Tender Shoots Garden Club Network

12/02/2026

Zoom talk Thursday 12th February 7.30pm
www.TenderShoots.uk

Mark Johnston – Giant trees of Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific coast

Dr Mark Johnston is an independent scholar of arboriculture, landscape and urban forestry with over fifty years’ experience in the ‘tree world.’ Recognised as a pioneer in the development of urban forestry internationally, he has acted as consultant to the Countryside Commission and Forestry Commission in the development of the national programme for the Community Forests Initiative. He is also the main author of Trees in Towns II.
Mark's contribution to trees and the urban environment has been widely acknowledged with several prestigious national and international awards. Mark is the first person from Britain or Ireland to receive the International Society of Arboriculture's Award of Merit: the highest honour it can bestow. He is a prolific author having published some 60 academic papers, numerous magazine articles and several books.
See more on www.markjohnstontrees.com

08/02/2026

Zoom talk Wednesday 11th February 7.30pm
www.TenderShoots.uk

Adam Pasco – The Flower Bulb Calendar (How to get colour throughout the year)

A leading gardening journalist in the UK for over 40 years, Adam successfully launched and then edited BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine. He was also editor of Garden News, Garden Answers, BBC Easy Gardening, Waitrose Garden magazine, and a columnist for the Daily Telegraph. He has made guest appearances on Gardeners’ World and Gardeners’ Question Time.
He runs a popular YouTube channel with 24k subscribers
www.youtube.com/-Gardening-Guides

01/02/2026

Zoom talk - Friday 6th February 8pm

Alison Marsden - Social & therapeutic horticulture practitioner & consultant
'How to create a great front garden'

www.TenderShoots.uk

Alison Marsden, founder of Gardening by Design and a believer that all gardening should be a source of joy and fufilment. After providing gardening advice face to face and online to householders and gardening clubs for over 10 years I now specialise in the power of gardening to support our mental wellbeing and play a part in the personal recovery of mental health service users.
Since 2016 I have been running social and therapeutic horticulture sessions for groups including residents in care homes, hospice day therapy and Dementia Cafés. I provide consultancy and training for organisations wishing to create their own therapeutic gardening programme.
Whether on the horticultural or mental health side success comes from blending an understanding of the science with practical experience and focus on the needs of the individual. I always (try to) explain the Why as well as the How of any activity I recommend.

18/01/2026

Zoom details on www.TenderShoots.uk
Gardening Sustainably & the Tanera Mòr Project by Maggie Tran
Monday 26th January 7.30pm
Join environmental gardener and project leader Maggie Tran for an inspiring online talk exploring the principles of sustainable gardening and the story behind the innovative Tanera Mòr Project.
In this thought-provoking session, Maggie will share practical approaches to reducing environmental impact in the garden—from soil health and water conservation to planting for biodiversity and climate resilience. She’ll also introduce the Tanera Mòr Project, a visionary initiative that brings together community, ecology, and education to reimagine how we interact with cultivated landscapes.
Whether you’re looking to make your own gardening practices more sustainable or are curious about larger-scale environmental projects, this talk offers fresh ideas, real-world experience, and plenty of motivation to garden with a lighter footprint.

11/01/2026

Details on www.TenderShoots.uk

Zoom talk January 15th Thursday 7.30pm – ‘Ashwood Specialities’ Hellebores, Hepaticas, Cyclamen, Salvia, Hydrangea, Snowdrops and more
by Samantha Hopes from www.hopesgardenplants.co.uk

04/01/2026

Zoom talk Tuesday 6th Jan 7.30pm

'Plants from strange places (Australian & NZ plants)' by Simon Gulliver

Zoom details on www.TenderShoots.uk

03/01/2026

Our first zoom talk of 2026. Tonight we have Edward Flint giving a zoom talk on 'My Woodland Garden:A Robinsonian Dream' Saturday 3rd January 7.30pm.

See details on programme page of
www.TenderShoots.uk

29/04/2025

Our FINAL zoom talk for the season tonight, Dieramas (Angels Fishing Rods) by Ruth Plant, 7.30pm
Details on www.tendershoots.uk

30/10/2024

Tonight Wed Oct 30th – Totally Tulips - Pip Smith
A comprehensive guide to growing these colourful spring bulbs
Details on
www.tendershoots.uk

28/10/2024

Tonight Mon Oct 28th – Saul Walker – Woodland Gardening: The art of Growing in Shade
Saul Walker is well-known in the industry, you may have seen him at an RHS show as a speaker or expert panelist. He's worked for the National Trust, Kew, is a Trustee for the HPS & a British Orchid Council judge.
Details on
www.tendershoots.uk

19/10/2024

'Dragonflies Devil's Darning Needle' - Our next zoom talk is Wednesday 23rd October 2024 7.30pm
Dragonflies which are the essence of summer and source of beauty and inspiration. They are some of the largest insects alive today. Masters of the air and supreme predators. This is a ‘light’ introduction to the lifecycle of dragonflies and uses many of Kevin's own photographs. Kevin Reynolds.
Anyone is welcome to join in. Zoom details on www.tendershoots.uk

10/10/2024

Reminder, zoom talk tonight 7.30pm. Also ensure you have signed up to our brand new newsletter service on our homepage via the purple button www.tendershoots.uk

WE'RE BACK. Our next zoom talk is Thursday 10th October 2024 7.30pm - Chelse Gold Meal Winner Olivia Kirk will give a zoom talk on - "The Restoration of an Elizabethan Farmhouse and Apothecary" - Olivia will share her journey with us, covering the medieval healing garden and herbal remedies. She has also done extensive research on low allergen planting.
Zoom details on www.tendershoots.uk