Our next online lecture is by horticulturalist James Miller on Tuesday 7th September at 10.30am. He’ll tell us about the creation of a new Astilbe National Collection at RHS Wisley garden.

In a recent survey, the Botanical Gardens were ranked the fifth most popular garden in the UK, based on internet searches. Parks and gardens have of course proved enormously popular during the pandemic, and the Gardens have been a refuge and haven for many of us.

We’ll be at this weekend’s Art in The Gardens (4th & 5th September). Come and say hello at stall G25, where Friends will be on hand with information plus books, bags, mugs and more available to buy.

Join us for what may be our last pop-up plant sale of the year, this Saturday (28th August) from 2pm to 4pm. It will take place at 47 Slayleigh Lane, Fulwood S10 3RG. We’ll have a range of unusual garden plants, most in 2-litre pots. Payment by cash or card. Advice will be on hand about siting and cultivation.

Join us on Tuesday 24th August at 1pm for a public guided tour of the Gardens. Meet at the Main Gatehouse on Clarkehouse Road at 12.50. There’s no need to book. You can just turn up. All tours include a range of sites in the Gardens with a special monthly focus. For August we’ll be exploring the new South Africa garden in Osborn’s Field.

Thanks to Dr Ken Thompson for a thought-provoking and highly entertaining lecture on the myths and emotions behind our classification of plants and animals as ‘native’ or ‘alien.’ A recording of the lecture is now available to view on the password-protected Friends Area of the website.

Our next online lecture is by Dr Ken Thompson on Tuesday 17th August. In a talk entitled Where do Camels Belong? Ken will discuss a number of questions: Where do plants and animals belong? And is that the same thing as where they’re native? What does ‘native’ mean anyway? Does it have any kind of time limit? Should it? And what should be our attitude to natives and aliens?

We’re delighted to have a small number of the Florilegium Society’s new book available for purchase in our online shop. Called A Florilegium: Sheffield’s Hidden Garden, the book celebrates some of the plants at the Botanical Gardens in beautiful illustrations by members of the Society, alongside informative plant profiles.

Thanks to the 260 people from around 25 countries who signed up for our Urban Planting symposium. Tickets sales have realised over £6,300 towards the restoration of the James Hitchmough prairie at the Gardens. The event was very well received and, in response to several requests, we are now offering access to the recording of the four talks for a limited period.

We can’t wait for the urban planting symposium we’re hosting tomorrow (4th August)! Four world-class researchers will talk about the plants and designs they use in the face of climate change and the loss of biodiversity. All the proceeds will be used for the restoration of the prairie designed by James Hitchmough at the Gardens.

We’re delighted to launch our programme of public tours of the Gardens. Planned in Autumn 2019, but put on hold because of the pandemic, the first one finally took place this week - and was a big success!

Our next pop-up plant sale is this Sunday (1st August) from 11am till 3pm. It will be on the lower lawns of the Botanical Gardens, near the Dorothy Fox Education Centre. Lots of unusual garden plants available, all at sensible prices, and with advice on hand about suitable locations and care.

Thanks to Patrick for giving us a wonderful talk this morning on the rival histories of Wentworth Woodhouse and Wentworth Castle, and for sharing his archival prints and commissioned images of the two estates. A copy of the lecture is now in the password-protected Friends Area of this website.

Our next online lecture is by the splendid Dr Patrick Eyres. He will talk to us on Tuesday 20th July about Wentworth Castle and Wentworth Woodhouse, two Georgian rivals united through 21st-century restoration and public access.

Our next pop-up plant sale is Saturday 17 July from 11am till 1pm at 145 High Storrs Rd S11 7LG.

Come and browse a large selection of garden plants, plus copies of the new Florilegium book and other merchandise. We’ll also be offering refreshments for £5. Please book your place for tea and home-made cakes by emailing Christine at fobs.talksandtours@gmail.com.