scottish group 

Sunday 19th April 2026 6pm

Evening talks

 

We will launch our 2026 programme with a virtual meeting, featuring two Illustrated talks:

Heather McHaffie: “An introduction to eight common ferns”

Kevin Bannon: “Restoring the historic Palm House at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh”

There will also be a chance for general discussion, including our plans for the 2026 season. All are welcome. If you are interested, please contact Bridget Laue, who will provide details of how to join the zoom meeting. E-mail: scotland@britishfernsociety.org.uk

 

May 2026

SCOTTISH grouP 

Sunday 17th May 2026

 

Holyrood Park, Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh

Visit to survey the colony of Adder’s tongue (Ophioglossum vulgatum) in Hunter’s Bog. Also expect to see several species of Equisetum, as well as Forked spleenwort (Asplenium septentrionale)

Leader: Bridget Laue email: scotland@britishfernsociety.org.uk

 

EDUCATION group

Friday 22nd May 2026 13:00 - Sunday 24th May 2026 17:00 

Ferns: Ecology and Identification HAU

Field Studies Council Rhyd y Creuau, North Wales

A two and half day course introducing you to the world of pteridophytes, including ferns, horsetails, clubmosses, and quillworts. Hosted by the Field Studies Council and part of the Harper Adams University Master's programme this residential course places a strong emphasis on field idenfication and accurate biological record creation.

 

See the FSC website or contact northwales@britishfernsociety.org.uk for more information.

 

SOUTH EAST AND WESSEX grouP 

Sunday 30th May 2026 - 11:00am

 

Moonwort Monitoring, Linwood and Beaulieu Heath

Meeting at Appleslade Bottom Car Park (Grid Ref SU 1845 0919) This is near the Red Shoot Inn Post code BH24 3QT

 

The first site we are to look at has some Botrychium lunaria at a site we have been monitoring for a number of years. It would be good if we could see how many, and see if we can find any more in the area.

Lunch at the pub or in the car park.

Then meet at Beaulieu Heath Inclosure Car Park, (Grid Ref SU 358 004)
Two species of Ophioglossum growing near each other and Botrychium lunaria if we're lucky.

 

Finally to Boldre for Tea and cakes at the “Basil’s”
14 Royden Lane Boldre SO41 8PE The post code might take you 150m north of our house.

 

If you would like to attend please contact:-
Ashley Basil (Home phone 01590676538 / Mobile Phone 07922600235)
wessex@britishfernsociety.org.uk

or
Julian Reed (Mobile Phone 07770531038)
southeast@britishfernsociety.org.uk

 

June 2026

 

SCOTTISH GROUP 

Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th June 2026

Dumfies and Galloway Weekend

 

Leaders: Liza Downie & Chris Nicholson

We have a tour of Logan Botanic Gardens (RBGE), led by garden manager Alan Hannah, booked for the morning of Saturday 13th June. 

On Sunday 14th June we will visit Threave Garden and Nature Reserve (NTS), near Castle Douglas. 

 

When we know who intends to come, and when, we will discuss possibly meeting for meals on Friday and Saturday evenings. We will try to arrange shared transport where possible.

If you are interested in joining us, please e-mail Liza at lizadownie@protonmail.com.

 

Logan Garden, Port Logan, Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway, DG9 9ND (entry fee £9.70/£8.10 concession; free to RBGE members/staff)
Threave Garden and Nature Reserve, Castle Douglas, DG7 1RX (entry fee £10/£8 concession; free to NTS members)

 

 

EAST ANGLIA GROUP 

Saturday 27th June 2026 11:00am

Cockshoot Broad and Winterton Dunes field visit. 

Target species include Thelypteris palustris, Ophioglossum vulgatum and Polypodium vulgare.

 

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

 

SOUTH WALES GROUP

Saturday 27th June 2026

A visit to two woods in Monmouthshire

A day’s visit to two contrasting woods near Chepstow in Monmouthshire. We will meet at 10:30 at Great Barnets Wood near Chepstow and move to Croes Robert Wood near Trellech for the afternoon. 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

 

July 2026

SCOTTISH GROUP

Saturday 4th July 2026

Mountain trek for Woodia ilvensis

 

Leader:  Andy MacGregor

A stroll in the hills to find Britain’s rarest native fern (details to follow). To register please email: scotland@britishfernsociety.org.uk

August 2026

 

SCOTTISH GROUP

Early August 2026 (date to be confirmed)

Fern Fossils at East Wemyss, Fife

 

This is an easy site to visit, with 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 findings include: Stigmarian root systems, Lepidodendron trunks, Calamites branches, and bits of Annularia.  

Date to be confirmed (dependent on tides).

Leaders: Heather McHaffie, Bridget Laue, Michael Sundue

To register please email scotland@britishfernsociety.org.uk

 

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

 

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.