Thankyou to all our visitors in 2023. Plant Fairs Roadshow is on its annual winter break.  We hope to announce our new dates for 2024 soon.  Please check our latest plans via this website, our social media accounts or by signing up to our event reminder service

Group talks

Borde Hill Garden, Haywards Heath

Horticultural groups and societies are the bedrock of the gardening community. The Plant Fairs Roadshow continues to be grateful for all the encouragement and custom that they bring to our events!

Many of our nursery experts are keen to support groups by offering talks on a range of fascinating subjects.  The list below gives a flavour or what is available. Please contact the nurseries directly for more information.

Paul Barney

Paul Barney of Edulis Nursery has a range of talks on edibles and plant hunting in various far flung places.  As well as his latest talk on 25 years of Edulis Nursery including plant hunting trips, & RHS Flowers shows.

For more details of Paul’s talks & fees please contact him at edulisnursery@gmail.com

Rosy Hardy, Nursery talk 2019

Hardys Cottage Garden Plants. Owner Rosy Hardy gives talks on a wide range of subjects form seasonal herbaceous perennials to right plant right place or even from back garden to Chelsea Gold.

Contact us for more information info@hardysplants.co.uk or call 01256 896533

Marina Christopher of Phoenix Plants.

Marina Christopher of Phoenix Plants is a well known horticulturist, naturalist and writer, gives talks on a broad range of subjects including propagation, Umbellifers, plants for pollinators.

Contact Marina to find out her fees, availability and the extent of subjects covered marina@phoenixperennialplants.co.uk

Colin Moat of Pineview Plants

Colin Moat of Pineview Plants currently has several talks, (including ones for Zoom) some of these are:-

  • ’50 Greys of Shade’. How what can be perceived as a problem can be an opportunity to grow some interesting perennials
  • ‘A Stumble Around the Alpine Flowers of Austria’. The ease and accessibility of the alpine meadows
  • ‘Chelsea Unhinged’. The trials and tribulations of the Kent Groups Chelsea display in the Gt Pavilion
  • ‘In Praise of Higher Things’. On the wonders and benefits of taller plants in the border and how to use them.

Please contact colin@pineviewplants.co.uk to discuss charges which is dependent on distance, venue and audience.

Graham Blunt of Plantbase

Graham Blunt of Plantbase gives talks on the diverse and exotic plants from around the world. Graham will bring a selection of plants from the nursery to sell at the talk.  The fees are £80 plus mileage.

Contact plantbaseuk@gmail.com for more details.

Swallowfields nursery

Rachael Castle of Swallowfields Nursery gives a talk on ‘Primula Auricula – Their History and Cultivation’ and one entitled ‘Shining a Light on Bulbs’.

Contact: swallow.fields@btinternet.com or Mob: 07818613277

Steve Edney is Head Gardener, RHS herbaceous committee member, plant trials, owner of No Name Nursery, Winner of two RHS show gold medals and best in show 2019 and holder of two national plant collections (Dahlia and Plectranthus).

  1. Drought tolerant perennials
  2. A tale of two gold medals (Chelsea & Hampton Court 2019)
  3. Plant trials with the RHS
  4. Dahlias for the garden (not exhibition growing)
  5. Succession planting
  6. Think beyond the flower – perennials for winter structure – seed heads
  7. Our jungly journey with exotics
  8. The Land & the No Name Nursery – our gardening life
  9. The long border – planning, plants & maintenance of our 100m long border                                                                                                                                                                Talks given in person or on Zoom. Fees are £100 plus mileage. Happy to travel any distance. Contact: steven.edney@live.com  (email preferred or 01304 448476

Contact us

Quentin Stark
Plant Fairs Roadshow
1 Beacon Hill Cottage
Rolvenden Road, Benenden
Cranbrook, Kent
TN17 4BU