Club History
Founded over 30 years ago, Hilltop Gardening Club is very active and welcomes members from the hilltop villages of Brownshill, Bussage, Chalford Hill, Eastcombe and France Lynch as well as further afield.
Our programme provides lots of opportunities for gardeners and garden lovers to meet through monthly talks and demonstrations, visits, social occasions, an annual holiday and an Autumn Show.
Through the National Gardens Scheme, we also open a number of gardens annually to the general public.
The Club is affiliated to the Royal Horticultural Society and the Gloucestershire Federation of Gardening Societies.
Click on the logos below for website links to the RHS and GFGS.
Hilltop Gardening Club June 2nd “Celebrating 40 years”
Anniversaries are often a cause for celebration as well as moments of reflection and memories, and of course for sharing food and drink. Hosted at Ponting’s Farm, France Lynch by Jane and Pete Randall the club came together to mark HGC’s 40th year. One founding member, Robert Bryant (HGC President) gave a toast to absent friends and to the current club continuing a tradition of bringing together diverse gardeners and plant enthusiasts. There was much to learn from or rediscover when looking at the historic photo-albums, scrap-books, early committee minutes, posters of numerous speakers, annual autumn show-winners and holidays: snap-shots across four decades. Such a history discovered by the new was re-visited and shared by long-time members. Not just nostalgia however, this was a time to reflect and look forward to inspirational, funny and educative talks that bring together the passionate, quirky and plant-obsessed gardener, grower, ecologist or historian to Eastcombe village hall to share knowledge and horticultural skills. Gardeners plant and plan for the future: waiting for the perennials to emerge after the winter and for harvests to ripen. Shared histories, good-times together and the positive power of growing are worth celebrating. And in-between rain-showers we were able to enjoy the beautiful garden and the wrap-round beauty of the Cotswolds.
Notes from the very first Inaugural meeting of the Club can be viewed by clicking the link below.
Below are a few pictures from the 40th Anniversary Celebrations held at Pontings Farm.
