The Gardens Trust held it Volunteering Celebration 2025 on the 9th July at the Bennett Room in the Stowe Visitor Centre, New Inn, Stowe Landscape Garden.
As you will remember in 2025 Claire de Carle, the Buckinghashire gardens Trust Chair, was awarded the Exceptional Contribution Award by the Gardens Trust for her “immmense contribution to the historic designes landscape sector”
Lisa Watson, Gardens Trust Trustee, welcomed members to the event and outlined the programme for the day. This was followed by Linden Groves, Head of Operations & Strategy for the Trust who described a decade of volunteer achievements and showed a short film made for the social media by GT volunteers. This was followed by the presentation of the Gardens Trust’s Volunteer Awards for 2025. Lunch was taken in the wonderful walled garden created by Anna Tolfree, Senior Gardener at Stowe and Claydon. The garden is drought resistant and although only just into its second year an amazing example for what can be achieved; it would certainly meet Historic English Gardens plans to adapt to the changing climate. (see link below)
After lunch Tanya Brittain, the National Trust General Manager at Stowe, gave an interesting talk about current developments of the estate including possible collaboration with Silverstone.
In the afternoon Head Gardener, Barry Smith, led a short tour of the Stowe gardens, it was 30 degrees, plus followed by refreshments. A most interesting event and a great opportunity to meet members of other county trusts and the Gardens Trust team
