £4.50 each (a maximum of 2 per person), which include entrance and a welcome drink upon arrival. We started with 180 and they are being sold on a first come first served basis so do not delay!
Doors will open at 5.30pm and drinks will be served, then the programme recording commences promptly at 6.15pm, when everyone must be seated. There will be two programmes recorded, with a short break in between. The recording will then end around 8.30pm. Afterwards you will be given the opportunity to meet the panel.
With the number of attendees expected we need to make special arrangements for those who may require some extra attention with mobility aids etc so please mention this when you buy your ticket. It is important to make sure everyone is comfortable and safe. Mobility scooters may be parked behind the kitchen and someone will help you come in and find a seat. If you have a wheelchair or stroller, we will also be happy to help you. 
TO APPLY: Contact us via the Contacts page and we will tell you how to make payment. Bookings will be taken in the order that they are received. We shall also keep a Reserve List once the tickets are sold in case anyone needs to drop out.

Upcoming events, for Hardy Plant Society (Dorset & other Groups) and other local gardening events

Go to Calendar of Events to see what other gardening events are happening.