Special Events

May Chelsea Flower Show Symposium
Saturday 22nd May to Sunday 30th May 2010

This trip which is led by Fergus Garrett is an exciting opportunity to visit the Chelsea flower show in May as well as specialist nurseries in the south of England. Visits will also include Sissinghurst Castle gardens for a private tour and to Beth Chatto unusual plants and RHS Wisley for the plant Trials.

Seven participants will have the opportunity to purchase plants and we will arrange cleaning, inspecting and packaging for transport back to the USA. If you would like to take more than twelve plants back to the US you will require a permit which can be applied for online by following this link http://www.aphis.usda.gov/permits/ to the APHIS website.

The week will allow the participants to have a total immersion in the Great Dixter gardens and lectures and workshops will focus on border maintenance and preparatory work leading up to and including the May season. The subject of wild flower meadows and prairies habitats will be discussed in full.

Saturday – Pick up at airport – Hotel and introduction to Great Dixter and introductory talk to the season

Sunday Morning: Sissinghurst
Afternoon: lecture on The work done so far from the Autumn through to May. Border basics and fine tuning.

Monday – Morning: Nursery tour to one of the largest wholesale nurseries in the UK; Palmstead Nurseries to see up to date high tech techniques used in plant propagation.
Afternoon – visit to Madrona Nurseries – a small specialist nursery, specialising in unusual and rare plants.

Tuesday: Morning – Pruning and garden maintenance work at Great Dixter; understanding how the borders are prepared for the summer.
Afternoon – Fergus will talk about hi experiences judging at Chelsea.

Wednesday: A visit to Beth Chatto gardens and the unusual plant nursery, to see it in its May glory.

Thursday: Visit 2 gardens and specialist nurseries Merriments and Marchants Hardy Plants. Both will have unusual and specialist plants

Friday: Visit to Chelsea Flower Show whilst the Dixter team will clean and prepare any purchased plants for DEFRA inspection.

Saturday: Wisley Trials and exploring Wisley.

Sunday: Drop off at Airport

Fees
The complete cost of symposium is £2,550.00 (flights not included) payable by 31st March 2010.
Fees include: All lodging, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all transportation to and from hotel, outings, and group meals in front of the fire at Great Dixter. We pick up and return you to the aiport.

We require a deposit of £500 (non refundable) on application to secure your place. The participants will be staying in individual rooms at the Collina House Hotel in Tenterden www.collinahousehotel.co.uk

Booking
The symposium is limited to only 12 participants, places allocated on a first come first served basis by emailing Aaron Bertelsen at events@greatdixter.co.uk

For more information and to book please contact Aaron Bertelsen events@greatdixter.co.uk

Christopher Lloyd