Gardens to visit

As gardeners, take the opportunity to visit some of the beautiful and stately gardens in and around the area. Enjoy them, but most important treat them as a source of inspiration and education.

Unfortunately most of the big National Trust and RHS garden close around the end of October, but a few are open and worth a walk round especially if you are NT or RHS members and can get in for free!

Nymans Gardens at Handcross
Open Sat & Sun 11-4 until 13th Feb

Sheffield Park
Open 10.30-4 Sat & Sun only until 29th Feb
Billed as a garden for all seasons.

Wakehurst Place
Open every day 10 - 4.30.

RHS Wisley
Further away, but always worth a visit.

Just off the M25 at junction 10, this takes around an hour to get to from Lewes and is worth a visit at any time of the year. The new bicentenary Glasshouse is now open offering three climate zones, tropical, moist temperate and dry temperate.

There are various events for Orchid enthusiasts in the next few weeks see http://www.rhs.org.uk/whatson/gardens/wisley/wiseevents.asp

Community Seed Swop

Seedy Saturday 2nd February 2008

This is a celebration of seeds and spring, giving you the opportunity to meet other gardeners and swop seeds, thereby keeping unusual varieties alive and saving traditional crops from extinction. Seedy Saturday is to encourage people to grow their own vegetables and plants, learn the art of saving seeds, cook using fresh healthy ingredients, increase people's growing skills and swop ideas.

There are free presentations and workshops all day, stalls and lots of information. Unfortunately the advert I saw, didn't actually say where it was being held. I am assuming the Town Hall, but the contact details are as follows

ann.spike@lewes.gov.uk Tel 01273 484112