Talks offered by Dr Andrew Ward,
Norwell Nurseries,
Woodhouse Road,
Norwell, Newark
Notts. NG23 6JX.
Tel 01636 636337.
Email:
wardha@aol.com 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. New for 2007 is a large pond 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 Meeetings 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 new talk for 2007. 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
Another new talk for 2007. 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.
Prices
Approx. charge (2008) for talks depending on number of people attending. (WI's +50% if selling charge)
| Members attending |
Price |
| < 25 |
£40 |
| 25 - 50 |
£65 |
| 50 - 75 |
£80 |
| 75 - 100 |
£90 |
| 100 - 150 |
£110 |
| > 150 |
£140 |
There is also a travel cost of 35p 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. 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 £3.00 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 to ****** again in the
near future.
Andrew,
Thanks again for your talk on Saturday - it was very well received, and rightly so!
Yours*****
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,
*****
MAIL ORDER:
Dear Sir or Madam,
Thank you for the lovely plants which arrived last Friday. They survived the journey well, being beautifully packed. We hope for a good season of bloom.
Yours faithfully
*****
Dear Dr Ward,
As usual the plants arrived in superb condition. Thanks for your consideration,
Yours sincerely,
*****