Talks for Garden Clubs, Special Interest Groups, Village Clubs, History Societies etc!

There is nothing I enjoy more than talking about my favourite subjects, especially the history of gardens and flowers and the people that have made them.

My interests are wide ranging, some might even say eclectic, and I would love to talk to your society on subjects as varied as the History of Women in the Garden, Social History of Allotments (plots and politics), and Wartime Gardening, although my top favourite must be The Unexpected History of the Garden Gnome. Love them or loathe them gnomes have a fabulous history!

My talk on Death in the Beds, Poison in the Borders is extremely popular, and my new talk on Plants for Pagans is ideal for those long winter nights and Christmas social meetings.

Explorations of the (often rather risque!) Origins of Traditional Wildflower Names, and Traditional Garden Flower Names, have both been extremely popular with repeat requests from societies and also Botanic Gardens - drawing on our desire to re-engage with our floral heritage and landscape.

I have recently become fascinated by the history of indvidual flowers in art and culture and can explore with your society either the Sunflower, the Daffodil or the Chrysanthemum in Art and Culture from their earliest histories through appearance on canvas and the page.

I have also recently published books (October 2021) on the history of the Chrysanthemum (Reaktion Books), and the surprising history of the Suburban Gardens (Amberley British Heritage Series) and would also be happy to talk on these.

Societies within range of Bedfordshire may be interested in my talk on Wrest Park based on my in depth research for English Heritage.

All my talks are fully illustrated and are entertaining as well as educational and constantly refreshed, as I like to enjoy giving them as much as you enjoy listening.

I am delighted to deliver talks in person (with a set fee within an hours drive of PE7 3SD and a sliding scale beyond that) and am available daytimes and evenings.

I can also deliver talks via Zoom Pro which is a popular and easy to use on-line format free for the adience to use. Audiences are kept engaged and involved and can see and hear the lecturer as well as the slides.

If you would like more information on any of the above talks please do contact me on twigsway@me.com and I can send some more information, or suggest others from my wide range of topics.