Gardens
Contact: Jeremy Prescott, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dulwich and its neighbourhood is a green oasis bejewelled by its gardens - many magnificent, all inspirational, and all backed by astonishing depths of gardening knowledge.
Each Spring the Gardens sub-committee publishes a comprehensive “Dulwich Gardens open for charity” booklet, with details of the local gardens that are open to the public during the year.
The sub-committee also organises an annual garden talk and an annual coach tour to one or more gardens of national importance, as well as occasional local visits. Details of these events, which are open to all members of the Dulwich Society and their friends, are included in the Society’s quarterly Journal and its monthly eNewsletter.
We contribute articles to the Society’s Journal, and generally we support gardening and related activities in our area. The Dulwich Society is an affiliated society of the Royal Horticultural Society. The Gardens sub-committee normally meets four times a year. If you are interested in joining the committee, please contact Jeremy Prescott.
Visit to West Dean Gardens and Woolbeding Gardens, West Sussex
Thursday 20th June 2019
Coach from Dulwich Picture Gallery, College Road, SE21 7AD. 8.30am for 8.45am departure; back around 6.15pm. Early booking advised.
West Dean Gardens, in the South Downs near Chichester, comprise some 100 acres of gardens and parkland surrounding the historic West Dean House. The gardens have been restored since the 1987 storm and include a large working kitchen garden and a cutting garden with 13 Victorian glasshouses. Beyond that, there is a sunken garden, a 300 feet long Edwardian pergola and Spring and Wild Gardens running alongside the River Lavant.
Woolbeding Gardens (National Trust) have been leased to Simon Sainsbury and his partner since 1972, since when they have created a theatrical country retreat with remarkable gardens. Features of these are the extensive Formal Garden Rooms designed by Lanning Roper and the Longwalk, a wooded Pleasure Garden designed by Julian and Isabel Bannerman which includes architectural follies such as a ruined abbey.
We will arrive at West Dean at around 11am. Following lunch (not included) we will move on to Woolbeding. Refreshment facilities are available at both locations, as are plant sales (limited at Woolbeding). We aim to arrive back in Dulwich Village around 6.15pm. Please bring bags for plants.
Tickets, including transport and entrance to West Dean Gardens, are £27 each and may be purchased on through Eventbrite (www.eventbrite.co.uk – search “Dulwich Society”) or by sending a cheque (payable to The Dulwich Society) with a note of your email address and a stamped addressed envelope to Jeremy Prescott, 142 Court Lane, London SE21 7EB. No cancellation refunds will be given.
Entrance to Woolbeding Gardens is not included in the ticket price. Entrance is free to National Trust members so do please bring your membership card. Non-NT members will have to pay £8 for entrance which will be collected on the coach.
Enquiries to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Helen Yemm on “The modern cottage garden”
7.30pm Wednesday 10th April 2019
at Alleyn’s School, Townley Road, London SE22 8SU
This year’s Spring talk will be given by Helen Yemm, who writes the weekly Thorny Problems column in The Telegraph. Helen’s talk, “The modern cottage garden” builds on her experience of establishing gardens in both London and in West Sussex, where she now lives. Helen’s books include the RHS Grow your own flowers and Gardening in Pyjamas: horticultural advice for obsessive dawn raiders. After the talk there will be an opportunity to meet Helen over a glass of wine.
Tickets are £10 each (including a glass of wine) and may be purchased through www.eventbrite.co.uk (search “Dulwich Society”), or by sending a cheque payable to the “Dulwich Society” and SAE to Jeremy Prescott, 142 Court Lane, London SE21 7EB.
Enquiries to Carol Britton This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.