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15th October 2018 - James Cross : The History & Development of the Bishop’s Palace Gardens.

15^th October 2018

James Cross

The History & Development of the Bishop’s Palace Gardens.

James Cross has been Head Gardener at the Bishop’s Palace since 2004. Before this, James worked for the National Trust at The Courts in Wiltshire, Sissinghurst and Sheffield Park.

James was trained at Hadlow College in Horticulture and Landscape Management. James lives in an apartment at the Palace with his wife Michaela and their two young sons.

In 2016, the gardens were acknowledged by the Royal Horticultural Society, by being made a “Partner Garden”. This status is awarded to gardens of “outstanding and exceptionally high standards of planting and design”

See the full details here, and read the speaker programme for the rest of the year.

Garden Visits

There is always an interesting and full programme of garden visits. Places are always limited and often fill up quickly. Visits are announced in the Newsletter and bookings are by post only. Details will be enclosed with the Newsletter. From 2012, due to the high demand for garden trips, only members will be able to apply in the first instance. Guests will be placed on a waiting list. After 6 weeks from the date of member application, guests will be allocated any remaining places.

See here for the programme of garden visits.

This friendly and thriving gardening group was started in 1993 following a series of horticultural courses given locally by Mary Payne MBE, a much respected and well loved garden expert. Such was the enthusiasm stirred up by these sociable and informative weekly gatherings, that several students decided to form a club to enable all garden lovers to meet on a regular basis with like minded people, and be inspired by renowned speakers.

A programme of 10/11 lectures are arranged each year. These are held on the third Monday of the month (apart from December) in the Methodist Hall, Silver Street, Nailsea, 7.30 p.m. for an 8.00 p.m. start. Each lecture lasts around an hour with questions and answers at the end.

The Lectures cover a varied programme to cater for all tastes and are given by local, national and international speakers. From garden design, specific plant groups and travelogues to individual gardens such as Yeo Valley Organic Garden, Sissinghurst, The Shakespeare Trust Gardens and The Bishops Palace Garden, Wells.

Due to our large membership, we have been able to attract such well-known horticulturalists as Matthew Wilson, Roy Lancaster, and Jekka McVicar and many other excellent speakers.

Day trips to gardens are organised at various times of the year, with the aim of visiting the less well known prestigious gardens that aren’t usually open to the public. Fagus also organises longer visits to gardens further afield, both at home and abroad. These have proved extremely popular with members.

Please click on the links to discover more about Fagus, in particular click here or see the “Membership” page to discover the benefits of becoming a member.

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