Horticulture Innovation Manager and gardener Owen Hayman shares the inside track on Sheffield’s Grey to Green planting success story

(Image with thanks to Alastair Johnstone (Climate Visuals)

Garden designer Steve Lovell will demonstrate how thinking about the texture provided by berries, bark and leaves, can give our gardens all year round value and interest.

A chance to hear all about Sheffield’s urban fruit tree nursery workers co-op and tips on what to think about when planting trees including rootstocks, staking, mulching and more

Head Gardener, Ruth Calder, will share the story of how the award winning Horatio’s Garden design transferred from the 2023 Chelsea Flower Show to become the charity’s eighth garden, located at the Spinal Injuries Centre at Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital

Image: Horatio's Garden Chelsea 2023 designed by Charlotte Harris and Hugo Bugg © Marianne Majerus

Artist and garden designer Maureen Sawyer will illustrate the best see-through perennials, annuals, bulbs, grasses and subshrubs to enhance any border planting and turn your garden into a painting!

Dean will share the story of revitalising the nursery including the gardens and nurseries that have inspired and influenced them along the way. 

James Hitchmough shares details of his progress in establishing his new garden in rural Somerset, following his move from Sheffield in 2022.

An introduction to perennial edibles - a journey of discovery into an array of plants we can grow and eat with Ryan Sandford-Blackburn, director of agroecological plant nursery Earthed Up!

NB Change of date Author and tree aficionado Jonathan Drori shares a gloriously illustrated trip across the globe, bringing to life the science of trees 

Well known as an expert on euphorbias, for this talk Don Witton will share his vast knowledge of plants for all seasons and the uplifting power of flowers.

Garden historian, writer and researcher Twigs Way will explore and explain the origins (sometimes rather risque!) of the names of some of our traditional wildflowers

FOBS old and new are invited to our annual festive get-together………

Drinks and mince pies, an illustrated presentation on events of the past year and team quizzes, plus some last minute Christmas shopping - in the company of Friends.

We hope you can join us!

Professional Garden Designer Linda Heywood shares her knowledge of echiums, a plant that we can all grow in our gardens.

The Friends’ AGM will commence at 10.00am in the Dorothy Fox Centre in the Botanical Gardens and is open to all members. Laura Alston, our Education and Engagement Coordinator will provide an update on the Education Programme.

Textile practitioner Isobel Denton will share details of plants that can be grown for their natural dyeing properties and provide advice on planting and growing a dye garden.

Jacob `Davies of Green Estate will encourage us to stop viewing large, vigorous perennials as thugs and to include them in low maintenance plantings

Local garden designer Will Thomson will share some of the gardens and experiences he gained during a fellowship in Japan

Nursery owner and gardener Neil Timm will talk about growing wild flowers in the garden, garden escapees in the wild, and some that belong to both worlds.

Garden designer Steve Lovell will take a look at how we can make our gardens more wildlife friendly by changing our approach, creating micro habitats and building up the eco systems within our garden boundaries.

Special 40th Anniversary Celebration Evening at Sheffield General Cemetery. Tour and lecture on the creation of the Bible Society’s Psalm 27 Garden by Sheffield landscape architect Ollie Pike , its relocation to Sheffield General Cemetery and some future plans and projects. Special ticketed event.

Senior Gardener Natasha will describe how her team keep, maintain and manage eight acres of garden at National Trust, Gunby Estate, Hall and Gardens in Lincolnshire.

Rob King will share how he has not only created a beautiful garden for adults, but for children to enjoy too! He will speak about his gardening influences, how he created this garden from scratch on a shoestring budget, and how he manages to have colour all year round.

Houseplants are a great way of bringing joy to you and colour to your home; they help lift the spirits – as well as helping to create a healthier environment, but they don’t always live up to our expectations. Garden writer Geoff Hodge will provide hints and tips to keep your plants in very good health.

Dr Klemperer will focus on the gradual restoration of certain key elements within the Brodsworth site, making it one of the most unique Victorian Gardens in the country and the challenges of undertaking accurate restoration and interpretation as fashions change in horticulture .

Fran will look at 30+ trees and plants that are easy to grow in UK gardens and provide details about their traditional and contemporary uses and their wildlife benefit.

Doug Kemp, Farm Manager of Regather organic farm and community benefit society, describes his journey from desk job in London to organic farming cooperative on the outskirts of Sheffield. (THIS LECTURE REPLACES THE ADVERTISED TALK BY SHEFFIELD FRUIT TREES)

In this talk Richard Brown aims to explain why horticulture is good for our physical and mental health and takes us on his own therapeutic gardening journey, to find the lost Victorian melon, the ‘Hero of Lockinge’.

Using previously unseen slides from a private collection, FOBS Gardens historian Alison Hunter will examine the more recent history of the Gardens, including the National Heritage Lottery funded restoration project and the role of the various partners who are responsible for the ongoing development and maintenance of the Gardens.

National Trust scholar, Claire Margetts describes what she has done and what she has learned in her 18 month scholarship at Sissinghurst Castle Gardens in Kent and beyond.

Not all Himalayan blue poppies are blue! By drawing on the wealth of information available, Professor Rankin will help us to understand the wonderful yellow Meconopsis - and to explain how relationships between different kinds emerge, and sometimes names have to change.