Roehampton Garden Society

Category Archives: DiaryDates

Dates for your Diary


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Horticultural Courses from Ecolocal this autumn

Ecolocal run a wonderful range of courses on just the things horticultural that you might want to know or get better at. Based at ‘The Lodge’, a victorian walled garden in Carshalton, their courses are led by their RHS accredited tutor and help raise funds for community gardening projects benefiting people with learning difficulties and mental health problems.

See all their courses here

Accessible by train, bus or car, EcoLocal is at:
The Lodge
Honeywood Walk
Carshalton
Surrey SM5 3NX

Tel: 020 8404 1522


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Will you help count our Butterflies?

Your help urgently needed

Sir David Attenborough, president of Butterfly Conservation, is appealing for us all to help with the butterfly count this year. It’s such an important resource for conservation. There’s still time – we can submit results until 7th August.

Read all about the appeal from the BBC here.

Looking at the interactive map of results in Roehampton shows that there are none for our allotment sites yet. You can see the online map here.

All you have to do is spot how many butterflies you see in a 15 minute period when you’re on your allotment, and try your best to identify them. To help do that we have a special website pdf that you can keep on your phone – download here.

There’s even more help with identification from the butterfly conservation website here.

It’s fun to learn about butterflies – and the whole family can do this together. No limit to the amount of times you do 15 minutes worth!

If you can do that this week, please email your results to rgs.sw15@gmail.com and we will fill them in on their website. You need to say exactly when the 15 minutes were (date and time, please) and which site you were on.

You can fill in your results yourself here if you prefer- the post code for Site 3 is: SW15 5AR and for Site 2: SW15 5HF. You can also use their app to record sightings – easy to use. You will need to set up an account with Butterfly Conservation.


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London Square Gardens Open Weekend 11-12 June

Feed your curiosity and explore London’s private, secret and little-known gardens across the city over one very special weekend.  There are charges to enter – to support the maintenance of the gardens. A weekend ticket is available.

Gardens range from the historic and  traditional to the new and experimental, and include private gardens, roof gardens, community allotments, gardens belonging to historic buildings, institutions, cafes, schools and shops. 

All about this weekend available here

Garden opening times and days may vary. Some gardens may not be able to open at the last minute due to unforeseen circumstances.


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Wandsworth Heritage Festival – some local events to try:

The Heritage Festival is half way through – but with many interesting events remain to join in.

Below are one or two that may be of interest.

The whole programme is available here and if online events are of interest, they can be found here

Walks, talks and exhibitions next week:

Walk: Crossing the River – a Putney and Fulham Heritage Walk
Organised by Chris Van Hayden Tourist Guide
In this fascinating walk Blue Badge Tour Guide Chris Van Hayden will share the rich history of these two villages. The tour’s main themes are rowing, the English Civil Wars, Mary
Wollstonecraft, sewers, the two churches, the Abolition of Slavery, and the Bishops’ palace.
• Wednesday 8th June, 1pm
• £10
• Meet on the corner of Festing Road/Putney Embankment SW15 1LB
• Booking required – contact bluebadgeguide@chrisvanhaydentours.uk 

Walk: Industrial Heritage of the River Wandle
Organised by the Wandle Industrial Museum
John Sheridan will lead this walk along the River Wandle from Earlsfield to the Thames.
Similar to his walk last year (a virtual version of which is on the Wandle Industrial Museum YouTube channel), but containing new material reflecting this year’s theme.
• Wednesday 8th June, 2pm
• FREE
• Meet at Earlsfield Station entrance, Garratt Lane SW18 3DL
• Booking required – contact john.sheridan08@gmail.com

Talk: Wandsworth’s Lost Fishing Village
Organised by the Wandsworth Historical Society
From the seventeenth century to the nineteenth, an area dominated by fishermen and
watermen flourished near Wandsworth Bridge. Dorian Gerhold tells the story of this
remarkable settlement and the families who lived and worked there.
• Wednesday 8th June, 6.30pm
• FREE
• Wandsworth Town Library, 11 Garratt Lane SW18 4AQ
• Booking advised – contact Wandsworth Town Library on 020 8877 1742

Talk: Stories from the post mortem casebooks of St George’s Hospital, 1841-1946
Organised by Archives and Special Collections, St George’s Hospital
Archivist Dr Juulia Ahvensalmi and Curator of the Museum of Human Diseases Dr Carol
Shiels delve into the historical post mortem casebooks of St George’s Hospital with stories about the patients and diseases in the casebooks, from smallpox to murder cases.
• Thursday 9th June, 1pm
• FREE
• Library, St George’s, University of London, Cranmer Terrace SW17 0RE
• Book via Eventbrite: sgul-pm.eventbrite.co.uk

Talk: A Brief History of Rowing in Putney
Organised jointly by the Putney Society and the Wandsworth Society
Local historian Philip Evison charts the development of rowing in Putney and the people and events which became part of its history along the way.
• Thursday 9th June, 8pm
• FREE
• West Side Church Hall, corner of Melody Road/Allfarthing Lane SW18 2QQ
• Booking not required, but any queries can be sent to jennyafmassey@aol.com 

Exhibition: Wandsworth Prison Museum open weekend
Organised by the Wandsworth Prison Museum
The prison history in over 450 photos and objects. Stories of staff, prisoners, escapes, and hangings. Featuring Oscar Wilde, acid bath murderer John Haigh, traitor William Joyce
(Lord Haw Haw), and great train robber Ronnie Biggs.
• Saturday 11th June and Sunday 12th June, 10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm
• FREE
• Wandsworth Prison Museum, North Gate Car Park, Heathfield Road SW18 3HR
• Booking not required


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Pictures at an Exhibition

The RGS Centenary Exhibition is in Putney Library from 28th May to 12th June 2022

Part of Wandsworth Heritage week, the exhibition looks at the roots of the RGS, set in local history of its times. There is quite a lot to read, and to see. There are also some lovely paintings of our allotments to see, and Andrew Wilson’s photos of wildlife on our allotments. You are warmly invited to visit. Please do sign the visitor’s book.


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A climate emergency centre for Wandsworth – initial event – 5th May 6.30-8.30pm

Wandsworth’s first Climate Hub in a space in Southside Shopping centre will inform people about the climate and ecological emergency, why the timing is critical and what can be done about it.
People may have some idea what the climate emergency is, but very little idea how serious it is, or what to do about it personally or collectively or the many ways there are to act.

Aa a result of a 12,500 strong petition, Wandsworth Council declared a climate emergency in 2019. The council is currently working on reducing its own emissions by 2030. The council’s emissions are estimated to be about 10% of the overall borough-wide emissions, leaving 90% for businesses and residents needing to tackle and support in order to migrate to a zero-carbon economy.

The Climate Hub intends:

  • to encourage people to walk and cycle more, become involved in tree planting, growers groups and ask for green walls in their buildings to improve air quality and so raise awareness and take action through greening and active travel.
  • to offer essential advice on energy fuel switching, debt alleviation, energy saving tips and home surveys.
  • to plan further positive community projects.
  • to demonstrate how people can be empowered to take choices on practical and helpful climate solutions.
  • to offer advice and support on transitioning to a low carbon diet, minimising food waste and cutting down on single-use plastic.

Initially it is planned to offer:

  • weekly energy advice sessions to help those struggling with their energy bills.
  • advice on renewables and energy efficiency data.
  • home carbon audit and later a heat pump offering.
  • host eco-action games days for families to provide an opportunity to learn more about climate action whilst playing games.

To find out more call in at the Southside Centre.

Are you part of an organisation that would like to link with the Climate Hub? Please email wandsworth.cec@gmail.com to find out more.

Come to the Climate Hub Initial event – bring your ideas with you! Book here


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Short Organic Food Growing Course – starting 23rd April

EcoLocal, a Carshalton based charity are running their successful short course to help you to grow your own healthy, organic food without harming the environment.
For further information and to book, visit http://www.ecolocal.org.uk/highlight/organic-food-growing-course/

Comments from past students….

“It’s a great mix of practical and theory so the information goes in twice and ensures you’re more likely to remember!” 
“Very knowledgeable tutor”.
“I had only just got an allotment so the 6 lessons were exactly in line with what I needed.”

The course teaches eco-friendly gardening; no-dig methods, crop rotation, organic pest control, making natural fertilisers and more. It’s suitable for beginner and intermediate growers. teaching is a mixture of theory and practice, allowing students to try out the skills they learn, understanding how to plan, so they can make the most of their veg patch or allotment.

Running over 6 Saturday mornings, beginning 23rd April 2022.

The course is face to face outdoors for the practical skills teaching elements, taught on the Carshalton Community Allotments, just a 5 minute walk from Carshalton station. The theory is taught live via Zoom on alternate weeks. More travel information