Looking for a speaker for your gardening club, horticultural society, community group, or conference? The Scotland Grows Speaker Directory brings together experienced speakers from across Scotland’s gardening and horticultural community. Browse their talk titles, find out where they are based and if they are willing to travel, and contact them directly to discuss a booking.
Booking a Speaker
All bookings should be made directly with the speaker. When getting in touch, we recommend confirming by email:
- Date, time, and venue, including the full address and postcode
- Talk length and format expected
- Speaker fee and travel expenses
- Equipment or AV requirements that the speaker needs and that you can provide
- Arrival and set-up arrangements, including a contact for the day
A quick check-in shortly before the event is also a good opportunity to confirm that all the arrangements are still in place.
Please Note: The Scotland Grows Speaker Directory is provided as a resource to help gardening clubs, societies, and event bookers connect with speakers. Speakers manage their own bookings, fees, availability, and arrangements directly. Scotland Grows does not act as a booking agent and is not party to any agreement made between a speaker and an organisation using this directory, although it would be nice if you mentioned that you found their details here.
George Anderson
Worked as gardener’s boy in a walled garden, joined the student course at the RBGE, retired in 2024, been presenter on Beechgrove Garden since 2005.
Talks:
‘Travels in New Zealand and Japan’
‘A Life in Horticulture’
‘Nature Closely Observed’
Based in Edinburgh and prefer just to do local Edinburgh talks.
Contact: georgeanderson52@hotmail.com
M.T. O’Donnell
Publisher of Scotland Grows magazine and Host of the Scotland Grows Show. Vice President of the Royal Horticultural Society, and Council member of Scottish Gardeners’ Forum.
Talks:
‘Why Does Gardening Make Us Feel So Good?’
‘Are Plants More Intelligent Than Us?’
‘Create Hanging Baskets That Dazzle – Even When You’re on Holiday!’
‘What’s in a Plant Name?’ (run like a table quiz)
‘Scone Palace Garden Fair – An Orientation’
Based in Glasgow and willing to travel.
Contact: mail@scotlandgrowsmagazine.com
Brian Cunningham
From working in public parks, private estates, and botanical gardens, now Head Gardener of Scone Palace and presenter on BBC’s Beechgrove Garden.
Talks:
‘Scone Palace Gardens and Grounds’
‘Scotland’s Heritage Trees’
‘The Gardens of Scotland’
Based in Perth and willing to travel.
Contact: briancunningham@thegingergairdner.co.uk
Rona Dodds
Owner of Quercus Garden Plants, propagating and growing plants for sale and growing a garden at 850 feet above sea level.
Talks:
‘Creating Quercus Garden Plants Gardens and Nursery in Challenging Growing Conditions’
‘Plants and Gardens to Encourage Wildlife’
‘Gardening on the Edge – How to Create a Rewarding Garden in Challenging Conditions’
Contact: quercusgardenplants@gmail.com
Calum Clunie
Beechgrove presenter, business owner, horticultural advisor, and show grower.
Talks:
‘My Horticultural Journey So Far’
‘T.V. Gardening Unearthed’ – New for 2027
‘Battle of the Bulbs’
‘Show Growing My Way’
‘Getting Started on the Allotment’
Based in Fife and willing to travel.
Contact: info@calumclunie.com
Katie Reynolds
Garden and interior designer, working on projects of all sizes. Regular columnist for Scotland Grows Magazine.
Talks: all topics interiors and garden design related.
Based just north of Aberdeen and willing to travel.
Contact: katiereynoldsdesign@icloud.com
Colin Wren
Trained at RHS Wisley and RBGE, Colin has worked in France, Edinburgh Zoo, and Binny Plants, joining the National Trust for Scotland in 2014. He is a keen plantsman and since 2018 has developed an interest in apples.
Talks:
‘Apples at The National Trust for Scotland’
Newhailes Gardens’
‘Scottish Plants’
‘Gardens & Designed Landscape Manager Role at NTS’
‘An Introduction to Pruning’
‘Volunteering at NTS’
Based in NW Edinburgh, will travel up to an hour.
Contact: cwren@nts.org.uk, colingwren@gmail.com
Kate White
Head Gardener at Branklyn Garden since 2023, Kate trained at RBGE Edinburgh and has worked at historic and botanic gardens in Scotland for the last 15 years.
Talks:
‘Branklyn Garden: A Perthshire Gem’
‘A Scottish Garden Through the Seasons’
‘Japanese Influences on a 20th Century Scottish Garden’
Based in Perth, happy to travel 1 hour radius
Contact: kwhite@nts.org.uk
Simon Jones
Chartered horticulturist and environmentalist. NTS Gardens and Designed Landscapes Manager looking after gardens in the south & west: Culzean, Threave, Broughton House, Greenbank, and Holmwood.
Talks:
‘Pioneering Women in Horticulture’
‘Gardens of the South and West: NTS Gardens in this Region’
‘Arduaine Garden – Past, Present, and Future’
‘Gardens on the Edge: Coastal NTS Gardens and Their Resilience’
‘From Giant Pandas to Phytophthora – An Unexpected Horticultural Journey’
‘Zoo Horticulture – Designing Gardens for Animals’
Based in Glasgow and happy to travel, preferably in the West.
Contact: sjones@nts.org.uk
Kate McClorey
Head of Gardens, Floors Castle, Kelso, and Garden Designer. Horticultural qualifications from RHS, WFGA, and RBGE. Diploma in History of Garden Design from RBGE. Winner of Scone Palace Garden Design Competition ‘Small Space Garden’.
Talks:
‘The Seasons at Floors Castle Gardens’
‘Designing Borders in a New Climate’
‘Designing a Cutting Garden – Growing from Seed’
‘Urban Gardens – Making the Most of Small Shady Spaces’
Garden history design related subjects
Based in Kelso Scottish Borders and happy to travel. Offers all talks online.
Contact: Kate.mcclorey@gmail.com
Andrew Hinson
Head Gardener Glasgow cluster NTS, been in the horticulture industry 10+ years with a keen focus on environmental based solutions and a keen interest in daffodils.
Talks:
‘Greenbank Gardens – Separating the History from the Weeds’
‘The Flowers of Greenbank Garden’
‘Daffodils at Greenbank’
‘The Gardens of the Glasgow Cluster’
‘Bringing Interest to your Garden in Winter’
Based in Glasgow and willing to travel.
Contact: ahinson@nts.org.uk
Chelsea Lowe
Chelsea Lowe is a gardener, designer, and therapeutic horticulturalist, who runs Gardens By Chelsea. She has joyfully gardened on 3 continents, in homes, schools, hospitals, and the community.
Talks:
‘Honouring the Self and Seasons – Garden Wellness and Nature Connection Year Round’
‘Green Therapies – On Therapeutic & Community Gardening’
‘Climate Resilient Gardening – Lessons from Gardening in Australia, Canada, and Scotland’
Based in Glasgow and willing to travel.
Contact: gardensbychelsea@gmail.com
Chris Wardle
Having changed career from the military to horticulture, Chris has worked in horticulture for 32 years, with 26 years for the National Trust for Scotland, now as Gardens & Designed Landscape Manager for Aberdeen & Angus, with a secondment to administer the School of Heritage Gardening at Threave. A Chartered horticulturalist with the IOH, and member of the PGG, Chris’s specialism is in trees, woodland, and landscape management.
Talks:
‘After the Storm – Arwen and Beyond’
‘The Role of the Gardens Manager’
‘Women in Horticulture – My Gardening Heroines’
China (1)- ‘A Perspective’
China(2) – ‘Plant Hunting in China’
‘Geometry to Informality – Landscape as an artistic invention’
‘Plant Hardiness’
‘Life of a Journeyman Gardener’
‘A Year of Garden Visits’
‘Crathes – A Walk Round the Gardens’
‘Countries – Sweden / New Zealand and Fiji’
‘Organic v Inorganic’
Based in the NE of Scotland but willing to travel.
Contact: cwardle@nts.org.uk
Ann Lindsay
Author of many books, including stories of historic Scottish plant hunters, and a guide to drying flowers, Ann is an experienced public speaker, in person and online.
Talks:
‘The Scots Who Brought Plants Home’
‘Plant Hunters: The Stories behind Our Garden Plants’
‘Creating a Floral Wonderland: Flowers, Foliage, and a Very Big Barn’
Based near Perth, willing to travel. Offers all talks online.
Contact: ann.lindsay1@btopenworld.com
Richard Baines
Curator of Logan Botanic Garden, a specialist garden of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh for the last 20 years. Richard has participated in botanical expeditions around the world including China, Chile, Turkey, South Africa, USA, and the Canary Islands, leading four expeditions to Vietnam resulting in the discovery of five new species to science.
Talks:
‘Gardening in a Changing Climate’
‘Logan Botanic Garden, Scotland’s Most Exotic Garden’
‘Vietnam, An Oriental Treasure Trove’
Based in Castle Douglas and willing to travel.
Contact: rbaines@rbge.org.uk
Peter Hart
Peter has spent a lifetime with a passion for gardening and creating over the last 50 years, with Gill, a garden at Kirklands.
Talks:
‘Kirklands, 50 Years of Development’
‘Meconopsis, the Star of the Spring Garden’
‘Primulas, Creating Spaces for Candelabra Primula to Thrive’
‘Composting, the Heart of the Garden’
Based in West Fife and willing to travel.
Contact: peter@kirklandsgarden.co.uk
Ryan McMahon
International award-winning garden designer and gardener with over 20 years in the landscape and garden design industry. Ryan creates gardens with a strong focus on encouraging nature and improving biodiversity within gardens and public spaces.
Based in Falkirk and willing to travel.
Talks:
‘RHS Chelsea Flower Show – Creating the Gold medal winning and Best In Category Seawilding Garden, 2026’
‘Community Gardening with Falkirk’s Blooming Bairns’
Contact: ryan@rmgardendesign.com
Ray Cox
Ray Cox is an established full-time, professional photographer with 25 years’ experience, specialising in the gardens and plants of Scotland and northern England. Ray’s work is regularly published in a wide range of media including national magazines and newspapers, websites, books, and calendars. He also carries out commissions for a wide range of private clients.
Talk: ’25 Years of Garden Capture’
Based Glendoick, Perthshire and willing to travel (within reason). Willing to offer talk online.
Contact: ray@rcoxgardenphotos.co.uk
