This is a combined national event between Beth Chattos & the British Naturalists’ Association, held in the world famous Beth Chatto’s Gardens. Beth was a 10x Chelsea Gold Medal winner & renown plantswoman. Part of the grounds is Beth’s pioneering Dry Garden (see picture), significant in this dry part of Britain’s driest county. The gardens will be closed to the public, so we will have them to ourselves, plus the talks will be in a purpose made teaching room (see picture) that looks over the garden’s waterways. Illustrated talks will be given by Professor Ted Benton HonFBNA, Dr Tim Gardiner FBNA & Roger Tabor HonFBNA.   There will be moth trapping, bat detecting & pond dipping. There will be more information forthcoming in BNA’s magazines & website www.bna-naturalists.org, & by a BNA Essex Branch email to members as well. It will be a fantastic event & on our doorstep in Essex.

Pictures of pollard oak one of a number of the former historic landscape features retained in the gardens, water areas, borders, & BNA Chairman Steve Rutherford & President Roger Tabor at the gardens on an earlier visit. Also pictured Dr Tim Gardiner & Professor Ted Benton .

Tickets £25 BNA members and guests, and £15 BNA students and BNA Young Naturalists and are available from Eventbrite on this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beth-chatto-event-16th-17th-august-tickets-1333017865319?aff=oddtdtcreator

Price includes teas/coffees and a buffet on Saturday evening and Sunday lunchtime.

Delegates can arrive any time during Saturday afternoon and join Hon. Chairman Steve Rutherford in a BioBlitz of the gardens.