This informal gardening club meets monthly to swap and sell plants, seeds, cuttings, magazines and books. The group aims to promote wildlife gardening and encourage pollinating insects and bees wherever possible. We also arrange outings to local open gardens and talks on subjects of interest. New members are welcome – just turn up and bring a small contribution for refreshment.
The BGs usually meet on the first Wednesday of every month; check out out the programme of events below. We organise the annual Beech Village Show, which will take place at the Village Hall on Saturday, September 28, 2024.
Programme of events 2024
Evening meetings are held at Woodlawn, 104 Medstead Road, Beech, GU34 4AF. Meetings are on the first Wednesday of the month. Arrangements will be confirmed nearer the time of each event.
February 7 | Talk by Ray Broughton on Plants for Difficult Places. Woodlawn, 7.30pm |
March 6 | Visit to Squires Garden Centre, Badshot Lea Road, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 9JX for afternoon tea and a browse around the large shopping area and plants. Tea £10 for BG members. Meet BVH at 1.35pm to car share, tea booked for 3pm. |
April 3 | Beechenwood Farm, Hillside, Odiham, Hook, RG29 1JA. A return visit for some as we have visited around five years ago. It’s a 2-acre garden with a lawn meandering through woodland with drifts of spring bulbs. There are many pots of spring bulbs and a fritillary and cowslip meadow, walled herb garden with pool, greenhouse, vegetable garden, orchard and a rock garden extending to grasses, ferns and bamboo and a shady walk to belvedere and an 8-acre copse of native species with grassed rides. Meet BVH at 1.40pm to car share. Admission £5, Home made teas £4 |
May 1 | The Thatched Cottage, Church Road, Upper Farringdon, Alton, GU34 3EG. A 1½ acre garden hidden behind a thatched cottage. Borders burst with cottage garden plants and a pool provides the soothing sound of water. A pergola of roses, clematis and honeysuckle leads to many fine specimen trees. A productive garden with fruit trees, fruit cage and raised vegetable beds. A wildflower area and a gypsy caravan. Meet BVH at 1.45pm to car share. Entry £7 Tea £5, donation to Cardiac Rehab |
June 5 | Broadhatch House, Bentley, Farnham, GU10 5JJ. A 3½ acre garden set in Hampshire countryside with views to Alice Holt. Divided into different areas by yew hedges and a walled garden to give a long series of interest on heavy clay. Two reflective ponds break up lawn areas with lots of flower borders and beds. Mature trees with a working greenhouse and vegetable garden. Meet BVH at 1.45pm to car share. Entry and tea £7.50 |
July 3 | Blounce House, Blounce, South Warnborough, Hook, RG29 1RX. A 2-acre garden surrounding a classic Queen Anne house. Mixed planting for interest from spring to autumn. Herbaceous borders with a variety of colour schemes. Meet at BVH at 1.45pm to car share. Admission £4, home made teas. |
August 7 | Silver Birches, Old House Gardens, East Worldham, Alton, GU34 3AN. A ½ acre garden featured in the last series of ITV’s “Love Your Garden” with Alan Titchmarsh. Winding paths through colourful mixed borders to fish pond, stream, rockery and summerhouse. Rose garden with arbour. Planting designed for year-round colour and interest using foliage as well as flowers. Many sitting areas and some unusual plants. Meet BVH at 1.45pm to car share. Entry and tea £8 |
September 4 | 3.00pm. Our annual picnic courtesy of Camilla Gibson at Thedden Grange, Wivelrod Road, Beech, Alton, GU34 4AU. Meet BVH at 2.50pm to car share. |
September 28 | Beech Village Show, Beech Village Hall. Judging 10am-12noon, show opens to the public 12noon – 1.30pm. Click here for full details of the show categories and how to enter. |
October 2 | Wheatly House, Wheatly Lane, Kingsley, Borden, GU35 9PA. A return visit after some five years to this very enjoyable garden. Its 1 ½ acres on a rural hilltop with panoramic views full of interesting and unusual planting combinations. The sweeping mixed borders and shrubs are spectacular throughout the season but come to their zenith in late summer and early autumn. The black and white border with pops of scarlet is particularly impressive. Art work and sculptures throughout. Plants and craft work for sale. Meet BVH at 1.40pm to car share. Tea and entry £9 |
November 6 | Coles, Basing Dean, Privett, Alton, GU34 3PH. This garden was opened last summer after a huge restoration project, it has 25 acres of what Country Life described as a great post war garden. Our visit is timed for the spectacular autumn colour. After our talk and tea when we arrive, we can explore the extensive catalogue of interest from the koi and Japanese ponds to the ferns and arboretum. Meet BVH at 1.35pm to car share. £10 for BGs to cover entry, talk and tea. |
December 4 | 7.30pm at Woodlawn, Christmas Party theme ‘The Night Before Christmas’ – you have been warned! |
Check out our Beech Gardeners News page for reports of recent visits, visit our Gardeners tips and advice page and read Helen Lamb’s article about helping to save our bees. And enjoy these lovely photographs taken by our members:
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