With the winter nights drawing in why not think ahead and start planning for spring with a visit to our ever popular Llandysul Gardening Weekend! Why not join us on the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th of February for this lovely event. Yes we have added an extra day for you.
We have a fantastic line up of speakers for you. Malcolm will be back as well as talks from Alex from National Botanic Garden of Wales, Roddy, Justine, Richard, Ruth and Matt . With subjects ranging from Hellebores to Vegetables, Houseplants, Snowdrops and so much more. The local Hall will be filled, as usual, with masses of interesting plants grown at the nursery. To whet your appetite this year, as well as a huge selection of our world renowned Hellebores, there will be a good range of young perennial plants in 9 cm. pots at bargain prices, cottage garden plants, shrubs, riots of colourful Primulas, Daffodils and Snowdrops to mention but a few. We also have a good selection of rare and unusual perennials.
The main display this years Llandysul Gardening Weekend, as always, is a closely guarded secret. The theme is taking shape but no one (including Richard who designs it) really knows until the day. Come and give us your opinions! One thing is certain there will be Hellebores there somewhere, this year we have several stunning new varieties that are to be incorporated into the display, most of which will be available as seed or young plants on the day.
Speakers for this year
Thursday 16th Feb 2023
10.40 Hellebores – an addiction. – Richard Bramley
One of Richards passions these winter flowering beauties are a sight to behold, shining out during the harshest of the winter months. Come and listen to how the passion started, from the first meeting with Helen Ballard to present day. We grow many thousands of these beauties, the colour range is getting better every year and new forms are being hybridised all the while. Very humorous this is one not to be missed and if you’re really unlucky Mabel, the youngest addition to the Jack Russel family, might be here too.
1.00 Roddy Milne, head gardener at Picton Castle. – Winter Stems and Catkins
A regular and popular speaker at our event. This year Roddy will enlightening us with his usual humorous talk on Winter stems and Catkins. Nothing is more striking during the low light levels than a winter garden with flamboyant red, orange and yellow stems of Cornus, white stemmed Birch and pretty pink flowered willows, but there are more. Come listen to Roddy with an exciting new talk for us. As always this is not to be missed.
3.15 Matthew Granfield – Vegetables, the no dig method.
So growing your own veg is more popular and certainly trendier now than it has ever been. But for beginners it can be daunting and for experienced gardeners there is always something to learn. Matt form the nursery has been a lifelong grower with four allotments what he doesn’t know isn’t worth knowing. He will be concentrating on the ‘No Dig’ method which takes the hard work out of growing and is also very successful. Questions on all subjects of course will be an integral part.
Friday 17th Feb 2023
10.40 Ruth Bramley – Popular house plants for the beginner
As you may know we now have a lovely house plant section here at the nursery run by Richard’s daughter, Ruth. The whole thing has been a learning curve but we feel that now we are in a position to tell you about our successes and failures and how to tend and care for these very trendy additions to your living space. Did you know about the health benefits of house plants… almost an elixir of life. Ruth’s first talk so it will be a bit of a joint effort.
1 .00 Matt Clegg – The beauty of variegated plants
We are really chuffed to have Matt, assistant head gardener at Picton Castle, giving us a new talk. It is his first time with us and hopefully one of many. Matt has a passion for variegated plants which are a bit like marmite… love them or hate them. Either way there is a place in all gardens for variegated plants; they add interest, lighten dark areas and are with us for the whole of the growing season, often longer. Come and see for yourself!
3.15 Matthew Granfield & Richard Bramley – Unusual fruit and vegetables to grow in your gardens.
Come and join Matt and Richard from Farmyard Nurseries as they guide you through the less common and often exciting edibles. Should be a good one.
Saturday 18th Feb 2023
10.40 Richard Bramley – Hellebores, new varieties, species and associated plants
We all love the traditional Hellebore but have you seen some of the newer forms, colours and inter-species hybrids. Also where do you plant them and what with. This new talk will hopefully enhance your winter borders and extend them into the following seasons. Of course there will be growing tips and a bit of background knowledge thrown in too.
1.00 A year in the glasshouse at Cambridge university botanic gardens – Alex Summers, the new Curator at the national Botanic Garden of Wales
We were so thrilled when Alex said he would do a talk for us. His experience and knowledge are unbelievable for one so young. He will give us an exciting and informative talk on the workings and cycles during the year in the glasshouse at Cambridge University Botanic Gardens where he worked. It will be delivered in his usual friendly, humorous informative way. Should be a good one.
3.15 Stewart – Cae Hir Gardens
Join Stewart as he tells us of his 250 year family history in the Dutch tree nursery trade and how that has resulted in his family creating the beautiful Cae Hir Gardens in the welsh hills, and their journey evolving farmland to a RHS partner garden.
Sunday 19th Feb 2023
10.40 Justine Burgess – 10 ways to use willow in the garden and beyond
Justine holds the national collection of willows and has/will feature in several prestigious magazines and tv programs. Her knowledge is superb and as well as being an outstanding grower and businesswoman she also makes the most amazing woven willow structures, garden sculptures and baskets of all shapes and sizes. Join her to hear about her ten ways to use willow in the garden. If you want to see her beforehand she is featuring on ‘Coast and Country’ on Itv Wales on the 17th Feb in the evening (we think about 7). Good timing that!
1.00 Richard Williams Snowdrops – White Madness
Richard is a self confessed plant nut with a long history of growing and collecting a wide variety of plants. He doesn’t do things by half so instead of having one variety of Snowdrop he has hundreds. The Snowdrop world has exploded recently, some selling for in excess of £1000. Rich will fill us in on the details and share his passion for these beautiful plants.
3.15 Malcolm Berry – The Hafod Walled Garden restoration
Malcolm, one of our most popular speakers, is very much involved in this interesting project. The walled garden was once the garden for the Hafod Estate, providing fruit, vegetables and flowers for the occupants. Now, after a period of disrepair, it is being transformed into a community garden that is run on organic principles, a subject very close to Malcolm’s heart. Malcolm will of course be open to questions on a variety of alternative fruit and veg. growing techniques.
The whole event is free and if gardening is not quite your forte there will be other stalls there to tempt you. Tea, coffee and cakes are in abundance.
Many thanks to the support received from ‘Llandysul and Pont Tyweli Ymlaen‘ and ‘Llandysul Community Council’. Without their help this event would not take place.
Hope to see you there. For more details ring 01559 363389
For brief details of previous events see the links below
Location
Tysul Hall, New Road, Llandysul, Ceredigion, SA44 4QJ
For examples of previous years click on the links below
Many thanks to the support received from ‘Llandysul and Pont Tyweli Ymlaen’ and ‘Llandysul Community Council’. Without their help this event would not take place.
