Norwell Nurseries are a small nursery specialising in choice and unusual herbaceous perennials and alpines. The nursery is based around a one acre plantsman's garden which holds over 2,000 different species and is also open during nursery hours. (Also open for guided visits see below). Areas of particular interest include, Woodland, hot beds (mid-summer reds, orange and yellow beds) daisy beds, (late summer-autumn colour) scree areas, bell flower beds around the patio with Penstemons, Campanulas and Dieramas, colour themes beds and large herbaceous borders. One area where visitors often congregate to is the large pond beautifully and naturally planted with bog gardens.
Andrew lectures widely throughout the country undertaking approximately 50 talks a year in Feb, March, April and then Sept, Oct and the beginning of Nov. He has been asked to give key note talks at prestigious events such as The Hardy Plant Society Autumn Weekends and Annual General Meetings as well as regular monthly meetings to regional Hardy Plant Societies, regional NCCPG groups, local gardening groups, florist groups and WI's. He is often booked over two years in advance of the talk.
The following talks, the slides for which are taken in our gardens, are designed to be enjoyable as well as informative, are available:
Plants that Excite
A personal selection, mainly of herbaceous perennial plants that evoke my passion. These are a mixture of unusual varieties of more common plants and some rarer ones which are just as "growable".
Delightful Daisies
The Asteraceae / Compositae are a large and very varied group from cheerful perennial sunflowers to the spheres of the Echinops there is something (including surprises) for everyone. It concentrates, in particular, on mildew resistant Asters and also Hardy Chrysanthemums which are good border plants and do not need lifting. This is an excellent late summer / autumn talk.
Scents and Desirability?
This talk tries to unravel the mysteries of why plants produce both scented flowers and aromatic foliage. It looks into the methods employed by plants to attract pollinating insects and animals and then gives illustrations of why we should use scent to its full in our garden. Finishing with some of the plants which should be grown for scent alone.
Indispensable plants
A selection of more uncommon plants which, for a variety of reasons, are a must in our garden.
The merits of short as well as long flowering plants
We are always being exhorted to have gardens continually full of colour, but this talk examines why every garden should have at least a few plants which flower for only a short period of time. It compares them with some of their longer flowered brethren.
A Year of Garden Colour:
A talk concentrating on autumn, winter & early spring flower colour to try to make us venture out on the darkest of days.
Woodland Gems (The shade stealers)
Some of the most outstanding plants which we can grow in our gardens are happy in shade. This talk illustrates the harbingers of spring with Erythroniums, Orchids, Meconopsis and sinister Arisaemas , and shows that even autumn need not be bereft of flower colour and plant interest in the shady garden. Also shows an easy way to make a peat bed to make these plants accessible to all gardeners. Good spring talk.
Marvellous Mints and Perfect Poppies
A selection of my favourites from these two diverse plant families, including the best of the spiky Salvias, Ajugas and Phlomis contrasting with the diaphanous chalices of Papavers, Meconopsis and Sanguinarias.
Plant and Prejudice
We all have distinct prejudices on the plants we grow this talk looks at these plants and challenges our perception and offers alternatives. Includes variegated plants, doubles, flower colour, annuals, pokers and day lilies.
Beautiful Buttercups and Priceless Polemoniums.
(New for 2011) A look at the many and varied plants that make up the large family of Ranunculaceae and the much smaller Polemoniaceae including: Aconitum, Actaea, Anemone, Aquilegea, Clematis, Delphinium Hellebore, Ranunculus, Thalictrums and the Phloxes.
Fabulous Foliage
(New for 2011) Even those of us devoted to 'Flower' gardens gradually come to see the value of foliage. This talk looks at the role and worth of differing leaves and leaf effects, but not to the exclusion of flowers.
Prices
Minimum charge (2012) for talks depending on number of members your group has. There will be additional charges for weekend talks and the distance to travel. (WI's +50% if selling charge)
| Members |
Price |
| < 25 |
£50 |
| 25 - 50 |
£75 |
| 50 - 75 |
£95 |
| 75 - 100 |
£110 |
100-200
|
£140 |
| >200 | £200 |
There is also a travel cost of 40p per mile. Please do not hesitate to contact me for further information, especially to see if a particular talk is the most suitable for your organisation.
Summer visits
Groups are welcome by appointment during late May, June and July for day or evening visits. We are also getting more day group visits in September and October. Coach parties or private cars equally welcome. Groups are taken around the gardens being shown plants of particular interest and questions answered. Duration from 90 mins. to 2 hrs+. Cost for garden visit which includes tour, delicious home made cakes, tea or coffee is £4.00 a head. The nursery will be open at the end of the visit for any purchases.
Testimonials
The following unsolicited testimonials have been gratefully received. The originals are held here and can be viewed on request:
Talks
Hi Andrew,
On behalf of all of our members, I'd like to thank you for a very entertaining evening on Wednesday. The slides were wonderful, and the talk itself was both interesting and informative. I don't know whether you noticed or not, but a lot of pencils appeared and much jotting down was done, which is always a good sign! It was good to see you again, and thank you also for bringing along some plants - very few of our speakers do that and it's always nice to have a rummage! Thank you once more, and we hope to invite you again in the near future.
Andrew,
Thanks again for your talk on Saturday - it was very well received, and rightly so!
Dear Andrew,
We can not thank you enough for your excellent and most professional presentation last night. Members commented that you were the best speaker we had had for a long while! Your level of knowledge, anecdotes and very useful information on the plants you grow, made for a most enjoyable evening.
Many thanks once again,
Hi Andrew, thank you so much for such an entertaining lecture, it will be hard to beat. You will be pleased to hear there is much enthusiasm to visit you in the Spring. Many thanks for getting the Garden Club off to such a brilliant start
Dear Andrew,
We very much enjoyed your visit and the comprehensive guide to the daisy family with its many desirable plants-all beautifully illustrated by the professional quality of your slides. It was a pleasure to listen to your advice delivered with wit and humour too;- you certainly know your hardy planters!.....Thank you too for bringing plants for sale and for the raffle,we always appreciate the opportunity to find a more intersting range of plants than is often available locally.
With very best wishes..
Dear Andrew,
Well I hope you gathered that we all enjoyed your talk enormously. AND particularly enjoyed browsing through your beautiful plants- Tricyrtis Tojen is looking fabulous in this garden. ........ we hope to see you again before too long.....
Dear Andrew,
Thank you for coming to Cumbria and giving your excellent lecture "Marvelous mints and Perfect Poppies" .... the quality of the slides was superb, with some beautiful examples of some very attractive flowers... thank you once again for giving us such an interesting, entertaining and informative evening.
P.S. I look forward to planting my lovely collection of plants I bought from you.