˜  Garden Tours  ™

I can offer guided tours of many historic gardens in the London area, Home Counties and further afield (in English only).  There is a "per head" fee, which is subject to negotiation.  In the unlikely event that I am not familiar with the particular garden your group wishes to visit - that's no problem. I will be happy to undertake a "recce" visit at my own expense and also sufficient background research in order that your visit is an enjoyable one. Handouts etc for your group can be provided - either on the day or in advance.  Please contact me for further details.  

 

˜  References  ™
Many of my past clients would be more than happy to provide you with a reference should you wish to have one before making a booking. Again, please contact me for further details.

 

 

 

 

˜  The things they say  ™

 

"Your excellent presentation was enjoyed by all and many members' comments were extremely favourable.... the depth of your knowledge about [Capability Brown] brought new insight of Mr. Brown to us"

Alison Weir, Ballinger Horticultural Society, March 2010

 

"Thank you for giving us such a magnificent talk"

Jackie Evans, Chairman, Sidcup Horticultural Society, October 2009

 

"I thought I'd send you a quick e-mail to tell you that you were the talking point in our conversations at our National Trust Christmas lunch today.  Loads of members came up to tell me how good you were and how clever I was to find you!!  So I think another booking is definitely on the cards."

Jackie Trifiletti, Epsom and Ewell National Trust Members' Association, December 2009

 

"I have been showered with thanks and appreciation, which I am happy to pass on to you.  Our Members really enjoyed the talk and found it all deeply interesting"

 

"Superbly researched talks"

 

"We would like to thank you for your very good talk to us last week. It was refreshingly different from the rest of this year's programme"

 Caroline Briden, Yarnton Gardening Club, November 2009

 

"[Russell] was excellent and informative, despite his bad cold"

 

"Russell has been here twice to speak to Eden Friends and on both occasions his talks attracted a large audience.  I can unhesitatingly recommend Russell as a fine speaker, very knowledgeable with an engaging style and a wonderfully diverse range of subjects.   The Friends thoroughly enjoyed both evenings and have requested that he return here later in the year."

Carolyn Trevivian, Friends Administrator, Eden Project

 

"Very informative, well selected slides, well supported by prose/quotes/poetry"

 

"A big thank you on behalf of our Society for the interesting and most informative talk you gave us last Thursday [Dig for Victory].  It certainly brought back memories for a great many of our members"

EileenWilliams, Programme Secretary, Brenchley & Matfield Local History Society

 

"Russell made the day lively and informative"

 

"You showed us a side of the Capability Brown story which most of us did not know."

Alison Beardwood, Secretary, Walsall Association of National Trust Members

 

"He really knows his subjects"

 

"Good quality slides, jokes and total expertise"

 

"I am writing on behalf of our members to thank you for such an interesting and enjoyable talk [A Nice Cup of Tea] last Thursday.  Having spoken to a number of our members, it seems that it came across extremely well and they all thoroughly enjoyed the evening"

Tony James, Hertford Assocation of National Trust Members

 

"Lecture delivered with charm and a wry sense of humour"

 

"An excellent lecture, informative and interesting"

 

"We very much appreciate the time and trouble you take in preparing your lectures, and that on The Painted Garden was most interesting and enjoyable.  People were remarking too on the quality of your slides, the clear way you were speaking and the care you took when reading literary extracts."

 Betty Wheel, Secretary, John Lewis Partnership Garden Society

 

"Can I book you again for next year?"

 

 "I loved the way you started by talking about gardening for posterity.  I think that that is such a wonderful concept and explains to me so much of what good gardeners do.  We remember the best gardeners by their gardens and the way they changed our thinking about gardening.  You certainly made me want to visit some of Capability Brown's landscapes."

Nancy Korman, De Beauvoir Gardeners

 

"Your audience for "The Literary Garden" was the biggest we've had this year and the Over 60s loved the participation element, and the 'Dig for Victory' talk was informative and sparked the interest of many members of the audience"

Sarah Orton, Education Officer, Northampton Museum

 

"Thank you so very much for coming and giving us such a brilliant lecture [Dig for Victory] last Saturday.  I know that everybody was thrilled with it and when I got back to the hall there was a buzz of conversation about experiences and memories"

Sue Morrell, Lectures Organiser, Wimbledon National Trust Association

 

A most excellent and well constructed lecture

Feedback received after "The Painted Garden", Petworth House, November 2006