Bedfordshire Gardens Trust
Orchards: a brief history from the Garden of Eden until today.
Speaker: Kate Harwood – Sunday 19th April
Free Zoom at 4 00pm – join at 3 45pm
From the Garden of Eden and the earliest evidence of orchards at Pasargadae (6th century BC) to the development of community orchards of today, fruit trees have exercised a hold over people. Not only are they an essential to a good diet, they also were believed to have mystical properties and a great deal of religious significance. By the time of the Puritans in the 17th century, the idea of profit plus pleasure, as exemplified by orchards, was being promoted. The talk will cover this history with diversions to jam factories and development of cider orchards, the explosion of varieties in the 19th century, and the government interventions which reversed this.
For Members and Non-Members
ZOOM link will be sent to BGT members
Available on the BGT website on the day of the talk
or from events@bedsgardenstrust.org.uk
Buckinghamshire Gardens Trust
New Venue: Aylesbury Methodist Church & Centre – .Buckingham Street, Aylesbury HP20 2NQ. Parking: front of the venue limited & Coopers Yard car park next door. The venue has excellent facilities including lift to first floor and wheelchair access. It is near the centre of the town with a choice of restaurants and cafes, including The Kings Head, a C15 coaching inn owned by the National Trust.
Booking: Tickets from http://ticketsource.co.uk//buckinghamshire-gardens-trust or turn up on the day & pay by cash, card or cheque. Doors open 2.00 pm Members £10.00, Guests £12.50. Includes refreshments.
2026 Visits
Visit: Wednesday 6th May 2 00pm Cliveden Historic Gardens Antony Mason Head Gardener and Dr Jacqui Edwards researcher, will take us on a guided tour of the reopened Cliveden National Trust’s Long Garden Conservation Project including the Water Garden, herbaceous borders and the South Terrace.
Normal price does NOT include NT entrance with Members Card or payable on the day.
Visit: All day visit to Town & Country, 24th June, Hill House, 12 Castle Street, Buckingham. MK18 1BS. 10.30 to12.30 and Kingsbridge Farm, Steeple Claydon, MK18 2EJ. 2.30 to 4.30. See web for further details here
Visit: The House Above, Loosley Row HP27 0NU, 2nd July 14 00 – 16 00 Further details here
The Gardens Trust
A Loudon Celebration. This 6-part online series explores the remarkable husband and wife team of John Claudius and Jane Loudon, 19th-century garden writers, editors, designers, planners, pioneers and visionaries. Tickets for the series are available at a special celebratory discount of 50% off our usual price, and all the recordings of the talks will be available to view until early June. On Wednesdays from 22 April.
It’s not too late to catch some or all of our 2025 online talks on Arts and Crafts Gardens, which we’re sharing again for those who missed them first time round. Join us to luxuriate in discussions and images of the most popular of English garden styles. Recordings available until 19 April.
Gardens Trust members are invited to a bespoke day trip to The Newt in Somerset on Thursday 23 July. The visit to this extraordinary estate has been created exclusively for the Gardens Trust and includes guided garden and woodland tours, privileged access to the estate archives, and a two‑course lunch in the award‑winning restaurant. The itinerary has been designed to suit both those travelling from London by train and those arriving by car.
Please click The Gardens Trust to see all up and coming talks and events
Links to our neighbouring Garden Trust Friends
Northamptonshire Gardens Trust