POTS Gardening Club
Enjoying gardening and wildlife
Enjoying gardening and wildlife
POTS Gardening Club meets in Coney Weston Village Hall.
Last Thursday of the month - Coney Weston Village Hall - Doors open 7pm for 7:30pm
In January we meet for a social evening meal.
February /March/April we have speakers on the last Thursday of every month.
Doors open at 7pm and the talks begin at 7.30
The evening also includes a raffle and refreshments and speakers often bring plants for sale.
May/June/July and August we visit gardens and go on a coach trip to a garden further afield.
Talks begin again in September with a break for Christmas.
You can become a member of POTS by paying a £10 annual membership fee and £2 on the door.
Less frequent guests pay £3 on the door.
Subjects for talks focus on flowering plants, vegetables, garden design, famous gardens.
(2025 Events Programme below)
We have had talks about bees, butterflies, birds and bugs (friends or foes).
Also talks about specific garden plants (eucomis, sweet peas, roses etc) and gardening skills (pruning, propagating etc) … and many more topics.
We welcome new members - come and join us for friendly evenings.
For more information contact:
Penny Black: [email protected] 01953681506 or
Richard Dinnen: [email protected]
Last Thursday of the month - Coney Weston Village Hall - Doors open 7pm for 7:30pm
In January we meet for a social evening meal.
February /March/April we have speakers on the last Thursday of every month.
Doors open at 7pm and the talks begin at 7.30
The evening also includes a raffle and refreshments and speakers often bring plants for sale.
May/June/July and August we visit gardens and go on a coach trip to a garden further afield.
Talks begin again in September with a break for Christmas.
You can become a member of POTS by paying a £10 annual membership fee and £2 on the door.
Less frequent guests pay £3 on the door.
Subjects for talks focus on flowering plants, vegetables, garden design, famous gardens.
(2025 Events Programme below)
We have had talks about bees, butterflies, birds and bugs (friends or foes).
Also talks about specific garden plants (eucomis, sweet peas, roses etc) and gardening skills (pruning, propagating etc) … and many more topics.
We welcome new members - come and join us for friendly evenings.
For more information contact:
Penny Black: [email protected] 01953681506 or
Richard Dinnen: [email protected]
POTS Gardening Club - Programme for 2025 - POTS - enjoying gardening and wildlife
February 27th. Susan Jones will talk about Gardening and Wildlife. Susan is in the garden ecology team at the British Trust for Ornithology. Susan will talk about the Garden Birdwatch Survey and give tips for gardening for wildlife. POTS has enjoyed several talks from the BTO in the past!
March 27th. Andrew Sankey will talk about ‘Rethinking your Garden’. Andrew is a garden designer and author of gardening books. He has written ‘The English Cottage Garden’ and has been described as a ‘stand-out expert on this topic’. He will bring books to sell.
April 24th. Luci Skinner from ‘Greenways-Beds and Borders’ will talk about propagation. Luci is an excellent speaker and will make this practical subject interesting. Luci offers demonstrations throughout the talk and at the end for those who would like a ‘closer’ look. Luci will bring plants for sale.
Spring Extra- The owners of Calkewood in Wattisfield have agreed to let us walk round their private wood when the bluebells are out. We have opted for a Saturday afternoon in April/May but will be given date options nearer the time depending on when the bluebells come into flower. No charge, donations requested for charity. Refreshments will be provided at Wattisfield Chapel (URC). We have visited the wood before, and it was a very lovely experience.
May 29th Private visit to Pulham Cottage, Wetherden, Stowmarket, IP14 3LQ. A country cottage garden set in one and a half acres, divided into rooms, with lots of colour and interesting herbaceous planting. Our host is Susanne, there will be refreshments, and the charge will be £8. Parking for 10 cars, so we will need to car share.
June 28th (note this is a Saturday). 2p.m. Private visit to Smallwood Farmhouse, Smallwood Green, Bradfield St George, Bury St Edmunds, IP30 OAJ. Our hosts are Catherine and Philip Doe. ‘This garden is a combination of traditional planting and contemporary styles. At its heart a C16 farmhouse provides the backdrop to a number of old English roses, a profusion of clematis and honeysuckle and a variety of perennials. There are 2 natural ponds, a Mediterranean garden, a productive kitchen garden, whilst paths meander through an area of ancient meadow’. The cost will be £10, including refreshments. Parking in the farmer’s field opposite with parking at the house for anyone with restricted mobility.
July 12th. Coney Weston has an Open Gardens’ Day. Several members of POTS will have their gardens open. Committee member Barbara and husband Roger have kindly suggested that members (including Greenfingers members) and regular guests could finish the day by looking round their garden. (Meadow View,1 Vine Close, Coney Weston, IP31 1HP) and stay for a social opportunity and a glass of wine. This would be from 5 p.m.
August TBA
September 25th Bryan Thurlow. The Perennial Mr Potter + plants. Bryan is an actor. This is a performance piece in which Mr Horace Potter tells of the fifty years he spent working in the garden at Glebe House in Suffolk- from gardener’s boy to main gardener. Mr Potter, complete with his potting bench, tells the story with an authentic Suffolk accent. (Bryan was brought up locally and his father worked for Hoggs at one time). There will also be a bring and buy plant and produce sale.
October 30th Annual General Meeting. Followed by: -
Neil Dickinson who will talk about Japanese Gardens -what, why and how. The peace and reflective calm of Japanese gardens and garden style is admired across the world, but what are the elements that contribute to this style, why do they feature and how are they used and maintained?
November 27th Jim Payne Botanical Gardens: a grand tour. This talk explores the history and purpose of botanical gardens, illustrated with beautiful images throughout and then takes a closer look at a handful of gardens from far distant continents to the world-class Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and the University of Cambridge Botanical Garden.
December 11th-Christmas Crafts with Jean. 2.30p.m.
2026
January 29th - Social Dinner
February 26th - Terry O’Donoghue. History of the Abbey Gardens
March-26th - Nigel Last from Suffolk Plant Heritage
February 27th. Susan Jones will talk about Gardening and Wildlife. Susan is in the garden ecology team at the British Trust for Ornithology. Susan will talk about the Garden Birdwatch Survey and give tips for gardening for wildlife. POTS has enjoyed several talks from the BTO in the past!
March 27th. Andrew Sankey will talk about ‘Rethinking your Garden’. Andrew is a garden designer and author of gardening books. He has written ‘The English Cottage Garden’ and has been described as a ‘stand-out expert on this topic’. He will bring books to sell.
April 24th. Luci Skinner from ‘Greenways-Beds and Borders’ will talk about propagation. Luci is an excellent speaker and will make this practical subject interesting. Luci offers demonstrations throughout the talk and at the end for those who would like a ‘closer’ look. Luci will bring plants for sale.
Spring Extra- The owners of Calkewood in Wattisfield have agreed to let us walk round their private wood when the bluebells are out. We have opted for a Saturday afternoon in April/May but will be given date options nearer the time depending on when the bluebells come into flower. No charge, donations requested for charity. Refreshments will be provided at Wattisfield Chapel (URC). We have visited the wood before, and it was a very lovely experience.
May 29th Private visit to Pulham Cottage, Wetherden, Stowmarket, IP14 3LQ. A country cottage garden set in one and a half acres, divided into rooms, with lots of colour and interesting herbaceous planting. Our host is Susanne, there will be refreshments, and the charge will be £8. Parking for 10 cars, so we will need to car share.
June 28th (note this is a Saturday). 2p.m. Private visit to Smallwood Farmhouse, Smallwood Green, Bradfield St George, Bury St Edmunds, IP30 OAJ. Our hosts are Catherine and Philip Doe. ‘This garden is a combination of traditional planting and contemporary styles. At its heart a C16 farmhouse provides the backdrop to a number of old English roses, a profusion of clematis and honeysuckle and a variety of perennials. There are 2 natural ponds, a Mediterranean garden, a productive kitchen garden, whilst paths meander through an area of ancient meadow’. The cost will be £10, including refreshments. Parking in the farmer’s field opposite with parking at the house for anyone with restricted mobility.
July 12th. Coney Weston has an Open Gardens’ Day. Several members of POTS will have their gardens open. Committee member Barbara and husband Roger have kindly suggested that members (including Greenfingers members) and regular guests could finish the day by looking round their garden. (Meadow View,1 Vine Close, Coney Weston, IP31 1HP) and stay for a social opportunity and a glass of wine. This would be from 5 p.m.
August TBA
September 25th Bryan Thurlow. The Perennial Mr Potter + plants. Bryan is an actor. This is a performance piece in which Mr Horace Potter tells of the fifty years he spent working in the garden at Glebe House in Suffolk- from gardener’s boy to main gardener. Mr Potter, complete with his potting bench, tells the story with an authentic Suffolk accent. (Bryan was brought up locally and his father worked for Hoggs at one time). There will also be a bring and buy plant and produce sale.
October 30th Annual General Meeting. Followed by: -
Neil Dickinson who will talk about Japanese Gardens -what, why and how. The peace and reflective calm of Japanese gardens and garden style is admired across the world, but what are the elements that contribute to this style, why do they feature and how are they used and maintained?
November 27th Jim Payne Botanical Gardens: a grand tour. This talk explores the history and purpose of botanical gardens, illustrated with beautiful images throughout and then takes a closer look at a handful of gardens from far distant continents to the world-class Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and the University of Cambridge Botanical Garden.
December 11th-Christmas Crafts with Jean. 2.30p.m.
2026
January 29th - Social Dinner
February 26th - Terry O’Donoghue. History of the Abbey Gardens
March-26th - Nigel Last from Suffolk Plant Heritage