Monday 6th February

Group Meeting

Alan Outen, another member of our Group, is an expert of the flora of Bedfordshire, having recently co-authored a book on the subject. For our first meeting of 2012 Alan will be presenting his new talk, 'Botanising in the Steps of Dracula'.

Wednesday 15th February

Biggleswade Gardening Club

Nigel Eaton will be talking about "This Year's Garden Trends". Stratton Upper School, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JB, from 19:30.

Saturday 18th February

AGS South Wales Show

11:00 to 16:00, Caerleon Community College, Cold Bath Road, Caerleon, Nr. Newport, NP18 1NF.

Wednesday 22nd February

Group Committee Meeting

If you have anything you would like the committee to discuss please inform one of the committee members by the Monday before the meeting.

Saturday 3rd March

AGS Early Spring Show

12:00 to 16:00, Mark Hall School, First Avenue, Harlow, Essex, CM17 9LR.

Saturday 3rd March

Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire Hardy Plant Society

Peter Sheasby will be talking about "Switzerland and Its Mountain Flowers". Biggleswade Weatherly Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JB, from 14:00.

Monday 5th March

Group Meeting

Rod Leeds is well known in the AGS for growing bulbs and has written two very popular books on early and autumn bulbs. He is also an ex-President of the AGS and currently chairman of the Joint Rock Committee. Rod's talk will be the well-recommended 'Bulbs throughout the Year'.

Saturday 10th March

AGS Loughborough Show

12:00 to 16:00, Burleigh Community College, Thorpe Hill, Loughborough, LE11 4SQ.

Saturday 17th March

AGS/SRGC Blackpool Show

12:00 to 16:00, Collegiate High School, Blackpool Old Road, Blackpool, FY3 7LS.

Saturday 17th March

AGS Kent Show

12:00 to 16:00, Rainham School for Girls, Highfield Road, Rainham, Gillingham, ME8 0BX.

Wednesday 21st March

Biggleswade Gardening Club

Colin Ward will be talking about what is "Looking Good at the Moment". Stratton Upper School, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JB, from 19:30.

Saturday 24th March

AGS Bedfordshire Group Annual Show

Come along and see a wide range of alpine plants, artwork, photos, embroidery and floral art. Sweet and savoury refreshments will be on offer all day, along with a tombola, members' plant sales and a professional nurseryman. Wilstead Village Hall, Cotton End Road, Wilstead, MK45 3BX. 12:00 to 16:00. Entrance is £1 for adults and free for children. For more information see the Annual Show page or send us an email.

Saturday 24th March

AGS East Lancashire Show

12:00 to 16:00, The Riverside, Whitworth Civic Hall, Market Street, Whitworth, Lancs, OL12 8DP.

Saturday 31st March

AGS/SRGC Northumberland Show

12:00 to 16:00, The Wentworth Leisure Centre, Hexham, NE46 3PN.

Saturday 31st March

AGS South West Show

12:00 to 16:00, St. Luke's Science and Sport College, Harts Lane, Exeter, EX1 3RD.

Saturday 31st March

AGS Ulster Show

12:00 to 16:00, Greenmount Agricultural and Horticultural College, Muckamore, Co. Antrim, BT41 4PU.

Monday 1st April

Biggleswade Gardening Club Spring Show

14:15 to 16:30, Biggleswade Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JB. The AGS Bedfordshire Group will have a display at this Show.

Monday 2nd April

Group Meeting

Trevor Wiltshire used to be Head of the Alpine Section at RHS Wisley before moving to Cornwall. Recently he has returned from Turkey where he helped to build a WWF garden, which will be the subject of his talk.

Saturday 7th April

AGS Cleveland Show

12:00 to 16:00, Ian Ramsey Church of England School, Green's Lane, Fairfield Road, Fairfield, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 5AJ.

Saturday 7th April

Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire Hardy Plant Society

Bob Brown's talk will be "My Thirty Best Plants". Biggleswade Weatherly Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JB, from 14:00.

Tuesday 10th to Wednesday 11th April

AGS London Show

11:00 to 19:00 on Tuesday, 10:00 to 17:00 on Wednesday, RHS Lindley Hall, Vincent Square, London, SW1 2PE. This Show is part of the larger RHS show taking place over these two days.

Saturday 14th April

AGS North Midland Show

12:00 to 16:00, Brookfield School, Chatworth Road, Chesterfield, S40 3NS.

Wednesday 18th April

Biggleswade Gardening Club

Kevin Hughes' topic is "New and Less Usual Shrubs and Trees for the British Garden". Stratton Upper School, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JB, from 19:30.

Saturday 21st April

AGS Midland Show

12:00 to 16:00, Arden School, Station Road, Knowle, Solihull, West Midlands.

Saturday 28th April

AGS Dublin Show

13:30 to 16:00, Cabinteely Community School, Cabinteely, Co. Dublin.

Saturday 5th May

AGS East Anglia Show

12:00 to 16:00, Wymondham High School, Folly Road, Wymondham, South Norfolk, NR18 0QT.

Monday 7th May

Group Meeting

Vic Aspland is one of the Group's favourite speakers. He is regular contributor to the 'Alpine Gardener' and was also responsible for the popular 'Easy Leaflets. Vic's talk is called, 'With Great Pleasure'.

Saturday 12th May

AGS Malvern Show

9:00 to 18:00, Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire. This Show is part of the Malvern Spring Gardening Show.

Sunday 13th May

Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire Hardy Plant Society

Annual Plant Sale. Stratton Upper School, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JB, from 10:00.

Wednesday 16th May

Biggleswade Gardening Club

John Negus will be presenting his talk, "Twelve Months of Colour". Stratton Upper School, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JB, from 19:30.

Saturday 19th May

AGS Southport Show

12:00 to 16:00, Stanley High School, Fleetwood Road, Southport, PR9 9TF.

Saturday 26th May

AGS Summer Show - South

12:00 to 16:00, Queen Elizabeth Road, Pamphill, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 4DT.

Monday 4th June

Group Meeting

Details to be confirmed.

Saturday 16th June

AGS Summer Show - North

12:00 to 16:00, The Chesneys Centre, Regent Street, Featherstone, Pontefract, WF7 5EW.

Wednesday 20th June

Biggleswade Gardening Club

Stuart Phillips' talk is called "The Gardener's Almanac". Stratton Upper School, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JB, from 19:30.

Monday 2nd July

Group Meeting

Ray Drew, a past judge of our Show and now the Society's Director of Shows, is known for his extensive knowledge of alpines and growing prowess. The subject of Ray's talk will be Gothenburg Botanical Garden.

Saturday 14th July

AGS Summer Show - Mid West

12:00 to 16:00, Tewkesbury School, Ashchurch Road, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, GL20 8DF.

Wednesday 18th July

Biggleswade Gardening Club

Andrew Mikolajski will be presenting his talk, "Plants I Love, Plants I Loathe". Stratton Upper School, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JB, from 19:30.

Monday 6th August

Group Meeting

Graham Nicholls is both a successful grower and exhibiter of alpines and if often seen at shows behind his nursery stall. He has also written a book on campanulas. Graham's talk is entitled, 'North American Alpines - From the Rockies to Alaska'.

Saturday 1st September

Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire Hardy Plant Society

Anne Godfrey will be presenting her talk, "Good in a Bed". Biggleswade Weatherly Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JB, from 14:00.

Monday 3rd September

Group Meeting

Christine McGregor is currently the Society's Director and her husband Jim, having recently stepped down as Director of Shows, is the secretary of the Joint Rock Committee and is also the Society's Webmaster. Jim and Christine will be talking about plants from their garden.

Wednesday 19th September

Biggleswade Gardening Club

Simon White will be talking about "Climbing and Rambling Roses for Every Garden". Stratton Upper School, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JB, from 19:30.

Saturday 29th September

AGS Autumn Show - South

12:00 to 16:00, Rainham School for Girls, Highfield Road, Rainham, Gillingham, ME8 0BX.

Monday 1st October

Group Meeting

Annual General Meeting. Details to be announced nearer the time.

Saturday 6th October

AGS Loughborough Autumn Show

12:00 to 16:00, Burleigh Community College, Thorpe Hill, Loughborough, LE11 4SQ.

Saturday 6th October

Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire Hardy Plant Society

Tim Walker's talk will be, "A Blaze of Glory". Biggleswade Weatherly Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JB, from 14:00.

Saturday 13th October

AGS/SRGC Newcastle Show

12:00 to 16:00, The Memorial Hall, Darras Road, Ponteland, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE20 9NX.

Wednesday 17th October

Biggleswade Gardening Club

Philippa Pearson's talk is called, "Behind the Scenes at Chelsea". Stratton Upper School, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JB, from 19:30.

Saturday 3rd November

Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire Hardy Plant Society

AGM and Jean Venning will be presenting "Members' Open Gardens". Biggleswade Weatherly Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JB, from 14:00.

Monday 5th November

Group Meeting

Jim Almond, a popular speaker at the Group, will be returning to us with his talk, 'Alpines through the Post'.

Saturday 10th November

AGS Annual General Meeting

Details to be announced nearer the time.

Wednesday 21st November

Biggleswade Gardening Club

Graham Pavey's title is, "Creative Gardening for Busy People". Stratton Upper School, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JB, from 19:30.

Saturday 1st December

Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire Hardy Plant Society

Tim Fuller will be talking about, "Good Companions: A Selection of Hardy Geraniums, Ornamental Grasses and Herbaceous Perennials". Biggleswade Weatherly Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JB, from 14:00.

Monday 3rd December

Group Meeting

Melvyn Jope, an active member of the Cyclamen Society, will be talking about 'Ipiros, Macedonia and Thrace'.

Wednesday 19th December

Biggleswade Gardening Club

Annual General Meeting. Stratton Upper School, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JB, from 19:30.