Hampshire - Alpine Garden Society

Monthly meetings consist of a lecture / presentation, raffle, plant sale and display table. In April we hold our annual plant sale at one of our open garden events. Garden visits are arranged throughout the year. We host a series of meetings at Chilworth Hall (Sep-Nov and Mar-May) plus Zoom lectures and events through the winter months (Dec-Feb).

Welcome

Welcome to the Hampshire Alpine Garden Society Webpage.

Our friendly, active group has been established since October 1962 and one or two original members still turn up occasionally!

We currently have a healthy membership of 70+ and they range from those new to alpine gardening to experts with a wealth of experience.

We have an excellent programme of lectures on a wide range of topics, always stimulating and interesting. There is plenty of opportunity to chat to other members of the group. We have refreshments, a raffle, plant sales table and a display table each month.

Plant Sales, which we all look forward to with much excitement, take place at our Open Garden events! Several open garden events are organised in February, March/April and May/June. These are very convivial events and give members the chance to socialise in a garden setting.

Membership of our group is open to all – you don’t ave to be an AGS member, although always recommended to enjoy the wider benefits of the Society. Do come along as a visitor and see if you’d like to join us regularly. You would be most welcome.

Contact Information

Contact Information

Ben Parmee (Secretary): Tel: 02380 265672 or 07501 083504

Subscriptions

AGS members: £10. (Joint £14)
Non-members: £11.00. (Joint £15)
Visitors: £2.50 (per meeting)
Students: Free

Next meeting

Hampshire Alpine Garden Society

at Chilworth Hall

7.00 for 7.30pm Thursday, 23rd April 2026

Guest Speaker – Caroline Seymour

‘Czech Rock Gardens’

Caroline is a long-standing member of the AGS, previously serving on the Board of the Society. She is currently chairman of the Dorset local group and has been a member of the Hampshire Group for many years. She has travelled with the AGS plant-hunting several times to South America and also in Europe.

This talk is drawn from two Czech Rock Gardeners Society international conferences held in 2017 and 2023 when she visited many private and public gardens.’ (The next conference has been announced for May 2027.)

For more info: Email Ben.Parmee@alpinegardensociety.org / ring 07501 083504

Directions / venue http://chilworthhants.org.uk/index.php/village-hall/

Events Programme

2025 – 2026 Programme of Meetings and Talks

2025

25 September 2025 – at Chilworth Hall

Tony Goode – A contributor to the AGS Bulletin, writing about his experiences with alpines. Tony grows a wide range of bulbs and used to hold a National Collection of Crocus species. He raises many plants from seed and has exhibited at AGS Shows.

Peaks and Troughs – Alpines from the mountain to the garden with a focus on growing in troughs.

23 October 2025 – Open Meeting – at Chilworth Hall

John Mitchell – John is the Horticultural Supervisor at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, who has been recognised by the AGS for his outstanding work in the Gardens. He has been awarded the Society’s prestigious Lyttel Trophy. John has overseen the redesign of the Rock Garden, which is one of the finest in Britain. He also manages the Alpine House and Courtyard and a number of rare and unusual alpines and small bulbs.

Travels in China

27 November 2025 – at Chilworth Hall

Tom Freeth – Tom is a professional horticulturist and botanist with a life-long love of wild plants and high places. Works at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew looking after the curation of the Living Collections. Formerly the curator and supervisor of the Alpine and Rock Garden Living Collection at Kew.

‘From Mont Blanc to Mercantour’

11 December 2025 – via Zoom

Festive meeting – our usual mix of members’ photographs, short talk(s) and our favourite challenging quiz.

2026

22 January 2026 – via Zoom

Harry Jans – is a passionate plant explorer, rock gardener for more almost 40 years, founder member of the Dutch Rock Garden Society and was its president for 6 years. Harry organises botanical tours and/or lead them to all corners of the world. In 2000 he received an Award of Honour from the Alpine Garden Society and in 2014 he received the prestigious AGS Lyttel Trophy. He is a regular on the lecture circuit, again worldwide. His garden is well known for his tufa wall.

‘Following the trails of the pilgrims to Gosainkunda’

26 February 2026 – Via Zoom

Jim Jermyn – is well known for being the owner of Edrom Nursery before moving on to run the National Trust for Scotland’s Branklyn Garden. Jim is now retired and happily carrying out Consultancy for a garden restoration project in Perthshire as well as volunteering in the RBGE Alpine Dept. in between spending time with his wife Alison visiting family in Spain and Germany. Jim was fortunate to be asked to represent NZ Alpine Garden Society as their Steve Newell Travelling Speaker in 2023. This talk is a small snapshot from his trip, hosted by Hamish Brown.

‘New Zealand’s Alpine Wonderland’

26 March 2026 – at Chilworth Hall

Rick Lambert – Throughout his life Rick had a fascination with Plants and Geology and especially of Alpine Plants and Mountains. He built his first rock garden when he was 14 and joined the Alpine Garden Society over 60 years ago. He retired from teaching 20 years ago and began visiting the mountains in Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Austria, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Greece, Crete, Patagonia and China.

Flora of Western Crete.

23 April 2026 – at Chilworth Hall

Caroline Seymour – is a long-standing member of the AGS and is currently chairman of the Dorset local group. She has travelled with the AGS plant-hunting several times to South America and also in Europe.

Czech Rock Gardens – This talk is drawn from two Czech Rock Gardeners Society international conferences held in 2017 and 2023 when she visited many private and public gardens.’ (The next conference has been announced for May 2027.)

28 May 2026 – at Chilworth Hall

Oliver Cheney – Oli has taken on the role of Digital Manager at the AGS and is now involved in all things Social Media and much more. He was also instrumental in the success of the AGS stand at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show stand. Oli is also a tour guide and travels widely across Europe and beyond. His social media posts demonstrate his passion for alpines.

‘Mt Olympus, Alpine Jewels in the Lap of the Gods’

Open Garden Event and Plant Sale

Next Hampshire Group Open Garden Event

April 2026 – Date to be confirmed

Paddy and Ben Parmee open their garden for spring alpines and the Group’s annual plant sale during the spring. There are expected to be several open garden events in 2026. Paddy and Ben’s alpine garden featured on Gardeners World, in 2022 and various magazine articles have been written/photographed in and about their garden, including in 2025 a Podcast feature was recorded and published. An article is due to be published in ‘The Garden’ (RHS) in spring 2026.

The garden is opened in February showing Paddy’s large collection of Snowdrops, March/April for early alpines and late May/early June for later spring flowers. Each opening also features a plant sale and Paddy’s wonderful cakes.

AGS Members and friends are invited to join Paddy and Ben at their garden in Chandlers Ford to enjoy Alpines at their best.

AGS Groups – if you would like to arrange a visit specifically for your Group, please contact Ben to arrange a date. (Details Below)

Details:

Venue: 179 Hursley Road, Chandlers Ford, Hampshire, SO53 1JH

Entry: Free entry – donations for refreshments to support Hampshire AGS.

Date and Time: To be confirmed

Parking: Please park in Cuckoo Bushes Lane 50 metres to the North or other nearby street parking.

We look forward to seeing many of you on xxx.

Best wishes Paddy and Ben

Please contact the Secretary on 07501 083504 or 02380 265672; Email Ben.Parmee@alpinegardensociety.org

Open Garden Events

Open garden events are held regularly during the spring and are generally held in February for snowdrops and other early bulbs, in March/April for later bulbs and spring alpines and in May/June for later alpines and Himalayan specialist plants. At all events refreshments will be available and there will be a plant sale.

Entry to all events is free and we welcome donations for refreshments, the profits from which go to support Group funds.

Next open garden event:

Date/s and Time: To be confirmed, likely to be in April

Venue: 179 Hursley Road, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO53 1JH

Parking: Please park in Cuckoo Bushes Lane approx. 50m to the North.

Contact: For further information please see ‘Contact Information’ above.

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