The days are that little bit longer, we’ve had glimpses of sun and the snowdrops, iris reticulata and even some early daffodils are putting in an appearance – all signs that Spring is just around the corner.
My video covers a round-up of news and activities from across the HPS including a quick review of last week’s Tom Stuart-Smith lecture (and ignore what I say about the recording being available only to those who registered – it’ll be coming out to all HPS members).
There’s also an opportunity to apply for HPS seeds for any events your group is taking part in, news on the unexpected scale of the number of incorrect subscription renewal payments (and what you may need to do to check yours is correct), some new member discounts and my usual shout out for volunteers including another appeal for people to help develop plans for our 70th anniversary next year.
Steve Bustin, Chair HPS
If you prefer to read Steve's message in the video, the transcript can be downloaded here.
News
- Member benefits
- Free seeds for charities and events
- Help needed
- 70th Anniversary
Updated Member benefits
Recent updates to the member discount codes include an update to the Genus code to provide money off all products and an update to Fothergills code for seeds and 9cm pots which give 10% off ALL seeds and 20% of all 9cm pots - perfect for stocking up for Spring.
Use the button below to see these and more. Both the member benefits page and membership card are on the Join Us menu if you need to find them in future.
Seeds for Charity
Surplus seeds from our 2025 Seed Distribution Scheme are available to charities for free - please get in touch if you know of a charity or community group that could put some seed to good use. If your HPS group is exhibiting at shows and events this year we can also let you have some of the surplus seed to distribute there. Drop us an email to let us know what you've got planned.
Help Needed
We are looking for volunteers to help with a number of roles including:
- Social media
- Marketing
- PR & Publicity
- Shows & Events
- Photo Library
Social Media: Marina Lindl has done a great job of promoting the society and our groups online, but now has to focus on other commitments. If you are confident with Facebook and Instagram and feel able to make posts to engage the public then please get in touch.
Other roles: We would love some help to promote the society in a variety of ways, to the public, to journals and at events during the year. If you think you could spare some time, then please get in touch to find out more.
70th Anniversary Celebration
In 2027 the HPS will reach 70 years since foundation - and we'd like members to suggest how we celebrate this event both nationally and locally. If you would be willing to take part in a discussion group to develop ideas then please get in touch.
New on the website
If you haven't already please take a look at a new articles from our contributors:
On a Chalk Hillside – January 2026
I remember the first time I ever saw one was in a private arboretum in Dorset, a spindly looking specimen (obviously very juvenile, it was only about as tall as me). I was awestruck to be seeing a real dinosaur, and one that had been thought extinct – like seeing a Dodo face to face!
French Road Trip (KBBS)
In August we drove to France and saw eight terrific gardens with the kind support of the Kenneth Black Bursary Scheme and the RHS. Our aims were to broaden our experience of gardens and to learn new plants and planting styles, which would be helpful in our jobs as a head gardener and an RHS Level 2 lecturer.
A botanical study tour to South Africa (KBBS)
There are many superlatives that describe the botanical importance of the Cape Floristic Region. It is home to the greatest non-tropical concentration of flowering plant species in the world, with over 9,000 species.
Gardening in the face of climate change (KBBS)
While the British weather has always been turbulent and changeable we are increasingly seeing extremes of this. Only last year (2024) we experienced the UK’s 8th wettest winter and 6th wettest spring on record (met office). Fast forward to the present, August 2025, here in Yorkshire we are predicted to be in a drought until Christmas, with the ten warmest UK springs occurring since the year 2000, and the three warmest springs occurring since 2017 (met office).
Far Reaches Arunachal Pradesh Plant Expedition (KBBS)
Arunachal Pradesh lies in the far north-east of India, a region that sits squarely within the Eastern Himalaya, and which is considered to be one of the most biodiverse and least explored mountain ecosystems on Earth,
where tropical valleys rise into rich temperate forests and alpine meadows are brimming with rare and unusual plants.
We always want to hear from anyone who can write about plants and gardening. If you have something you'd like to see published, please get in touch.
Events at Local and Special Interest Groups
Below is a listing of Local & Special Interest Group Events around the Country. Most are open to guests for a fee. For more details click the link below and check with the organisers of the specific event for more details including the venue location.
- Sat 31st Jan at 13:45 Western Counties group: Bourne to be a Galanthophile – Val Bourne (HPS President)
- Mon 2nd Feb at 19:30 Cheshire and Friends group: Cherries – Gareth Manning
- Mon 2nd Feb at 19:30 Middlesex group: Miss Ellen Willmott’s Garden – Sandra Lawrence
- Tue 3rd Feb at 19:30 South Pennine group: New Zealand 2019 – Plants, People and Gardens (Rob Potterton)
- Tue 3rd Feb at 19:30 Shade and Woodland Plants group: The Woodland Plantings at Hunting Brook – Jimi Blake
- Sat 7th Feb at 14:00 Hertfordshire group: The Walled garden at West Dean – George Ellis
- Sat 7th Feb at 14:00 Northamptonshire group: Drought Tolerant Perennials – Steve Edney
- Sat 7th Feb at 14:00 Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire group: Closer to Nature- A wilder garden – Jim Paine
- Sat 7th Feb at 14:30 Devon group: AGM & Planting a Climate Change Resilient Garden, Opportunities & Challenges – James Hitchmough
- Sat 7th Feb at 14:30 Shropshire group: The History and Restoration of Plas Cadnant – Anglesey – Anthony Tavenor
- Sat 7th Feb at 19:00 Galanthus group: Galanthus Supper with after Dinner Presentation
- Sun 8th Feb at 8:30 Galanthus group: AGM, Study Day and Garden Visits – Suffolk
- Sun 8th Feb at 14:00 Essex group: New Zealand 2019 – Plants, People and Gardens – Rob Potterton
- Mon 9th Feb at 19:30 Scottish and Northern Borders group: Bordering on Insanity, Creating an All-Year Round Border – Timothy Walker
- Tue 10th Feb at 19:15 Berkshire group: The English Garden – A Quest for Paradise – Gillian Taylor
- Tue 10th Feb at 19:30 Rutland group: The World of Ferns – Neil Timm
- Fri 13th Feb at 19:30 West Yorkshire group: The Winter Garden – Cathy Kitchingman & Georgina Bordewich
- Fri 13th Feb at 19:30 Nottingham group: Winter Blues – Geoff Hodge
- Sat 14th Feb at 11:00 Somerset group: A World of Sweet Peas – Phil Johnson
- Sat 14th Feb at 14:00 Monmouthshire group: Tales from the Potting Shed – Nicola Hope
- Sat 14th Feb at 14:00 Worcestershire group: Views & Vistas – A Fresh Perspective on Garden Design – Carol Smith
- Sat 14th Feb at 14:00 Cumbria group: World Garden RHS Wisley – Elizabeth Mooney
- Sat 14th Feb at 14:00 Herefordshire and Mid Wales group: Crocus through the Seasons – Anthony Goode
- Mon 16th Feb at 19:30 North West group: Wild Flowers in Greece, Crete and the Peloponnese – Cliff Bowker
- Tue 17th Feb at 19:00 Ranunculaceae group: Eranthis, They’re all Yellow Aren’t They? – Wim Boens
- Thu 19th Feb at 19:30 Galanthus group: The Galanthus DNA Project – a model for teaching real science in schools – David Leader
- Thu 19th Feb at 19:30 Hardy Geraniums group: RHS Hardy Geranium Trials at Wisley – Rosalyn Marshall, RHS trails Project Manager
- Fri 20th Feb at 19:15 Staffordshire group: AGM followed by A Short History of Flowers – Advolly Richmond
- Sat 21st Feb at 14:00 South Wales group: Container Gardening – Harriet Rycroft
- Sat 21st Feb at 14:15 Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire group: Ornamental Grasses – Robin Pearce
- Sat 21st Feb at 14:30 Hampshire group: Camellia x williamsii – Charles Williams VMH
- Sun 22nd Feb at 14:00 Sussex group: The Plants that Define Me – Edward Flint
- Sun 22nd Feb at 14:30 Kent group: A Brief History of Gardens Open to the Public – Steve Bustin
- Tue 24th Feb at 19:30 Clwyd group: Fireworks and Streams – Dawn Gough
- Wed 25th Feb at 19:30 Shade and Woodland Plants group: Heavenly Hostas – June Colley
- Sat 28th Feb at 13:45 Western Counties group: Pruning Garden Trees- Inspiring Confidence – Nick Dunn VMH
Join the Hardy Plant Society
Help us spread the benefits of plants and gardening. Our members tell us they feel relaxation, happiness, satisfaction, calmness and love from plants and gardening. We want to see these benefits reach everyone, and at the same time improve our environment.
Since 1957 we’ve been promoting plants and helping our members adapt to changes in our environment. Entirely member funded, we run a network of local groups around the country and are always looking to start more.
All memberships provide many benefits including
- The option to join any of our local or special interests groups
- Three copies of The Hardy Plant (in full colour, by post)
- Immediate access to the members area of our website with access to all our news and articles
- Free plant advice through our advisory service
- Participation in the Conservation scheme
- Participation in the Seed Distribution Scheme
- The option to subscribe to Cornucopia for an additional fee
Thank you for reading!
