Plantsman and ecologist, Kevin Hughes took over Cally Gardens in Dumfries & Galloway in 2018 following the death in 2016 of the famous plant collector Michael Wickenden, who had built up a collection of 5000 plants, hand selected from their natural environment.

When Kevin arrived in 2018, leaving behind his established specialist nursery in Wiltshire, the Victorian glasshouses had fallen into disrepair and much work was needed to restore the Gardens, which are now described as ‘a treasure trove of exotic and rare hardy plants gathered from around the globe’.

Kevin will tell the story narrating how Cally Gardens has evolved and continued as a collection of wonderful plants whilst also supporting a rich bio-diversity including nationally scarce species.

This talk will involve practical tips to combine beautiful gardening with an ethical wildlife friendly approach.

Website for Cally Gardens

Cally Gardens on Facebook

This online talk and all our lectures are FREE for Friends to access. Members of the public are welcome to join us for the live-streaming of the lecture for just £5. Please register, pay in simple online check-out and you will receive details of the Zoom link to the lecture.