Two award-winning horticulturists will be delivering talks at a lecture to remember Newtown Garden Club president Sydney Thomas who died in 2020.

Bob Brown and Christine Skelmersdale have been announced as the speakers at the memorial lecture at The Hafren theatre in Newtown on Saturday afternoon, September 24.

Sydney Thomas was a long-standing member and President of Newtown Garden Club and opened her garden Fraithwen at Tregynon for the National Garden Scheme for more than 20 years.

Sydney was a member of Newtown Garden Club for more than 30 years and over the years had been secretary, treasurer and chair. She was made president when she retired from being chair in 2018. Sadly, Sydney passed away in July 2020 aged 78.

To celebrate Sydney's gardening life, Which? magazine garden writer Bob Brown, who is also an award-winning plant hunter, nurseyman, and owner of Cotswold Garden flowers, will give a talk about the changing tastes in gardening.

The lecture afternoon will also include Christine Skelmersdale who will share her knowledge and experience by telling the audience about 'The Year Round Bulb Garden'. She was awarded the Victoria Medal of Honour which is the Royal Horticultural Society's highest award for services to horticulture in recognition of her work with bulbs.

Tickets for the afternoon which starts at 2.30pm are £10 including refreshments are available to buy online at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sydney-thomas-memorial-garden-lecture-afternoon-tickets-292400075497

Newtown Garden Club has a busy September planned with two plant sales and its first autumn meeting.

The plant sales will be in Bear Lanes Shopping Centre, Newtown on Sunday (September 4) and Tuesday (September 6) where tickets for the memorial lecture will be available to buy.

The first autumn meeting will be in the Methodist Church Hall, Back Lane, Newtown at 7.30pm on Thursday (September 8). The speaker will be the Powys County Times' garden writer Carolle Doyle who will be telling the meeting about 'The Making of my Garden'. Guests and new members are always welcome.

For more information about the garden club or any of these events please contact the secretary, Helen, on 07986 061051 or newtown.garden.club@gmail.com