A chance to catch up and socialise this Christmas time in the beautiful ‘Cottage Orné’ style former home of the famous poet Alfred Noyes where you are invited to join the Friends for tea (various scones, preserves and clotted cream with tea or coffee) served on vintage china.  The fires will be lit and the surroundings exude the warmth of long family occupation. The Noyes have been here since 1929 – do check out their website for more historical notes.

Friday 16th December at 3pm

Tickets (£10 members/£12 non-members) are limited to 30 and must be pre-booked and paid for by Monday 5th December.  Please contact Sally Peake on 731403 or e-mail: sallye.peake@btinternet.com. Payment (preferably by BACS) to Ventnor Botanic Garden Friends’ Society, sort code 54-41-31 account no 49647717 using ref. Festive and your surname. (Cash or cheque payment by arrangement)

We look forward to celebrating the start of the festive season with you.

Come and be enthralled by Charlotte Walby revealing the fascinating story of these ancient Japanese and Chinese art forms.

Monday 14th November

7 pm at Ventnor Arts Club

Although this evening is not a ‘how to’ session, Charlotte has kindly suggested that anyone who has a tree of their own, but is not quite sure how best to care for it, is welcome to bring it along for advice as part of the question and answer session after the talk.

The presentation will take place at Ventnor Arts Club, 13 High Street, Ventnor, PO38 1RZ

Tickets £8 (non-members £10)

There will be a bar for drinks/coffee: doors open from 6.30 pm

Please book with Anne Hornett 

email – hornettsnest@aol.com 

or telephone – 07958 114019 

There are limited numbers – please book early to avoid disappointment

Izzie Tween, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust’s Beaver Recovery Project Officer, will be delivering a presentation on the Trust’s aspiration for an open release of beavers on the Isle of Wight. 

Monday 10th October

7 pm at Ventnor Arts Club

The talk will encompass beavers’ ecology and history within the region, the benefits that beaver establishments can bring, both to biodiversity and also ecosystem services, the evidence that supports this from beaver projects elsewhere in Britain, the results of the feasibility study carried out on the Isle of Wight, and the mitigation actions that can be implemented to support landowners where beaver activities might not be welcome. She will also cover recent government policy regarding the decision to grant beavers native species protected status within England, and give an update on the Trust’s consultation and licence application plans. Hope to see you there!

The presentation will take place at Ventnor Arts Club, 13 High Street, Ventnor, PO38 1RZ

Tickets £8 (non-members £10)

There will be a bar for drinks/coffee: doors open from 6.30 pm

Please book with Anne Hornett

email – hornettsnest@aol.com 

telephone – 07958 114019 

There are limited numbers – please book early to avoid disappointment

Image copyright: (c) David Parkyn/ Cornwall Wildlife Trust

We are delighted to announce the return of Café Botanique with a talk by Michelle Cain to be held on

Forget everything you know about traditional rose pruning and training! Embrace the Sissinghurst method and be rewarded with an abundance of flowers.

Of all the plants at Sissinghurst, the romance of old roses most captured Vita Sackville-West’s heart and imagination. They are central to the lavish and romantic feel of the garden and Vita’s exuberant style of planting. She wrote: ‘There is nothing skimpy or stingy about them. They have a generosity which is as desirable in plants as in people.’

Michelle will talk about the history of the rose collection at Sissinghurst and how their unique approach to pruning (now much copied) is used to achieve far more prolific flowering than traditional methods. She will talk through the different types of pruning and training, step by step, in the hope that you will be inspired to try the methods yourself at home.

Michelle is a gardener, garden designer and horticulturalist with a wealth of experience as a head gardener, most notably at Sissinghurst Castle Garden and Ventnor Botanic Garden.  She will round off her talk by sharing some of her favourite pictures and anecdotes from her time at Sissinghurst.

email – hornettsnest@aol.com

  or telephone –  07958 114019

 There are limited numbers – please book early to avoid disappointment

A real feast of horticultural interest today as we visit two gardens in close proximity.

Botany Club – An afternoon In Bonchurch – Wednesday 10th August

Meeting at 2pm at Ashcliff in The Pitts (PO38 1NT), Judi Lines has gardened here for nearly twenty years and has a wonderfully mature garden with many specimen plants thriving in the warm shelter.  As a taster, Judi has just donated several young Tetrapanax plants for us to pot on and sell for the Friends. Parking for less able walkers available on the drive.

Then up Bonchurch Chute to Elcombe House where Charlotte Walby (the Bonsai lady) will guide us round her wonderful collection of Penjing trees. The literal translation of both Bonsai and Penjing is: a tree or shrub potted in a shallow dish or tray. Charlotte has trained in China since 1989 and is the only westerner to have been invited to join the Guangzhou Penjing Association.  After the tour you will be free to browse round and relax in her lovely garden and Charlotte has kindly offered to advise anyone who may have a tree of their own and is not quite sure how best to care for it – please do bring it with you!

There will be tea available at Elcombe House from about 4.15 pm with cakes provided by your Committee!

It is suggested that parking at the top of Bonchurch Chute (near Elcombe House) or in Leeson Rd near the junction with Bonchurch Chute would be easiest with only those unable to walk down (and back up!) the hill using the parking offered at Ashcliff.  As usual, friends of members are welcome. Donation of £6 to include refreshments (non-members £8); it would be most helpful if you could let Anne know if you are intending to join us (hornettsnest@aol.com).