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 41-50 of 127
Elaine Fraser-Gausden
I give talks with my two sisters (the3Growbags) on a variety of subjects including gardening across the country, running a gardening website, and how to grow happy plants.
Based in: Eastbourne
Distance willing to travel: 50 miles, but we can also give talks in Scotland (one of us lives there)
Virtual talks available: No
Fees: £100- £150 plus travel expenses
Talks:
Gardening in England, Scotland or Normandy
Running a gardening website together
How to grow happy plants
Contact
Virtual Talks Available
Karen Gimson
Talks about garden design, choosing and using plants, growing flowers and veg.
Based in: LOUGHBOROUGH
Distance willing to travel: 50 miles. Negotiable.
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees: Negotiable. Plus .45p per mile
Talks:
365 days of colour.
My life as a garden designer.
Planting containers for seasonal colour with a planting demonstration.
Creating a show garden for Rainbows Children’s Hospice.
Bulbs: choosing and planting bulbs, corms and tubers.
Focus on dahlias, salvias and special plants. How to grow them.
Choosing small trees and underplanting them, with a focus on creating mini-wildflower areas.
Christmas specials: creating home-made table decorations and front door plant pots using material from the garden.
Bespoke talks created for garden clubs, u3a and floristry societies. Please ask!
A donation is made to charity with every talk.
Contact
Virtual Talks Available
Ruth Goudy
I give talks in person or via zoom. Each talk is accompanied by a presentation using plenty of my colourful flower pictures. I like people to feel uplifted and entertained as well as educated! I am happy to answer any questions after each talk.
Based in: Ipswich
Distance willing to travel: Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, London. Approx. 1 hrs travel although this can be negotiated.
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees: See my website for details
Talks:
Flower Power – How Flowers benefit our Wellbeing
How to Connect to the Flowers – The ‘Language of the Flowers’, flower essences and modern interpretations.
Building a Nursery from Scratch – the good, the bad and the plants!
Creating a space to remember someone special – from a bunch of flowers to a memorial garden
Plants of the Bible – where they appear and how they help our faith.
Greener Gardening – Plastic, Peat and being Sustainable (not available via zoom as we look at examples)
Three Generations of Farming in Kesgrave, Suffolk – Fruit, Arable and Horticulture 1930s to present
Contact
Virtual Talks Available
Annie Guilfoyle
Annie is happy to talk about all aspects of garden and planting design.
Based in: Midhurst
Distance willing to travel: 50 miles radius maybe more in summer months.
Virtual talks available: Yes
Fees: on application
Talks:
What makes a great garden?
What makes a great garden designer?
Contemporary garden design for small spaces
Scent in the garden
Using themes and concepts in garden design
Contact
Richard Gulliver
PhD in seed science. My wife and I suggested the 22 local Islay botanicals for The Botanist Gin and gathered them for 7 years. Researched conservation biology of Irish Lady’s-tresses orchid. Developed brook-side wildlife garden in Shropshire - ongoing. Monitored landscape change in central Leicestershire. Studied native elms.
Based in: Shrewsbury
Distance willing to travel: 70 miles
Virtual talks available: No
Fees: £350 plus 45p per mile travelling
Talks:
THE BOTANIST ISLAY DRY GIN - ITS BOTANICALS AND THEIR GARDEN ALLIES
WILD ORCHIDS IN BRITAIN
JACK BADCOCK, LEICESTERSHIRE AUTHOR, NATURALIST AND RECORDER OF A BYGONE AGE
Contact
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