by Holly Chapman | 13 May 25 | News
Dame Mary Berry steps down as president of the National Garden Scheme, as Alan Titchmarsh is named to replace her after 10 years.
Berry continues to be part of the charity as president emeritus. She comments on her 10 years as president:
“The charity has championed the remarkable benefits of gardens and gardening to everyone’s health and wellbeing.”
Dr Richard Claxton, CEO of the National Garden
Titchmarsh is “thrilled” to be appointed for the role, and says, “there is nothing quite like the National Garden Scheme, either in the world of gardens and horticulture or beyond.”
Joining Titchmarsh this autumn, Dr Richard Claxton has also been announced as the charity’s new chief executive.
An advocate for nature-based therapy and a GP for 25 years, Dr Claxton looks forward to “combining beautiful gardens and the wonderful generosity of their owners opening their private sanctuaries for us all to enjoy.” He adds:
“The National Garden Scheme is a champion of the impact that gardens and gardening can have directly on people’s health, which is a cause very close to my heart.”
by Holly Chapman | 01 Apr 25 | News
Hosted by the National Garden Scheme (NGS), Dame Mary Berry champions The Great British Garden Party the same week as her 90th birthday.
The campaign week runs from Monday 14 July – Sunday 20 July, encouraging people to host garden parties in support of charities such as MacMillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK, Carers Trust, The Queen’s Nursing Institute, and Parkinson’s UK.
Participants can also host their party outside of the campaign week, and it is free to take part.
Feeling ‘inspired’ by previous garden parties, Dame Mary Berry comments:
“Some party hosts simply threw open their garden gates and invited their neighbours for afternoon tea or morning coffee, making new friends. Others chose to celebrate a special anniversary, gathering friends and family as part of the Great British Garden Party and suggesting a donation in lieu of presents.”
Running since 1927, the NGS designed the Great British Garden Party as a fundraising initiative to celebrate our gardens and outdoor space; in 2024, the party raised £12,000.
Chief executive of the NGS, George Plumptre also comments:
“It doesn’t need to be complicated or grand, just invite some friends over, ask them to make a donation, and help make a difference.”
Find out more at: ngs.org.uk/gardenparty/.
by Aidan Williams | 30 Sep 24 | Garden Design, News
The formal opening of the new Oudolf Landscape at RHS Garden Wisley was celebrated with a special appearance from Dame Mary Berry.
Berry placed the final flourishes on top of a 1.5m floral cake, with over 1,000 blooms including seasonal stems of British hydrangea, dahlias, seedum and zinnias.
The celebratory floral ‘cake’ has been designed and created by Simon Lycett, which as well as including colourful seasonal foliage and flowers, all of which have been sustainably arranged.
It also has a selection of plants that celebrate the borders and Piet Oudolf’s known love of plants such as achillea and echinacea.
Situated between the Viewing Mount and RHS Garden Wisley’s The Glasshouse, the Piet Landscape has had a radical re-design to become the wonderful Oudolf Landscape.
The Dutch garden designer and plantsman created the original borders more than 20 years ago, now, after re-design work and large-scale planting took place in the spring it is now in its first season of flowering.
The newly planted landscape will allow visitors to be enveloped in Piet’s signature ‘New Perennial’ style.
Now it has become a path that weaves through the landscape, taking visitors on an immersive journey to experience Piet’s famous planting style, featuring grids of naturalistic planting combinations designed to excite and inspire.
With a sweeping mix of perennials, grasses and woody plants, the new Oudolf Landscape has an amazing 36,000 perennials, encompasses 3000m² of planted beds with 162 different types of perennials.
Piet explained he wanted to give plenty to learn for those who come to see it and provide ideas to take back to their own gardens.
The new island beds and wonderfully weaving footpath encourages people to take their time, sit for a while and feel a part of the Oudolf Landscape.
It connects RHS Garden Wisley’s Rock Garden and Arboretum more closely to the Glasshouse, linking up more areas of the garden.
