Meetings are held at 7pm unless otherwise stated
Annual Membership is £25 and there will be additional charges for some meetings/visits.
Download our brochure here for printing at home here. Or see all dates below.
Tuesday 20th February Florist, Lisa Corbett
Lisa owns Mindenwood Floral Design (Mindenwoodfloraldesign.co.uk), and works across the north east, specialising in luxury wedding and event flowers. She has studied floristry with a range of national figures, including Royal florist, Phillipa Craddock, and her work has been featured in national magazines. Lisa also offers bouquets, subscription flowers, and workshops and uses sustainable techniques for her relaxed floral designs. She will show us examples of flowers for weddings. We will also receive our AGM reports prior to the demonstration.
Tuesday 19th March Durham Wildlife Trust Speaker
Hannah’s Meadows are set within the traditional farming landscape of Baldersdale, once owned and farmed by Hannah Hauxwell who lived alone at Low Birk Hatt Farm. On her retirement Durham Wildlife Trust created the reserve as it is today, now a site of Special Scientific Interest ‐ representing the best of traditional wildflowers from areas of upland hay meadows. Green hay from Hannah’s Meadows has been donated to help restore another traditional hay meadow in Stanhope.
Our speaker will show slides of the meadows at Baldersdale and talk about other projects in the area, and sites managed by the Trust.
Tuesday 16th April Flower Arranger, Ann Simpson
Ann is a NAFAS area demonstrator from York, and she also serves on the NE Area Committee as Area Secretary. Ann will be showing us arrangements using seasonal flowers, arranged in traditional style and using traditional techniques.
Tuesday 21st May 46th Birthday Night, Garden Visit
Tonight we will visit a lovely, local garden ‐ the home of Janette Kelly, at Millstream Cottage, West End, Walsingham. We will have Pimms and Canapes from 7‐8pm whilst viewing the garden, and then ‐ for those who wish to, we will have supper provided by Sara Jane at The Black Lion, Meadhope Street, with food served at 8.30 pm. The garden is a short walk from St Annes Centre where we can park.
This evening is for members only, and there will be a charge for those who wish to book for supper. You are also most welcome to come along for drinks if you do not wish to have food.
Tuesday 18th June Tulips from Amsterdam with Lucienne Bennett
Lucienne was born in The Hague and is desended from a long line of tulip exporters dating back to the 18th C. She lived in the bulb growing area of the Netherlands, just 30 minutes from Keukenhof, the world famous gardens. She opens her own garden to the public under the NGS. Before we all go out and buy our tulip bulbs in the autumn, Lucienne will give advice about the types of tulip, how to select, where to buy, and when and how to plant.
Date TBC (A Wednesday) Thornton Hall ‐
This is an additional garden visit, as Sue Manners has offered us a private group visit to her famous garden at Thornton Hall, just outside Darlington. We will arrive for late afternoon and Sue will give us an introduction to the gardens and then walk around with us to explain the planting schemes, answer questions etc. If you have not visited, this is a ‘not to be missed’ garden visit; Thornton Hall has been featured on TV, and in many national garden magazines. If you have already been, there are always new developments to be seen. Sue is charging us £10 pp which goes to her chosen charity. We will not provide transport, as the garden is only about 30 mins by car and easy to find.
Saturday 29th June Summer Coffee Morning in St. Annes 10am to 12 pm
Please support our annual fund raising Coffee Morning. Coffee and Cream Scones, Cake stall, plants and raffle.
Tuesday 16th July Garden Visit to Ferndene House, Ryton
Ferndene is the home of Maureen Kesteven, the County Organiser for NGS open gardens. It is in Ryton Old Village, and is a 3/4 acre garden surrounded by trees. There are informal areas of herbaceous perennials, formal box bordered area, meadow, wildlife ponds, gravel and bog garden.
The driveway, from which main borders can be seen, is wheelchair accessible.
We will provide a coach for this visit (from 1 to 3pm), leaving the Market Place at 12 noon; Refreshments will be provided. Members: £5 contribution to garden visit/refreshments. Visitors £15.
Tuesday 20th August Florist Christine Ogle
Christine is a florist with over 30 years experience, and her business, Lavenders Blue, is based in Morpeth. She works primarily in Northumberland and into the Scottish Borders. She is a NAFAS area demonstrator, and specialises in wedding flowers. Christine will show us a range of Flowers for a Summer Evening.
Friday 6th September Ladies Lunch
In support of Weardale Community Hospital, at the Catering Marquee, Wolsingham Showground.
Tuesday 17th September Growing, preserving and using dried flowers with Heidi of Pinks Flowers
Nestled deep in the heart of the Teesdale countryside is Pinks Flower Farm, a haven for beautiful, fragrant British blooms, all sustainably nurtured from seed by Heidi Varley.
Heidi came to the Club a few years ago when she first started her flower farm. Tonight she will update us on the development of her business and focus on dried flowers. Dried flowers retain their shape, form, colour, texture and beauty but need to be picked and dried at the right stage. Those from Pinks are free from chemicals and are totally natural. Throughout the growing season Pinks harvest flowers to dry, which are then used to create natural, pretty bunches of dried flowers, wreaths and other creations such as handmade sustainable willow wreaths.
Tuesday 15th October Richard Barnes, Chartered Landscape Architect, Horticultural Consultant and Garden Photographer
Richard lives in Northumberland and has worked as a Landscape Architect for more than 30 years. A published writer and photographer, he is a member of the Professional Garden Photographers Assoc., and of the Garden Media Guild. Richard will give an illustrated talk on Small Gardens ‐ ideas to make even the smallest space interesting throughout the year, including the use of containers. We will raffle a range of planted containers following Richard’s talk.
Tuesday 12th November Deck Your Halls for Christmas with Denise Marmont
Denise’s busy floristry business, Muscari, is based at Bowes, Barnard Castle. She is mainly involved in wedding, funeral and corporate work, and runs workshops at various venues across the region. Denise is also a supporter of numerous charities, and has helped with various festivals in Weardale. Tonight she will be decking the halls with ideas for our Christmas flowers. Festive refreshments and raffle.
Tuesday 10th December Festive Event at Tennants, Leyburn
Tennants is the UK’s largest family‐owned fine art auctioneers, with twenty seven specialist departments, and operates across seventy countries. We have the opportunity to visit the headquarters at The Garden Rooms, Leyburn, for a private group tour and festive lunch. The programme will be: 11am Arrival tea/coffee and biscuits; Introduction and one hour talk by one of the specialist team; two course festive lunch in the bistro with tea/coffee; behind the scenes guided tour including exhibitions; gift shop; tea/coffee and sweet treat; 4 pm departure.
Tennants charge £34 pp, and the Club will provide a coach.
If there are spaces, friends can join this outing at a charge of £40. There is a minimum group size of 20 for this private group event.