speakers & lecturers
If you're a member of a garden club, horticultural society or similar organisation looking for a speaker to give a talk to your members, staff and others, then look no further than the Garden Media Guild members who are speakers and lecturers.
Members of the Garden Media Guild are either well-known writers, authors, photographers, bloggers, social media influencers, or radio or TV presenters. Our directory provides a list of the most popular talks they give – although they may have more – their contact details and fees.
Please note
This is a service for clubs and societies, provided by the Guild. The Garden Media Guild is not responsible for the speakers in any way and we cannot enter into any conversations with the clubs, societies and speakers concerning bookings, or any other matter, or any dispute that may arise from any subsequent bookings.
How to use
You can either see the full list of our members who give talks – simply scroll down the page – or you can search for a speaker.
If you know the name of the speaker you are interested in, type their name in the search box below.
If you're looking for a speaker within a certain distance of your club or society, type your postcode in the box plus the maximum number of miles you're willing for them to travel to you. You can also use the Speaker’s Home Town/City search box.
If you're looking for a specific topic, type this in the Talk Topic box. A list of all the speakers who talk on this subject will be returned.
Showing 1-10 of 130
Virtual Talks Available
Simon Akeroyd
Based in: Devon and Cobham, Surrey, UK
Distance willing to travel:
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees:
Talks:
Contact
Souren Ala
For the last 23 years Souren has been engaged garden design, creation and planting. He began writing for The Hardy Plant (the journal of the Hardy Plant Society) in 2014 and became its editor in 2019. He has a particular interest in bulbs and wildflower meadows.
Based in: Hannington, Hampshire, UK
Distance willing to travel: Any
Virtual talks available: No
Fees: Negotiable
Talks:
Wildflower meadows
Good garden plants
Bulbs
Persian gardens
Contact
Virtual Talks Available
adam alexander
A consummate storyteller and successful and award-winning film and television producer, Adam lectures on his work discovering, conserving and sharing rare, endangered garden crops. He maintains a seed library of 500 vegetables that he has collected over 35 years which he shares with other growers.
Based in: Chepstow, Monmouthshire, UK
Distance willing to travel: Any distance
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees: £175 plus 60p/mile distances up to 50 miles. £250 plus travelling expenses up to 100 miles. Greater distance and Zoom by negotiation
Talks:
THE GARDENS OF THE MEKONG – A journey of horticultural discovery through Laos and Cambodia
MEETINGS WITH REMARKABLE VEGETABLES - from wild parent to cultivated offspring
THE ADVENTURES OF A SEED DETECTIVE – collecting and sharing rare and endangered delicious vegetables from around the world.
SEED SAVING MADE SIMPLE – Its easy, its rewarding and anyone can do it
THE CULTURE OF SEED SAVING – Why saving seeds connects us to what we grow and eat
THE SEED SAVERS OF RAJASTHAN - a land where local varieties and the celebration of deliciousness is a way of life
ADVENTURES IN ALBANIA - exploring the greatest diversity of flora and food production in a little-known corner of Europe
Contact
Camilla Anderson
With an MA in Garden History, Camilla gives illustrated lectures on Garden History. She is also the editor of Visit Gardens, a website for garden visitors.
Based in: Derbyshire, UK
Distance willing to travel: Any distance
Virtual talks available: No
Fees: From £125.00 plus travelling expenses of .45p/mile
Talks:
ARTS AND CRAFTS & EDWARDIAN GARDENS and the gardens of Harold Peto
A SHORT ACCOUNT of Garden History
BEYOND THE GARDEN GATE: The gardens of Somerset and Dorset
STATELY GARDENS of England: Chatsworth, Chiswick House, Syon and Alnwick
THE ROTHSCHILDS and Their Gardens
Contact
Virtual Talks Available
Stephen Anderton
Author, lecturer, broadcaster, garden writer for the Times, formerly professional gardener and National Gardens Manager for English Heritage
Based in: Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, UK
Distance willing to travel: Any distance
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees: £300 + expenses
Talks:
Lives of the Great Gardeners
Christopher Lloyd: His Life at Great Dixter
Discovering Welsh Gardens
Gardening in the Teeth of the Wind
My Favourite Gardens
Contact
Virtual Talks Available
Matthew Baber
From his native Horse and Bourbon Country in Kentucky, USA, Matthew teaches garden-inspired floristry and cooking, illustrating lessons with insight, practicality, stories from his 30+ years experience, and lush inspiration, including 35 varieties of roses grown in his own gardens.
Based in: Owensboro, Daviess County, Kentucky
Distance willing to travel: International
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees: Please enquire.
Talks:
Frequent subjects include Cutting and Conditioning Flowers and Foliage, Foam-Free Vase Arranging, and Hand-Tied Bouquets Masterclass, but I'm happy to work with botanic gardens and clubs, historic houses, libraries, museums, professional associations, and other groups to develop the perfect bespoke demo, lecture, or workshop to activate and inspire your audience.
Contact
Virtual Talks Available
Richard Barnes
Writer, photographer, lecturer
Based in: Morpeth, Northumberland, UK
Distance willing to travel: Within 100 miles of home, but greater distances by negotiation
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees: From £90
Talks:
The Winter Garden
Plants From the Ends of the Earth
Unnatural Landscapes
Inspiration
It’s Not All About Plants
Plant and Garden Photography
Contact
Virtual Talks Available
Camilla Bassett-Smith
Writer, Radio broadcaster, TV broadcaster.
Based in: Gloucestershire, UK
Distance willing to travel: Up to 30 miles
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees: Negotiable
Talks:
Working in Gardening TV: behind the scenes of the BBC RHS Chelsea coverage & other programmes
Contact
Virtual Talks Available
Pip Bensley
Pip's experience in the horticultural world and the flower world give her excellent experience in which to base her talks.
Based in: Southampton, Hampshire, UK
Distance willing to travel: Any
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees: £130 plus 50p per mile for travel
Talks:
Chelsea Secrets - Behind the scenes at the Chelsea Flower Show
China - Judging an International Flower Arranging Show in Beijing
The Road to Winchester - Creating a flower festival at the Cathedral during Covid
Climbers - What you need to know when choosing climbers
Garden Snippets - Plants for flower arranging
Contact
Virtual Talks Available
Vanessa Berridge
Vanessa Berridge is a former magazine editor, an internationally published gardens writer and a published garden historian. She offers illustrated talks on many different aspects of garden history.
Based in: Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, UK
Distance willing to travel: Round trip of 100 miles
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees: £100 plus travelling expenses
Talks:
1. WHAT GARDENS TELL US ABOUT HISTORY
2. GREAT BRITISH GARDENERS
3. THE PRINCESS’S GARDEN: ROYAL INTRIGUE AND THE UNTOLD STORY OF KEW GARDENS
4. KIFTSGATE COURT GARDENS: THREE GENERATIONS OF WOMEN GARDENERS
5. BORDE HILL: A PLANT HUNTER’S PARADISE
6. GARDEN HEAVEN: INSPIRATION AND ESCAPISM FOR EVERY GARDENER
7. THE NATIONAL GARDEN SCHEME AND THE GARDENS OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Contact