Wednesday
January 18

From Muck & Music to Stones & Roses - Raymond Smith, Chorley

Raymond is from a farming family who has lately diversified by completely remodelling his farmhouse into a lovely home and creating a superb garden.  An accomplished organist who still plays for his church each Sunday he used to direct annual shows and pantomimes.  He opens his garden and explains his landscaping skills.  His humorous talk is his story of a complete transformation.

Wednesday
February 15

Madeira - An Island of Flowers - Barbara Kenny, EHS

A slide show of Barbara's travels to Madeira

Wednesday
March 15

Garden Design - Anne and Alison Tarpey-Black, EHS & ArtNoire

A talk on garden design by our members Anne and Alison who run their own garden design business

Wednesday
March 28

ANNUAL DINNER

The Clog & Billycock, Pleasington

Wednesday
April 18

Herbs and Plant Magic - Sue Hoy, Lincs

A third visit from Sue from Lincolnshire, who was the Head Gardener at Normanby Country Park.  She will talk on Herbs and their magical qualities. After 11 years as Normanby Hall's head gardener, Sue Hoy, has hung up her trowel.  However she is still helping out part-time until a new head gardener is recruited.  She regularly travels the country lecturing on any aspect of gardening and is a committee member of the Royal Horticultural Society.

Wednesday
May 16

EVENING VISIT- Waddow Lodge, Waddington

Peter Foley now at Waddington (his son has taken over the running of Holden Clough Nursery) opens his garden for the NGS and other charities.  Peter has created more interest and improved the rural garden at Waddow Lodge to make a real plantsman's garden full of interesting and unusual plants

Saturday
May 2

SPRING OUTING - Biddulph Grange and Little Moreton Hall

Wednesday June 15

Hanging Baskets - Jacqueline Iddon, Bretherton

A peaceful 1 acre informal garden on the edge of the Ribble Valley.  A continually evolving plant collector's garden with stunning views, many areas to explore, and great ideas to take home.  There will be plants for sale.

Wednesday
July 20

Carnivorous Plants - Alan Leyland, Chorley

Alan has been growing Carnivorous plants for 30 years and showing them for the last 10 years at the Southport and Lakeland Shows.  He will give a video presentation with stills to show how these unusual plants catch insects and he  will be bringing a range of plants to sell.

Saturday July 21st  to Tuesday July 24th

4 Day GARDEN HOLIDAY IN SOUTH WALES

For details click here

Saturday
August 20

ANNUAL SHOW at The Barlow Institute

Details of 2012 show, including show schedule and how to enter are available on this web site.  Click here for details.

Wednesday
Sept 19

Annuals for the Garden - Bob Hughes, Myerscough College

Bob is a Myerscough College lecturer and has been to us on a previous occasion.  He will pass on his extensive knowledge of annuals for our gardens on this visit.

Saturday
Sept 29

AUTUMN VISIT -  the National Memorial Arboretum 

Created in 1997 the arboretum is relatively young but already  has over 50,000 trees and 200 dedicated memorials. The site is developing on reclaimed gravel workings, bordered by the Rivers Trent and Tame, and now hosts an abundance of wild plants, woodland areas, grassland, a reed bed and wetland.

A visit to near-by  Lichfield Cathedral can be included in the day.

Wednesday
Oct 17

Vegetables, Living the Good Life - Paul Peacock, Rawtenstall

Paul is a qualified botanist now specialising in vegetables and the use of vegetables in cooking.  He is also known as "Mr Digwell" with his coloumn in the Daily Mirror on "Growing Your Own".  He is also a prolific author, having just completed a further three books and is the latest member of the BBC';s Gardeners Question Time panel.

Wednesday
Nov 21

A.G.M.

This meeting begins at 7.30 p.m.
After A.G.M. business we have a social evening with potato pie supper and a seed swap between members.