On 18 October, Margie Hoffnung gave us a fascinating insight into that great British pastime of garden visiting in Britain. Filled with anecdotes and humour, Margie led us through all types of gardens, parks and historic settings that we enjoy.
Margie completed a 4 year Horticulture Degree at Writtle College, after working at Westonbirt Arboretum. Her sandwich placement was with Rosemary Verey, the well-known plantswoman, author and garden designer, with whom she continued to work for over a decade until Rosemary’s death. She also spent some years at Highgrove as both gardener and garden guide for HRH The Prince of Wales, as well as manning Jekka McVicar’s herb stand at flowers shows like Chelsea and Hampton Court for several seasons. She subsequently completed a Masters in the Conservation of Historic Gardens & Cultural Landscapes at Bath and since 2013 has worked for the Garden History Society (now The Gardens Trust) and is their Conservation Officer. In this role she liaises closely with County Gardens Trusts all around England and responds to planning applications which might affect listed historic designed landscapes, to make sure as far as possible, that these proposals do not have an adverse effect on these sites or their settings.