July 2026

SOUTH EAST / EDUCATION GROUP

Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th July

 

Fern and Carnivorous Plant Show at RHS Garden Wisley

 

We'll be based in the Hilltop Science Centre throughout the weekend, with a programme of talks and tours running across both days.

Saturday
11.30am - Growing Ferns in Your Garden, Julian Reed
12.15pm - Tour of Wisley garden ferns by Julian Reed
12.30pm - Cultivation of North American Pitcher Plants and Venus Fly Traps, Paul McKeown
1.30pm - Growing Ferns as Houseplants, Matthew Reeve
2.15pm - Tour of Wisley tender ferns in the glasshouse by Matthew Reeve
2.30pm - Propagation of Ferns, Peter Blake

Sunday
11.30am - Growing Ferns as Houseplants, Matthew Reeve
12.15pm - Tour of Wisley tender ferns in the glasshouse by Matthew Reeve
12.30pm - Cultivation of North American Pitcher Plants and Venus Fly Traps, Paul McKeown
1.30pm - Growing Ferns in Your Garden, Julian Reed
2.15pm - Tour of Wisley garden ferns by Julian Reed
2.30pm - Propagation of Ferns, Peter Blake

August 2026

 

EAST ANGLIA GROUP

Friday 7th August 2026

 

East Anglia Group visit to Lincolnshire Nurseries - Contact Peter Blake    

 

SOUTH WALES GROUP

Saturday 8th August 2026

Two field sites near Neath in South Wales

We will be visiting the South Wales Miners Museum, which is one of relatively few sites for Dryopteris aemula in Glamorgan. We hope to link this to a visit with the nearby Melincourt Falls, which has a fantastic range of ferns. This site is currently closed due to a landslip, so we will plan an alternative second site if this is not resolved by August.

This is organised by the South Wales Group and to find more information and be sent any updates, contact Brian and Sue Dockerill on southwales@britishfernsociety.org.uk

 

YORKSHIRE GROUP 

15th August 2026 10:30am

 

Askham Bog

 

Meet at Askham Bog nature reserve main car park off the A64 sliproad into York, accessible from the east and west (53.9243 x 1.1262. SE 5747 4793). (W3W lakes.eaten.ritual)

Packed lunch only. Easy going. May need wellies.
Lead by Alistair Fitter who will guide us to an introduction site for Dryopteris criststa. Along the way we should see some Thelypteris palustris and large Osmunda regalis. Contact Barry Wright, 07817 564954 barry.wright@me.com if you plan to come please

 

SCOTTISH GROUP

Sunday 16th August 2026

 

“Fern” fossils at East Wemyss, Fife

 

Leaders: Heather McHaffie, Bridget Laue, Michael Sundue

 

This is an easy site to visit, with very nice plant fossils from the Carboniferous, about 335 Myr ago. (You do not have to dig, and can spend all of your time just looking for interesting things.) Typical finds include: Stigmarian root systems, Lepidodendron trunks, Calamites branches, and bits of Annularia. 

 

Afterwards, those interested will go on to visit the gardens at Backhouse Rossie Estate, near Auchtermuchty, where they have some interesting ferns. This is about 30 minutes drive from East Wemyss.

 

We will meet at the car park by the shore in East Wemyss at 10:30 am

 

To register please email scotland@britishfernsociety.org.uk. If you need a lift to get there, let me know and I will try arrange transportation.

 

EDUCATION GROUP 

20th-23rd August 2026

 

Southport Flower Show

Come and visit the BPS stand in the Charities tent. The stand will include spore sowing demonstrations, aquatic ferns, merchandise and educational resources, plus hopefully a trophy!

 

SCOTTISH GROUP

Saturday 29th August 2026

Autumn meeting, Muirburn (near Biggar)

Hosts: Frank Katzer and Steve Taylor

Garden tours, fern propagation workshop and talks:
Diego Sanchez Ganfornina: “Exploring the evolution of spiral leaf arrangements in lycophytes”    
Alex Quinlan: "A case study of ferns and fire in the Central Highlands of Vietnam"
 
Lunch, coffee/tea provided. Please register with Bridget scotland@britishfernsociety.org.uk

 

September 2026

SOUTH WALES & BORDERS GROUP

Saturday 12th September 2026 11:00am

Two Gardens in Herefordshire

In the morning we will go to the garden of Ben Adams at Stoke Lacy near Bromyard.
This was formerly the garden of his mother, Veronica Cross, who sadly passed away
a few years ago. She had amassed an amazing collection of plants, including ferns,
snowdrops and woody species.

We will be arranging a pub lunch locally, and then moving on to the garden of Stuart
Donachie a few miles away at Sollers Hope. This is again a plant collectors paradise
and Stuart is continuing to expand the garden as more areas are brought into
cultivation. He will provide refreshments and there will be a charge of £10 per person
to go to charity, which we will collect on the day.

To register please contact Brian and Sue Dockerill on southwales@britishfernsociety.org.uk

 

EAST ANGLIA GROUP

Saturday 19th September 2026 11:00am

Norwich indoor meeting and plant sale 

To register please contact Peter Blake via eastanglia@britishfernsociety.org.uk

 

October 2026

 

NAtional MEETING 

Saturday 31st October 2026

Autumn National Meeting, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Our Autumn National Meeting will be held at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew on Saturday 31st October 2026  and our Zoom meetings will return in November and through the winter on the 3rd Saturday of each month. 

 

November 2026

 

tbc