Activities and Events

Information Evenings are held monthly, public welcome. The program includes a guest speaker, followed by free raffle, supper and a chat at no charge. They are held every 3rd Monday of the month (except December), at 7.30pm in the Wesley Foyer, Wesley Uniting Church Centre, National Circuit, Forrest, unless advised otherwise in the timetable below.

At the monthly Information Evenings beginners and experts alike can receive advice about plants and gardening, exhibiting in the Society’s shows, or simply discuss horticultural matters with others interested in the same.

Monday 17 June	Trevor Rogers will speak on Growing cacti in Canberra
Monday 15 July	John Neilson will speak on Growing carnivorous plants in Canberra
Monday 19 August	AGM. Kieron Hart will speak on Pre-spring planting preparation
Monday 16 September	Jack Simpson will speak on Myrtle rust
Monday 21 October	Colin Poore will speak on Growing alpine plants in gardens in Canberra
Monday 18 November	Speaker to be advised
December	No Information Evening in December

Four shows are held each year. Shows are held at the Lancaster Hall, Wesley Centre, National Circuit, Forrest. They run for the weekend and are open on Saturday noon–5pm and Sunday 11.30am–3:45pm.

Prior to the show season the Society may hold workshops and lectures for members wishing to become judges, stewards and exhibitors at shows, or who wish to further their knowledge of judging, stewarding and exhibiting.

Shows provide gardeners with an opportunity to show off their flowers, plants and produce in a competitive environment. There are different levels of competition from novice to expert. Also, they provide a chance to see what the experts are growing, and they are a great social occasion when you can compare notes with other gardeners or seek the advice of the experts.

Entry to the shows is by gold coin donation.

 

SHOW DATES FOR 2019

The Autumn Flower Show Schedule Show Rules 2019	2-3 March 2019
The Spring Bulb and Camellia Show Schedule Show Rules 2019	14-15 September 2019
The Iris, Rhododendron and Azalea Show Schedule Show Rules 2019	26-27 October 2019
The Spring Exhibition and Rose Show Schedule Show Rules 2019	9-10 November 2019

 

PROVISIONAL SHOW DATES FOR 2020

Autumn Flower Show	7-8 March 2020
Spring Bulb and Camellia Show	25, 26 and 27 September 2020
Iris, Rhododendron and Azalea Show	24-25 October 2020
Spring Exhibition and Rose Show	7-8 November 2020

 

Enquiries and entries to:
The Honorary Show Secretary, Phone (02) 6251 2859

The Society conducts an Open Garden Program where members’ gardens are open for other members to visit. Visiting open gardens give an opportunity to share ideas. It lets visitors see what the owner grows, how to grow it, and what has been done to tackle the drought and water restrictions.

Please note that Open Garden visits are only available to financial Society members.

Not a member? Go to Membership to find details on how to join or call 6291 5352.

The Society organises interstate bus trips for members. In the past, trips have been arranged for visits to the Blue Mountains, the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, specialist nurseries, and public and private gardens of significant interest. There has also been a trip to New Zealand.

For insurance purposes, participants on bus trips must be members. Not a member? Go to Membership to find details on how to join or call 6291 5352.

Garden Tour in October 2019

Trip to Bathurst area, Monday 14 to Wednesday 16 October

On this trip we will be visiting gardens opened by the Bathurst Garden Club and a plant nursery or two.

Gairloch Garden presents a series of themed rooms, water features and a variety of animals. David Kennedy of Clover Hill Rare Plants will give us a tour of Highfield Garden. Extensive work has been done on the garden since we last visited and now includes the dry garden, birch grove, rock garden/water garden, the long border and single-coloured borders.

On the way back to Canberra, we will call into Perennialle Plants Nursery, Canowindra, which has a selection of frost- and drought-hardy perennial plants suitable for our area.

We will also visit Old Graham which has a one-acre garden with day lilies, roses, an iris walk, a pond and bog garden, and specimen trees sited around an historic Cobb & Co Inn. The garden has been designed to be minimum care, drought-hardy and fire-resistant. There is also a 15-acre sculpture garden. Accommodation will be at the Zig Zag Motel, Lithgow.

Cost of the trip based on 35 participants is $480.00 per person. $120.00 single supplement.

Depart 7.30am bus stop Heard Street, Mawson and 7.50am Lyneham Netball Centre.

Bookings: $100.00 deposit to be paid to:

The Horticultural Society of Canberra

BSB 062 905

Account 00904388 *reference “Trip and your name”*.

Final payment 16 September by EFT or at the September HSOC Information Evening.

Contact tours@hsoc.org.au

or phone Heather on 0413 378 509.

For insurance purposes, participants must be members of HSOC.

The Horticultural Society has a garden at Bruce, adjacent to the Canberra Institute of Technology, where plants are being grown to demonstrate what grows well in Canberra and surrounds. Findings will be recorded for the purposes of future editions of The Canberra Gardener, and information used in other HSOC publications and on the HSOC website.

Working bees are held monthly on the last Saturday of the month from 9.00am to noon (come and go as convenient) unless the date conflicts with another major HSOC event. Dates for the next few months are:

27 July

31 August

28 September

19 October (not 26 October as there is an HSOC Show on that day)

30 November

 

Participants in working bees must be HSOC members for insurance purposes. For further information on the garden, email contactus@hsoc.org.au. Members are always welcome to visit the garden on working bee days.

 

There are a number of documents reporting on progress with the Demonstration Garden and with the outcomes of trials:

Report of 16 January 2013

Report of July 2014 – vegetable trials

Report of Dahlia Trial 2018

Timeline for the HSOC Trial Garden at Bruce 

Timeline for the HSOC Trial Garden at Bruce January 2017-August 2018

Demonstration Garden Location