New talks for 2025 and 2026 bookings

Marmalade, dusky faces and a salty breeze   NEW for 2025

In this talk Doug shares his experiences of working on the lottery heritage fund refurbishment of South Cliff Gardens in Scarborough.

Doug’s work on this project involves training a small army of community volunteers to work on the gardens, (including the Italian Gardens, and the wild garden at Holbeck).

A key part of this project is working out the answer to the following questions:

What lives here?

Why does it live here?

Do we want it to live here?

How do we build habitat to get more of it to live here?

Find out more about sunset safaris, a biodiversity blitz, marmalade and dusky faces!

Easy Gardening for tired joints.

In this talk Doug shares ideas, tips and strategies to keep gardening when the spirit is strong, but the flesh is weak.

In this talk Doug investigates the tools, the tips and the techniques to allow us to garden in later years.

This talk is includes all aspects of gardening from container gardening, to growing fruit and vegetables and creating a garden filled with colour.

Tips that enable maximum enjoyment of our gardens with minimal effort are discussed in Doug’s usual informative, but light hearted style.

The World’s Largest Gardening Project

RHS Garden Bridgewater was the largest gardening project in the world

RHS Garden Bridgewater opened its gates to the public in 2021.

Doug was fortunate enough to be able to visit the garden during its construction, meeting the volunteers and teams involved.

In this talk he shares the story of how the garden was built, including visits made to the garden since it opened.

The new way to garden

Over the last 12 months Doug have been researching and writing a book on the new way to garden. 

The key focus of this book is on how we can apply the latest thinking and scientific research to help us to create gardens that do good.

Sustainable gardens that benefit our soil, our plants, our wellbeing and the environment.

Photographing your Garden

Would you like to be able to take awesome images of the plants in your garden, as well as being a gardening club speaker, Doug is also a published and respected photographer.

In this talk Doug shares tricks and techniques to photograph both gardens flooded with golden sunshine, and also individual flowers. Plants are so much easier to photograph than people, they might dance in the breeze, but they don’t need to be reminded to smile!

The 10 secrets of organic gardening

In this talk Doug shares some of the techniques used by many of the leading organic gardens around the country…

Organic gardening is an often misunderstood concept. In this talk Doug shares 10 of the top techniques being used by leading gardens throughout the UK to become more sustainable, boost biodiversity and of course produce abundant crops of flavoursome fruit and vegetables. Packed with advice from Head Gardeners this talk is filled with top tips to try out back at home…

The Secret Gardens of Yorkshire

“A whistle stop tour through some of Yorkshire’s finest, and most secret gardens”

In this talk Doug shares the stories of some of Yorkshires finest, but lesser known gardens, telling their stories and introducing us to some of the less usual plants that they contain. Gardens visited include Yorkshires own arboretum, Stillingfleet Lodge and lesser known gems such as Rosemary Cottage, a garden which opens every other year fro the National Gardens Scheme.

2024’s most popular talks

10 ways to a better garden

This has become established as Doug’s most popular gardening talk, (indeed if Doug was a chef, this would be his signature dish) and has been enjoyed by over 220 groups in the last few years.

Gaining inspiration from some of the finest gardens in the world, this talk temps you to consider 10 easy ways to create your very own dream garden.

The talk concludes with a very personal look at over 20 favourite plants, reminding us to fall in love with our gardens all over again.

The way we were…

This is fast becoming one of Doug’s most popular gardening talks.

It builds on a growing passion for collecting and reading old gardening magazines, brochures and books, which as you will see are filled with some strange curiosities…

So how did we garden over 60 years ago and just how much have things changed from the humble shed, to the flower show and of course the very latest products and devices to make gardening easy?

Using the catalogues and gardening magazines of yesteryear as inspiration this talk ponders on adverts for lightweight concrete greenhouses, and why only pipe smoking men seemed to be used in adverts!

10 NEW must have plants

Working with some of the largest plant producers in the UK, I am very fortunate to see many new plants before they are launched…

Traveling widely in the UK and visiting many of the leading gardens, which are crammed with fantastic plants gives the opportunity to view many of the newest introductions, many of which we are putting through their paces on the BBC Radio Humberside allotment.

Here are just 10 of these plants, which are worthy of a place in every garden…

Superheroes – The Plant Hunters

This talk is a celebration of the lives of the Plant Hunters, men who went out all over the world for the love of rare and unusual plants…

Plant Hunters – people who braved hardship, evil warlords, cannibals and almost certain death, to bring us so many of the plants that we grow today. As one of the horticultural heroes says, “people have no idea what goes into that tiny packet of seeds.”

This talk is dedicated to them and tells their amazing inspirational story.

Gardening in the future

A lighthearted, but informative review of the latest innovations and discoveries that are going to change the way we garden…

I was asked by Chris who runs Wheldrake Gardening Club if I had thought of giving a talk about where gardening is going.

Chris was wanting a talk that was:

  • Lighthearted
  • Informative
  • Gives a round up of current Research and Development
  • Looks at new and novel ways of controlling Pests and Diseases
  • Suggests new ideas from tree planting to digging

Here is what Hilary of Normanby Gardeners had to say about the talk…

“I just thought that I would let you know that we found the talk fascinating. One or two members had thought that it might be rather too scientific but pronounced it to be “brilliant” at the end of the evening. As usual the subject was very entertaining as well as informative. We would recommend it to other gardening clubs searching for a talk which a change from the usual subjects.”

The Drunken Gardener

This very popular talk is ideal for Christmas Meetings, and of course, to liven up an AGM, especially when accompanied by wine and nibbles…

This talk looks at the role that many of our garden plants have in the creation of some of the worlds finest drinks…

Taking inspiration from nettle beer, through to more exotic beverages such as pulque this talk takes an amusing and sideways look at plants, gardens and favourite tipples.

Gardening techniques

Perfect Pruning

“Once you understand the basics, pruning is as easy as falling off a log.”

Pruning. The very mention of it can strike fear into the heart of even the most experienced gardener, however perfect pruning is easy when you understand the basics. This talk starts with a review of the best tools for the job, with the chance to try out a range of different loppers, saws and secateurs. In fact everyone is invited to bring their own favourite pair of secateurs to the meeting, and one lucky person will have their secateurs valeted during the evening! Once we have finished looking at the tools for the job, the talk will focus on the basics of pruning.

This is the talk so many gardening clubs have been asking for.

Growing better tomatoes

“It is impossible to think a sad thought while eating a home grown tomato, warm from the sun”

Doug started his horticultural career growing tomatoes, and has travelled widely looking at tomato production techniques.

This talk is the ultimate tomato growing masterclass reviewing the best varieties to try, outdoor and indoor cultivation along with ways to avoid pests, diseases and disorders.

One club who have booked this talk are running a tomato competition with each member getting a seedling to grow, with a prize for the heaviest ripe tomato brought to their September meeting.

Gardening on the edge

Coastal gardens have a charm all of their own, with a unique set of challenges, from salt laden winds, to shallow sandy soils.

Visiting coastal gardens, from Inverewe to Dungeness this talk looks at the unique range of plants that thrive where the land meets the sea.

How to poison pests and love the planet

One of the joys of growing our own fruit and vegetables, (apart from the superior flavour, colour and texture), is knowing that they are 100% natural.

But what happens when it all goes wrong and the greenfly come marching in?

Before you reach for the spray book this entertaining talk and discover how to use nature to defeat even the most stubborn foes.

Recipes for herbal cures are given, along with tips on how to encourage beneficial insects to visit the garden.

Grow your own                                                

30% of the UK population have decided to try growing their own vegetables next year…

Sales of vegetable seeds are now greater than those of flowers..Find out why Grow Your Own has become so incredibly popular and why more and more people are taking up vegetable gardening.

From the construction of the first raised beds, through to the planting with unusual and rare vegetables, this talk looks at the easy way to taste and flavour.

Growing your own does not need to take time and effort indeed all you need is one square foot of ground.

Tips n Tricks and other Secrets from the Potting Shed

Over the years, listeners to The Great Outdoors, (the radio programme that Doug has co-presented for some 25 years on BBC Radio Humberside) have shared their tips and tricks to make gardening easier…

  • Some are ingenious.
  • Most will save time and money.
  • Some however are just plain bizarre!

The 10 Golden rules of successful Greenhouse Gardening

This talk covers all the essentials of greenhouse growing from choosing the perfect greenhouse to siting and maintenance.

Also considered are the 10 golden rules for greenhouse growing, along with an extended question and answer session to allow audience members the opportunity to have their questions answered, or problems resolved.

Container Gardening

Can anything compare to a perfect hanging basket in full flower, or a patio filled with scent and colour?

In this  talk Doug considers…

  • How to choose the right container
  • Perfect plants for pots
  • Creating spring, summer and autumn colour
  • How to create a container kitchen garden

Perfect plants for problem places

Perfect Plants for Problem Places started life as a Masterclass on The Great Outdoors, the gardening programme Doug co-presents on BBC Radio Humberside.

The title is self explanatory, with a wide range of perfect plants for even the most difficult sites being considered.

The Fruits of your labour

In this talk Doug takes us through the techniques involved in growing fruit in a Northern garden.

Seasonal talks

A Game of Tones

As summer fades, gardens get ready to put on one last defiant, yet flamboyant show, before the winter frosts begin.

Amusing, inspiring and informative.

This new talk considers both why and how leaves turn colour, before moving on to review the best trees and shrubs for autumn colour, autumn gardening traditions, and of course the folklore and the stories behind our favourite autumnal plants.

Winter thrillers

Scent, stems and stunning colour, a winter garden can have it all…

Winter gardens, filled with colour and scent really lift the spirits on even the coldest winters day, in this talk Doug reveals the secrets of creating a stunning winter garden.

The Holly, the Ivy, and other Christmas stories

A great favourite for that Christmas meeting, where a short amusing talk is in order, before a buffet or similar.

Some clubs have booked this with a short Quiz for a fun and festive evening!

How well do you know your festive plants and the tales they have to tell?

This is a talk of fables, folklore and legend; looking at the Holly, Ivy, Mistletoe and of course the king of all festive plants the Christmas Tree.

Gardening for the winter solstice

Even when the days are at their shortest our gardens can still fill us with joy!  Indeed it has been said that if our gardens don’t fill our hearts with joy every day of the year then we have got it all wrong!

In this talk for the winter season we consider a range of plants that are at their best on the shortest day of the year when our gardens need colour the most.

Great gardens

Flowers, foliage and Fat Rascals

RHS Garden Harlow Carr is one of the finest gardens in Britain…

Doug, who has been a regular visitor to RHS Garden Harlow Carr for 25 years, also works with the team there as an academic tutor in the RHS School of Horticulture and regularly lectures at the garden.

This incredible garden just keeps getting better and is now one of the finest gardens in the Britain.

Starting with an insight into the history of the garden, this talk then goes on to look at many of the stunning plants that make a visit to Harlow Carr magical 12 months of the year

(And I think we all know where the Fat Rascals come from!)

The Secret Gardens of the Lake District

10 years of garden visits and not a wet day…

Doug has worked for many years as an Associate Tutor with the Field Studies Council, at their Blencathra centre.

It is from this base that he leads a gardening holiday/study course, which has given him access to some of the finest Lakeland Gardens…

The Gardens of The National Trust

In this talk we visit some of the finest gardens that the National Trust has to offer.

Hidcote was the first National Trust Garden, now some of our most famous and loved gardens come under the care of the National Trust, including Sissinghurst, Biddulph Grange, Coleton Fishacre and many more!

Great Gardens

In this talk Doug shares a carefully curates selection of gardens large and small that he considers to the finest in the land.

A whistle stop tour looking at some of the great gardens telling the stories behind them, including, Great Dixter, Kew, Wisley, Sissinghurst, Wisley, The Eden Project, and as they say many more….

The Greatest Show on Earth

This talk, which is popular with Gardening clubs, and Ladies Luncheon Clubs alike, has been fully revised for the coming year. 

Chelsea is the most famous flower show in the world

In this talk we go behind the scenes, to see how the gardens are built, and judged, how the floral exhibits are constructed, while also meeting some of the new plants introduced at Chelsea 2019.

My Garden, or the 30 year makeover!

“Why do you never talk about your own garden?” Is a question often asked at Gardening Clubs, so here it is, warts and all…

My Garden.

This talk covers the moment the builders moved off site, to the process of designing the garden, the plants that Doug has grown, along with the tales of triumph and disaster along the way.

Gardening on the other side of the Pond

This talk offers an amusing insight into Americans and their passion for plants and gardening.

Gardens featured include Harvard Universities’ Arnold Arboretum, Niagara Falls Botanical Gardens, and the justly World Famous Longwood Gardens, which was described as “how God would garden if he had the money!”

Relax and enjoy a tour some of the best gardens in the North Eastern United States, learning about the plants, and gardens of the area.

Wildlife/Sustainable Gardening

Marmalade, dusky faces and a salty breeze   NEW for 2025

In this talk Doug shares his experiences of working on the lottery heritage fund refurbishment of South Cliff Gardens in Scarborough.

Doug’s work on this project involves training a small army of community volunteers to work on the gardens, (including the Italian Gardens, and the wild garden at Holbeck).

A key part of this project is working out the answer to the following questions:

What lives here?

Why does it live here?

Do we want it to live here?

How do we build habitat to get more of it to live here?

Find out more about sunset safaris, a biodiversity blitz, marmalade and dusky faces!

The new way to garden

Over the last 12 months Doug have been researching and writing a book on the new way to garden. 

The key focus of this book is on how we can apply the latest thinking and scientific research to help us to create gardens that do good.

Sustainable gardens that benefit our soil, our plants, our wellbeing and the environment.

Flowers of the verge and byway

The Yorkshire countryside is filled with an array of wonderful wildflowers, if you know where to look…

It does make a wonderful excuse, when clambering up steep hillsides, you can fall to your knees, explaining that you just need five minutes to photograph this wonderful wildflower…

And I have to say I spend a lot of time on my knees, camera in hand photographing the wildflowers of Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

This talk is filled with superb slides of wildflowers and tells their stories…

Snuffles and tweets                                    

In this very popular talk we consider how to create a garden that is both attractive and friendly to wildlife.

Snuffling hedgehogs, warty toads and wild birds all need to be attracted into the garden.

Let Doug show you how…

Looking for something a little different?

Monkey cups, hens n chicks, and fresh air

Doug’s cottage is filled with around 50 different houseplants, ranging from orchids, succulents and ferns through to more sinister flesh eating favourites.

In this talk Doug introduces a few of his favourites, telling their fascinating stories and sharing tips for success.

Wicked Plants

This is a talk looking at plants that hurt, mame and kill, in some rather ingenious ways…

Just when you thought it was safe to go out into the garden.

Something a little bit different…

The Joy of Worms!

At the heart of organic growing is compost…

In this humorous, illustrated, look at organic growing, we delve into the amazing world of vermicomposting, worm bins, compost piles and much, much, more!

Discover how to compost TNT, how to dispose of 20 000 dead turkeys, (honest) and how to produce all your own liquid feed!

This talk had been retired, but after a gardening club asked for it twice as they enjoyed it so much the first time, it was brought out of retirement!

My Garden, or the 30 year makeover!

“Why do you never talk about your own garden?” Is a question often asked at Gardening Clubs, so here it is, warts and all…

My Garden.

This talk covers the moment the builders moved off site, to the process of designing the garden, the plants that Doug has grown, along with the tales of triumph and disaster along the way.

Edible Flowers

Edible flowers have become more popular, are easy to grow, and create a real talking point at dinners and parties alike

In this talk we consider the wide range of flowers that can be grown and used to garnish our summer salads, add fragrance and flavour to jams and jellies and of course to make dinner party guests gasp with astonishment.

Perfect for ladies luncheon clubs

The Greatest Show on Earth

This talk, which is popular with Gardening clubs, and Ladies Luncheon Clubs alike, has been fully revised for thew coming year. 

Chelsea is the most famous flower show in the world

In this talk we go behind the scenes, to see how the gardens are built, and judged, how the floral exhibits are constructed, while also meeting some of the new plants introduced at Chelsea 2019.

Tips n Tricks and other Secrets from the Potting Shed

Over the years listeners to The Great Outdoors, the programme that Doug co-presents on BBC Radio Humberside have shared their tips and tricks to make gardening easier…

  • Some are ingenious.
  • Most will save time and money.
  • Some however are just plain bizarre!

Snuffles and tweets                                    

In this new talk we consider how to create a garden that is both attractive and friendly to wildlife.

Snuffling hedgehogs, warty toads and wild birds all need to be attracted into the garden.

Let me show you how…

Edible Flowers

Edible flowers have become more popular, are easy to grow, and create a real talking point at dinners and parties alike

In this talk we consider the wide range of flowers that can be grown and used to garnish our summer salads, add fragrance and flavour to jams and jellies and of course to make dinner party guests gasp with astonishment.