Perennial (formerly The Gardeners Royal Benevolent Society) is the UK’s only charity dedicated to helping everyone who works in horticulture, and their families, when times get tough.

In this lecture, David Wyndham Lewis will provide a short history of Perennial from it’s inception in 1839 until the present day; he will also talk about Perennial’s three Gardens that they maintain and which are open to the public: York Gate near Leeds, Fullers Mill in Suffolk and The Laskett Gardens in Herefordshire, formerly belonging to Sir Roy Strong and donated to Perennial in 2021. He will answer any questions about the Gardens and their relationship to Perennial’s core mission.

This talk will also include an insight into Perennial’s 2022 RHS Chelsea Flower Show Garden The Perennial Garden ‘With Love’designed by Richard Miers and winner of the People’s Award.

David was Head Gardener at the Roof Gardens in Kensington for Virgin and is himself an award-winning gardener and garden designer. He has designed gardens small and large across the UK, Europe and Africa. He now lives in Lincolnshire where he is creating a new one-acre 21st century country garden for himself. David has been a supporter of Perennial for many years, and now works for the charity.

Find out more about Perennial: website Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube

York Gate Garden Website York Gate on Instagram

Fullers Mill Garden website Fullers Mill on Instagram

The Laskett website The Laskett on Instagram

This talk and all our lectures are FREE for Friends of the Botanical Gardens to attend. Members of the public are also welcome to join us on payment of £5 at the door on the day. Live talks are held in the Education Centre in the grounds of the Botanical Gardens - easily accessed via the Thompson Road Entrance.

Images: Top: The Laskett; Bottom left: York Gate; Bottom right: Fullers Mill (all copyright Clive Nichols)