Upcoming Events

Spring Meeting: 11th and 12th May, 2024

Saturday 11th May

On the afternoon of Saturday 11th May, we’ll be heading to Wakehurst Place, home to a beautiful mansion originally built in the 16th century that together with over 500 acres of woodlands, wetlands and meadows is managed by Kew Gardens. It is also the site of the Millenium Seed Bank, an astonishing conservation project which currently contains 2.4 billion seeds. The Wakehurst estate was purchased by keen plantsman and collector Gerald Loder in 1902, son to Sir Robert, who owned High Beeches and brother to Edmund who went on to purchase Leonardslee – all now historically important gardens within fifteen miles of each other.

Wakehurst Place is home to many fine maples, with most of the species planted throughout the woodland areas but I have to say that my favourite part of the garden is from the lake in front of the mansion down to the water gardens. This area is home to some of the oldest Acer palmatum cultivars, with many wonderful old members of the Dissectum Group providing a grounding for the new plantings of maples that have been carried out along the stream and new boardwalk.


A large dissected Japanese Maple at Wakehurst Place

Sunday 12th May

The spreading branches of a venerable Field Maple, at Borde Hill

Sunday 12th May will be spent in the glorious environs of Borde Hill, with its astonishing collection of historically important trees and the added bonus of being on the same day as the Spring Plant Fair, run by a group of small, independent nurseries with plenty of plants to tempt our members.


Borde Hill has a fine collection of Champion Trees (those listed by the Tree Register of the British Isles as extraordinary specimens in height, girth etc.) and one not to be missed is Acer fulvescens which most likely dates from E. H. Wilson’s 1908 collection, measuring around 12 metres (40 feet) in 2015. There are also fine examples of Acer buergerianum, Acer henryi and Acer miyabei, all of which are worth a detour to find. Perhaps one of the most astonishing trees to see is a humble Acer campestre or Field Maple – with a height exceeding 18 metres (60 feet) and a girth of over 3.5 metres (12 feet), it is quite simply awe-inspiring.

For further information about this meeting, please email [email protected]

Members’ Maple Day in Dorset: Saturday 13th July, 2024

Barthelemy & Co. Japanese Maples will be offering a 10% discount exclusively for members today. Barthelemy is a long-established family-run business that grafts a huge range of Acer palmatum cultivars and grows maples from carefully selected seed. Formerly a wholesale nursery, they now retail Japanese maples of all sizes.

Address: 262 Wimborne Road West, Stapehill, Dorset, BH21 2DZ.

Opening times: 9.00am – 1.00pm and 2.00pm – 4.00pm

Website: www.barthelemymaples.co.uk

Not too far away in Corfe Mullen, Jan and Mike Walker invite members to their garden today (and on other days by appointment). Mike has a collection of maple seedlings, cultivars and species in a 1 acre, predominantly woodland garden. Jan takes no credit for the garden, but will be offering tea/coffee and cake between 10am and 5pm.

If you would like to attend either or both of these events, please let Jan know via [email protected] to register your interest and for further details