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A programme of visits and talks is published each year with details on this Events page.
Members can book through the on-line booking system http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/buckinghamshire-gardens-trust
or by contacting enquiries@buckinghamshiregardentstrust.org.u
Main points of policy:
· Members can book a ticket for themselves & up to 2 tickets for non-members/guests
· Price of tickets: we operate a price differentiation with guests paying 25% more
· Cancellations – full refund if BGT cancel
· Cancellation of a booking can be requested up to 7 days prior the event. A refund less the booking fee 6.5% plus VAT will be made to original form of payment.
· Cancellations of less than a week will be noted but refunds at discretion of the Event Organiser
· No refunds will be given on day of the event or retrospectively.
A copy of the policy can be found via the Link on the Home page.
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE GARDENS TRUST WINTER/SPRING TALKS 2025
Venue: Methodist Church Hall, Aylesbury
The late 18th century saw a big expansion in Britain’s empire and as a result the importation of lots of “new” and “exotic” plants from all round the world. They were bought into commercial production, and our gardens and greenhouses by specialist nurserymen like Danield Grimwood of Kensington. In 1795 rare plants were stolen from the his nursery grounds including some newly introduced geraniums and ericas from South Africa. A suspect was quickly identified and arrested but strongly protested his innocence. The case ended up at the Old Bailey and pitted Grimwood against the plant collector who was accused of stealing it. This is the story not just of the court case that focussed on the stolen geraniums but the way that the range of plants in Britain’s gardens increased so rapidly and the ways that plant nurseries operated. It might sound dull and boring but its anything but!
Who am I?
After a career in teaching and ending up as a head teacher in inner London, I took early [OK very early] retirement and decided to go back into education full time on my own account. I did a four year diploma course in Garden History and that led on to an MA in Historical Research at Birkbeck College, University of London in 1999. I enjoyed academia so much I went straight on to do a PhD at Birkbeck on The Gardens and Gardeners of Later Stuart London which I was awarded in 2005.
I am now Course Director for an MA in Garden History and an honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Buckingham and am also able to supervise PhD students! Click here for details
I was until very recently a trustee of the Gardens Trust, the national campaigning body for the protection and support of our historic parks, gardens and designed landscapes. I still write a weekly blog for them on any aspect of garden history that takes my fancy. I’ve been writing it since 2013 and it’s designed to both inform and amuse, as well sometimes encouraging you to do a bit more research yourself. It comes out every Saturday morning in time for breakfast and you you can find it at thegardenstrust.blog
From 2011-2022 I was one of the convenors of the History of Gardens and Landscapes seminar at the Institute of Historical Research at the University of London. For their current programme see … http://www.history.ac.uk/events/seminars/121
And just in case you think it’s all rather theoretical I also try and run a 5 acre garden in western France, which my partner and I open to the public.
Refreshments will be available at the end of the talk
Note: New venue Aylesbury Methodist Church and Centre – see map. Excellent access, including lift, ramps. Church has limited parking for Blue badges (3) plus there is public car park next to venue at Coopers Yard.
Enquiries: enquiries@bucksgardenstrust.org.uk