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 13
Virtual Talks Available
Stephanie Hafferty
Stephanie is an enthusiastic professional speaker with decades of experience hosting talks and workshops in person, online, in the UK and abroad, including Kew Gardens, RHS Shows, BBC Gardeners World Live and gardening clubs/societies. In 2024 she was named as one of the top 100 leading women in horticulture.
Based in: Lampeter
Distance willing to travel: Any
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees: Please contact for more details
Talks:
Full details of talks are on Stephanie's website.
No Dig Gardening - how to grow year round using sustainable gardening methods
Small Scale Homesteading - leading the good life, whatever size your plot
How to create a healthy soil and garden.
Biodiversity for Natural Resilience and Pest Control
Creating an RHS Show Garden - my experiences project managing and designing an RHS Show Garden for Hampton Court Garden Festival.
Growing and Using Edible Flowers
How to Grow A Bar Garden
Can also create bespoke talks
Contact
Virtual Talks Available
Andrew Halstead
Retired RHS Principal Entomologist, beekeeper, wide interests in insects and conservation issues
Based in: Woking
Distance willing to travel: About 50 miles
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees:
Talks:
1. Pests of vegetables
2. Pests of fruits
3. Pests of ornamental plants
4. Glasshouse pests
5. Pest recognition and control A general talk on the more important pests of garden and glasshouse plants.
6. Pests new to Britain in recent years A look at some of the alien pests that have become established in Britain in recent years.
7. Beneficial insects in the garden Insects and other invertebrate animals that are useful as pollinators, predators or parasites, and their use as biological controls for some glasshouse and garden pests.
8. Plant galls A look at some of the insects, mites and eelworms responsible for producing abnormal growths on plants.
9. Pesticides – are they safe? Insecticides and other pesticides have gained a poor reputation in recent years as public opinion becomes increasingly “green”. This talk outlines the history of pesticides, the research undertaken by chemical companies into the toxicology and environmental effects of new pesticides, and puts into perspective the risks and benefits of use.
10. Encouraging wildlife in your garden How you can develop your garden to benefit wildlife without turning your garden into a weed-filled wilderness.
11. The private lives of ladybirds Common garden insects that are much more diverse in appearance and habits than generally realised.
12. Wasps and bumblebees A look at the social wasps and bumblebees commonly found in gardens.
13. A crash course in beekeeping A look at honeybee management and honey production
14. Honeybee anatomy A more specialist talk for beekeepers
15. Bugs that bite back A look at some of the insects and mites that either sting us or suck our blood.
16. Insects and pollination A look at the insects that help bring about pollination, why some pollinators have become less abundant and what you can do about it.
17. Sawflies – a beginner’s guide Sawflies have caterpillar-like larvae and some species are garden pests. A look at the biology and diversity of Britain’s 500+ species.
18. Heathland’s smaller creatures Insects that occur on the Thames Basin heaths.
19. The Asian hornet problem - a major threat to bees and other pollinating insects
Contact
Virtual Talks Available
Nick Hamilton
I have spent my lifetime in horticulture and speak on a range of different topics, ranging from talks about Barnsdale Gardens to perennials, shrubs, trees and climbers.
Based in: Oakham
Distance willing to travel: Any
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees: Up to 30 miles from Barnsdale - £350
Over 30 miles from Barnsdale - £500 + 60 pence per mile
Talks:
Barnsdale - the television years.
Barnsdale after Geoff (1996-present day).
The Right Genes - a fun talk based on Nick's new book.
Perfect autumn perennials.
Stunning autumn shrubs.
Spectacular autumn trees.
Essential trees and shrubs for a winter garden.
Spring into spring – plants to give spring interest.
Must have summer perennials.
Essential summer flowering shrubs.
Summer trees.
Gardening in shade.
Organic gardening.
Drought tolerant plants.
How to have vegetables all year round.
Penstemon – varieties, growing techniques and aftercare.
Composting techniques.
Preparing your garden for winter.
Hemerocallis – varieties, growing techniques and aftercare.
What goes into a flower show?
Wildlife – the good, the bad and the ugly.
Vegetative plant propagation –softwood, semi-ripe, hardwood and root cuttings.
Herbs in the garden.
Bog gardens and associated plants.
Trees for a small garden.
Climbers for all aspects.
Beautiful berries.
Contact
Virtual Talks Available
Paul Hensey
Paul is the Principal of a successful Landscape and Garden Design Consultancy. Assisting Garden Designers, Landscape Architects and contractors with the construction and detailing. Paul lectures on construction detailing and materials and is the author of several books.
Based in: Midhurst
Distance willing to travel:
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees:
Talks:
Contact
Virtual Talks Available
Grace Hensley
I speak on a variety of subjects around garden photography, specifically camera usage, smartphone photography, editing, and finding your style
Based in: Bainbridge Island WA USA
Distance willing to travel: worldwide
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees: Variable depending on time and distance
Talks:
Plant and Shoot - Great Garden Photography with your Smartphone
Smartphone Videography for Landscapers and Garden Centers
Seeing in Squares - What to shoot in the Garden
Contact
Virtual Talks Available
Geoff Hodge
Geoff Hodge is a garden writer, broadcaster and editor, working for various national gardening magazines and websites – as well as lots more besides! Previously, he was the Online Editor for the Royal Horticultural Society, Gardening Editor and Editor of Garden News magazine and Technical Editor of Garden Answers magazine.
Based in: Peterborough
Distance willing to travel: I regularly travel up to 120 miles. Venues further afield may incur an additional payment on my fees plus overnight hotel accommodation; please ask when making enquiries.
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees: £115 plus 40p* per mile travelling expenses.
* This is my current mileage rate. Travelling expenses are dependent on fuel prices at the time of the talk, and may have to change accordingly.
Talks:
All Muck & Magic? The Answer Lies In The Soil!
A Tapestry of Foliage
Bugs & Garden Plagues – Pest & Disease Control
Clematis: The Queen Of The Climbers
Easy Gardening – Low-Maintenance Gardens
Gardening on Chalk
Gardening on Clay
Gardening on the Coast
Gardening with Changing Climate – Gardening in the Global Greenhouse
Gardening in Dry & Drought Conditions – Drought-resisting Plants
Gardening in the Shade
Gardening Inside – Greenhouse Gardening
GYO Veg – Grow Your Own Vegetables
Happy, Healthy Roses
Happy Houseplants – The Indoor Jungle
Luscious Lawns – Lawncare for Perfect Lawns
Plants for Problem Places
Propagation – Plants for Free
Pruning – Making it Simple: The First Cut Is The Deepest
Fragrant Plants & The Scented Garden
The 12-Month Garden – Colour All Year Round
The Life & Times of a Gardening Editor
Weeds & the Weed-free Garden
Winter Colour in the Garden – Beating the Winter Blues
Q&As - have all your gardening questions answered
Contact
Virtual Talks Available
Michael Holland
Michael has a good selection of interesting illustrated talks - drawn from his varied career and interests on numerous aspects of the natural world, social history, health and botany.
Based in: London
Distance willing to travel: 100 MILES
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees: £150 including reasonable travel from London
Talks:
• Five Plants That Changed the World
• There’s No Such Thing as a Houseplant
•State of the Art Healing Plants
• Tales from the Fruit Bowl - A series of 4 talks on beloved fruits' stories, history, geography, folklore, symbolism, botany, nutrition, chemistry & more. Each talk highlights a plant family with notable members:
○ Zest & the Rest - the Citrus family
○ Gourd Almighty - the Cucurbitaceae family
○ Saucy & Spicy - the Solanaceae family
○ Core & More - the Rosaceae family
• The 12 Plants of Christmas - Wreaths, Raisins & Roasties - a delve into the backstories and folklore of some common festive favourites
• London's Parks and Gardens
• Food is Medicine
• Container Gardening for Food and Medicines.
Contact
Virtual Talks Available
Caroline Holmes
Academic but not dry, see website for full details
Based in: Bury St Edmunds
Distance willing to travel: Any
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees: £300+
Talks:
A Zest for Herbs
Impressionists in their Gardens
Japanese gardens - temple, royal and domestic
Memphis before Elvis - Egyptian plants and gardens
Monet at Giverny
Permission to Poison - the Alnwick Garden
Sheer folly - a walk through garden history
Slay them with flowers - Doctor Shatterhand’s garden
Full list on website www.horti-history.com
Contact
Virtual Talks Available
Nicola Hope
Nikki loves to share her knowledge and experience in her witty and relaxed style. She’d be delighted to come to talk to your group or organisation. She talks on a number of subjects and her latest talk ‘Organic Gardening - Happy Plants, Happy Minds’ has proved very popular indeed.
Based in: Malmesbury
Distance willing to travel: Negotiable
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees: From £145.00 plus travel expenses of 0.45p per mile
Talks:
1) Organic Gardening ~ Happy Plants, Happy Minds - I take you through a gardening year in the big garden where I work. Plenty of tips, beautiful flowers and juicy vegetables.
2) Talking Tomatoes - I adore tomatoes and have grown them for myself and clients for many years. Growing tips and lots of great variety recommendations.
3) Designing an Organic Gardening - A mix of veg gardens and ornamental gardening information with loads of design tips for a pleasing and productive garden.
4) Tales from the Potting Shed - A whirlwind tour of the gardens in which I have worked (Highgrove, Cole Park, Sting’s Lake House etc.) with some tips and tales along the way.
5) The exciting world of No-dig and Polyculture - explaining the benefits and practicalities, plus how to implement these sustainable and productive gardening techniques in your garden.
Contact
Virtual Talks Available
Catherine Horwood
I am an experienced and popular speaker regularly asked back by clubs and societies. Currently only taking local daytime bookings due to work commitments but virtual talks are available at all times. Do contact to discuss.
Based in: London
Distance willing to travel: Local to London
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees: From £125
Talks:
Beth Chatto - a life with plants based on my biography
Gardening Women - a selection of fascinting stories from across the centuries
Potted History - a look at why and for how long house plants have taken over our homes
The Cutting Garden - exploring the background to the current popularity of growing cut flowers
ROSE - the cultural history of the world's favourite flower
Contact