An introduction to Fungi

In anticipation of the coming 'Fungus season' in the New Forest come along and find out more about this unusual 'Kingdom' of organisms that are neither plants or animals.

Annual Plant Sale

 

Chelsea Gold

 

Gilbert White

Our March meeting is a talk by Chris Bird who is always entertaining. This time he will share his knowledge of the great Naturalist Gilbert White who did his observation and writing in Hampshire.

Chris Bird's 2021 RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden, titled "The Natural Kalendar," was a Silver-Gilt medal-winning design created in collaboration with Sparsholt College to celebrate the 300th (plus one) anniversary of Gilbert White's birth.

Biodiversity and Bio-abundance

 Come and hear about the 'Wild Woodbury project' at Bere Regis. This is an ambitious scheme to modify some marginal farmland to be more wildlife friendly with public access and some interesting community related aspects. After just a few years the project is already paying off. The funding of the scheme is interesting and I hope Daisy will tell us about that as well.

Humour and Wisdom in the Garden

 We start a bright, shiny New Year with an afternoon talk by Patricia Elkington. You can expect easy listening and some jolly gardening anecdotes. Come prepared with some cash so that you can pay 2026 subs and pick up your 2026 programme of events. Annual sub. is £12 per person.

Christmas Social 11th Dec 2025

The Christmas Social will be a relaxed afternoon including a short demonstration by the local and very talented Mandy Bowles.

She will give you ideas for a Christmas 'Tablescape' using materials from the wild and your garden with a few tasteful props added.

Thursday, 11th December 2pm at the Village Hall.

Legs, Wings, and Carnivorous things

 Don't be put off by the title - Bryan's Talk will be fascinating and probably a bit thought provoking (his last talk for us was) - just make sure you don't turn up a few hours late! This is an afternoon meeting - 2pm usual place.

There will be a very brief AGM before the meeting - we excel at being concise and to the point.

Foraging for edibles

 

A bee keeping year.

 We have a fascinating talk coming up in September - the work of the beekeeper through the seasons.

Charcoal

 

Summer Social

 𝙄𝙗𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙩 𝙃𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙩𝙮 𝙎𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙎𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡

7.30pm, Thursday 26th June

Come along to our June meeting we'll get together for a fun evening with summer punch supplied. As in previous socials we would like you all to bring a plate of finger food which is shared between everyone. This has always proved a popular format.

𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙪𝙨𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙨’ 𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙖 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙨.

As extra entertainment we will also be holding a Gardeners Question Time where your queries and gardening problems can be answered. We need your questions so either email them to us at idhsinfo19@gmail.com or write them down and hand them in when you arrive. Our in-house experts will endeavour to solve your problems!

Do come along for an enjoyable and sociable evening where you will made most welcome.

We look forward to seeing you

Namibia and Botswana

 

Don't miss out!

 

Plant Sale May 3rd 2025

 

Wisley outing - 31st May 2025

 Our big day out! - an absolute bargain not to be missed

We’re going to RHS Wisley on Saturday 31 May 2025.

The flagship of the Royal Horticultural Society, Wisley is one of the great gardens of the world. We will see such highlights as the celebrated 128m long and 6m wide Mixed Borders, the Bowes-Lyon Rose Garden with its 4,000 roses and 5,000 shrubs, the famous Rock Garden, and the £7.7million Glasshouse opened by the late Queen in 2007 covering an area equivalent to 10 tennis courts and built to celebrate the RHS’s 200th anniversary.

We have a 53-seat coach booked to take us there and back and to make the trip viable we need to fill it. You can be picked up from the usual stops: Fordingbridge (8.15am), Ibsley (8.30am) and Poulner (8.45am). The cost will be a fantastically reasonable £15 for members and £20 for non-members.

Do book early to avoid disappointment as we were oversubscribed last year.

To book your seat please email me on vicky.coral@hotmail.co.uk specifying your preference for pick-up location, number of seats required and method of payment. Or you can call me on 01425 472034.

Payment preferably by BACS into our account:

IDHS Account No.42436068. Sort Code 30-96-26.

Alternatively, to the treasurer at a meeting.

Sow and Grow February

 

 Our February meeting is another afternoon one. Come and hear about the wonderful garden at Russell Cotes Bournemouth.

January Sow and Grow

 

The story of Stewarts