WHF WINTER NEWSLETTER 2025-26

Come to a scent-filled midsummer Open Day on June 14th
Chinese and Japanese Peonies should be blooming on our May 31st Open Day – more pictures here
A Spring Open Day on April 12th will feature a myriad of flowering trees and shrubs, including Melliodendron, here
140+ Camellia cultivars will be blooming across March and April: this a Williamsi, ‘Waterlily’
Maurice was profiled in The English Garden in Feb 2026
WHF Open Day on May 31st will discuss Hardy Hybrid and late species Rhodoendrons
Spectacular spring growth is a feature of our 47 species camellias – there should be some on show on April 12th
Our Open Day on March 29th will feature magnolias such as ‘Premier Cru’, here
Great Dixter Almuni in October – see you again this Spring!
Winter 2025-26

News and events about White House Farm, Maurice Foster’s garden and arboretum in Kent, England

Welcome to the eighth White House Farm biennial newsletter, for Friends of White House Farm. This comes to you as an email twice yearly if you subscribe here.

NEWS

We have finished clearing the diseased ash, the last area of development in the wood. This sheltered spot is now ready for planting, with soil having benefited from many years of leaf mould, with a humid microclimate, cool in summer, some top cover in winter. Magnolias, camellias and rhododendrons and other rarities that are now growable thanks to our milder winters are waiting in the greenhouse….in this situation growth rates should be good. Altogether it makes a very exciting opportunity to extend our collection of rare and desirable plants.

Clearing diseased ash stumps – lovely woodland soil ready for planting

Maurice has completed a year now of writing blogs, gradually sharing his experience of growing certain plants over fifty years – and discussing which cultivars, varieties or species are best, and why.

Sign up to receive the blogs automatically by subscribing on the ‘SUBSCRIBE’ blue button at the bottom of the ‘About’ home page here; or just check back monthly to see what’s next.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

The next WHF OPEN DAYS:
Sunday March 29th – Camellias, early Asiatic Magnolias, early
rhododendrons

Sunday April 12th – Magnolias, Camellias, Melliodendron, Staphylea etc

Sunday May 31st – Hardy Hybrid Rhododendrons (Deutzia, Japanese
hydrangea serratas, Wisteria, early rose species etc)

Sunday June 14th – Philadelphus (with Roses, Hydrangea serrata hybrids)

A WHF Open Day is an informal visit to the garden, wood and arboretum, with discussion with plant experts over coffee in the morning around a seasonally-appropriate genus or topic, often with specimens to study or practical demonstrations, and a summing up ‘plant of the day’ over tea in the afternoon. This gives a chance for in-depth knowledge exchange across horticultural experts and keen amateur gardeners, garden designers and botanists etc in an informal setting. Bring a picnic – free tea, coffee, and refreshments are provided all day. For more info, and to book, email whitehousefarmarb@gmail.com. We ask for £15 to support the collection and our expenses on the day. Rare plants from WHF will also be available for purchase – all proceeds go to the Foundation to pay for its maintenance.

On Saturday May 16th we will host the International Oak Society.

On Saturday July 4th we will host a Trees and Shrubs Online/International Dendrology Society Study Day on Carpinus (Hornbeam).

Groups are welcome to request to visit at other times: please just enquire about your desired dates and times at whitehousefarmarb@gmail.com.

As always, If you’d like to request to visit, propose events at WHF, or find out more about our Volunteers and their weekly Afternoon Gardening Teas, get in touch!

OPEN DAY March 29th – nominal focus on early asiatic Magnolias (but camellias will be at their best then too). See Maurice’s blogs ‘The Majesty of Magnolia campbellii‘ and ‘Go East Young Man’ – the Magnolia campbellii Mollicomata Group’ . Read Charles Quest-Ritson’s article in Country Life last year about our magnolias.

OPEN DAY April 12th – Mid- season Magnolias and Camellias will be at their peak but we’ll also discuss Melliodendron and Staphylea varieties. See Maurice’s blog on Melliodendron and his articles Melliodendron xylocarpum – a new star and ‘Always the Bridesmaid: overlooked members of the genus Staphylea’.

OPEN DAY May 31st – with a focus on hardy hybrid and late species rhododendrons – but with so much more on show (Wisteria, Deutzia, Peonies, late Magnolias, shrub rose species, early Philadelphus, Azaleas, Japanese Hydrangea serratas…) See Maurice’s article on hardy hybrid rhododendrons ‘The Old Contemptibles Hold the Line’, in the RCM Group Yearbook, recently translated into German (!).

OPEN DAY June 14th – midsummer scent at its peak, with discussion around the genus Philadelphus, and the Hydrangea serrata walk (Maurice’s colourful compact hybrids) in full bloom, as well as climbing roses, and shrub roses. See The Variety and Versatility of Philadelphus, a recent blog.

There will be more events in the late summer and autumn – details in the Summer 2026 Newsletter.