I have been looking for a gardening club or horticultural society specialising in coastal zone gardening, since joining GardenBanter and couldn't find one.

I contacted Kent Federation of Horticultural Societies, which covers Kent and East Sussex and was told that there aren't any. Kent has the longest coastline of any county, so I was surprised.

Contacted the RHS and the only coastal gardening group they knew off was in.... California.

I decided to take up the challenge and am receiving advice from the RHS. The intention is, to launch the Coastal Gardening Society in March 2012, starting in Kent and East Sussex.

Have started Facebook page and blog on Blogger under Coastal Gardening Society and on Twitter as CoastalGardengS.

If anyone in Kent and Sussex is interested you can either follow CGS see above or send me a PM (hope that works)

Thanks.

Hi Coleslaw, a very good idea !! I'm in Cornwall and have been growing and selling plants down here for nearly 40 years and as you know, alot of the information given by even top horticultural books (even RHS) is often misleading and sometimes downright wrong ! I'm sure that some of this information is copied erroneously from other books but certainly, it hasnt been written by somebody with hands on practical experience !!
Best wishes with your venture and I'll look forward to the Cornwall section starting, Lannerman.

Thank you for your support If you'd like to get involved in a Cornwall section then please PM me with an email and I will get in touch. Depending how much effort it takes to get Kent and Sussex off the ground, Cornwall might be feasible for Summer 2012.

I am trying to compile a list of suitable plants and one book or website says X about a plant and another says Y. That's why I'd like to get members completing a what-grows-in-my-coastal-garden questionnaire. At least that way members will know that if a variety is recommended they have a much higher rate of success with it.

Hi I'm from cornwall too and look forward to a cornish section too!!
I find that visiting local gardens the best way to see what thrives in our climate and we have plenty of wonderful coastal gardens here.
I'm of the opinion that if its happy in my garden I've got it right!! except of course when we get a harsh winter like last year then everything struggles.

Hi cornishgail, yes I have a feeling that a Cornish section will not be too long in following.

Absolutely agree with you about looking at local gardens, being a good way of finding out what thrives locally. Here for example, euphorbias, buddleia and fuchsias have gone wild. Ceanothus is extremely popular as are phoenix canariensis and lavender.

Last winter was a garden disaster. My 5ft oleander is now barely five inches tall.

In fact there are more people in Cornwall interested than there are anywhere else at the moment and one of the steering group members lives there. I'm working on the website at the moment, which I hope will be working by the weekend. I'm sure website building is easy if you're five...

Blog
Coastal Gardening Society

Facebook page Willkommen bei Facebook - anmelden, registrieren oder mehr erfahren
Coastal Gardening Society

Holding page up on website (working on)
Coastal Gardening Society

I am still working on the website (not being a Gardenerd) but I do have a working email for any enquiries

enquiries mumble jumble at mumble jumble coastalgardeningsociety mumble jumble dot mumble jumble org mumble jumble dot mumble jumble uk ..just take out the mumble jumble and do the usual.

As events are confirmed they are going up on tourism/what's on/community websites. So far they include visits to Samphire Hoe, Langdon Cliffs and Rye Harbour Nature Reserve and talks on The History of the British Seaside and Fishing in Folkestone 1790-Present. Other events in the pipeline include a day in Dungeness, a look at Rye Castle Museum's medieval herb garden and a talk on coastal amenity horticulture.

I'm also discussing the idea of plant clinics with three specialist plant societies at the moment.