The Cornwall Garden Society’s (CGS) lecture series launches this October with discussions entitled ‘Tresco Story’ and ‘Gardens of the Mediterranean’.

These lectures will be delievered by head gardener of Tresco Abbey Gardens on the Isles of Scilly, Mike Nelhams.

He was an early recruit of RHS Wisley's two-year horticultural certificate in the 1970s, where he spent weeks "frozen to the top of a ladder" learning how to prune apple trees properly at commercial speeds.

Being taught to do things in the right way without shortcuts at RHS Wisley has characterised Mike’s horticultural career and he adopts the same approach with his students today.

He then worked at Tresco Abbey Gardens for a year, before being asked to stay on for a further 18 months of tree work. This was followed by five years at High Beeches in Sussex. In 1984, Mike received an invitation from the owner of Tresco Abbey Gardens, Robert Dorrien-Smith, to return as Head Gardener and he has worked there ever since.

The CGS is a charity that exists to encourage and improve the science, art and practice of horticulture in all its branches; share knowledge about gardening and Cornwall’s rich garden heritage, and conserve the county’s natural environment. The society is affiliated to the RHS and its Patron is HRH The Prince of Wales.

The lectures are free for CGS members, while non-members are welcome and donations are gratefully received.

They will be held at the Alverton Hotel in Truro at 7.30pm and the Penventon Park Hotel in Redruth from 2.30pm, on October 8 and 9 respectively.

For further information about the CGS, visit www.cornwallgardensociety.org.uk