this month's flower
Edgworth and District Horticultural Society
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Chris Beardshaw

Chris BeardshawChris Beardshaw, TV gardener and author, proved to be a big draw in October 2013, our 40th Anniversary year, with another full-capacity sell-out. The room was buzzing with anticipation and all present were not disappointed. What an evening! Chris did a 3-hour session with 2 talks separated by a refreshment break, during which the enthralled audience enjoyed tea and cakes and he signed copies of his latest book whilst chatting to members of the Society and their friends.

His first talk was about Furzey Gardens at Lyndhurst in the New Forest, which is a Charitable Trust and provides opportunities for people with learning difficulties. He explained how the gardens have been rescued from neglect using these students who have developed skills to the extent that they, with Chris, produced a Gold Medal winning garden for the 2012 Chelsea Flower Show which was also voted ‘People’s Choice’. He introduced us to the ‘Just for now’ principle of garden design.

Barely pausing for breath after the interval, Chris then got back on stage and spoke for another hour about his new book ‘100 Plants that (almost) changed the World’ which was a light-hearted and fascinating insight into the links between plants and history. He explained the derivation of the word ‘garden’ from ‘paradise’. Not only is Chris extremely knowledgeable about horticulture, he is also an excellent, humorous and enthusiastic speaker with a modest demeanour, who kept the audience entertained until they eventually departed, well satisfied with their evening, a little after 10:30pm. Meanwhile Chris was setting off to drive to Anglesey, where he was working next day. What a performer and what an enjoyable evening! Most agreed it was the best talk the Society had ever had.

The raffle prize was a signed copy of his book which raised £166 for Arthritis Research UK, a charity close to Chris’s heart.

Evening News Article Chris Beardshaw - Evening News article

Evening News Article PDF

Photo Gallery Chris Beardshaw in relaxed mood

Images courtesy of Bolton News