How to Join FAGUS
The annual subscription, which runs from March to February, costs £18 for an individual or £25 for two people at the same address. Members are normally charged £2.00 per meeting they attend on top of the annual subscription.
On joining members are given a membership card, which has details of the programme of lectures and speakers for the year and access to a ‘members’ area of the website. Additionally, discounts at some local garden centres may be obtained on presentation of the signed card.
In February there is an Annual General Meeting as detailed in our Constitution.
The easiest way to join FAGUS is to come along to a meeting as a guest and if you wish you can join on the night. Just ask at the reception desk for the Membership Secretary.
Our Membership Secretary, Annie Esler, would be pleased to discuss any queries on 01934 834556.
FAGUS members enjoy…
Lectures
Joining other members to enjoy lectures by gardening experts on a wide range of topics, is the main reason for joining FAGUS.
Lectures by prominent speakers on a variety of topics are held 10/11 times a year on the third Monday of the month in the Methodist Hall, 74 Silver Street, Nailsea. BS48 2DS.
Doors open at 7.30pm for an 8.00pm start. Arrive before the talk and chat to fellow members.
Nailsea Methodist Church Hall, Silver Street, Nailsea, BS48 2DS (opens in Google Maps).
- Special Lectures – Each year a special guest lecturer is invited. As these are very popular tickets are usually required. Past guest speakers have included Chris Beardshaw, Beth Chatto, Adam Frost, James Alexander-Sinclair & Dan Pearson.
Garden Visits
These are organised by the FAGUS Outings Group. Priority booking is given to members but friends are welcome if there are spare places. Members are notified of proposed visits by email and in the Newsletter.
Day visits are by coach or self-drive to a wide variety of gardens in many cases that are not open to the public.
- Short breaks of one or more nights to venues both home and abroad e.g. France, Holland, Eire, Italy.
- For more details on visits please go to Events – Visits.
Summer Social Event
Occassional Summer social events are held e.g. garden party / cream tea.
Fagus Times
Fagus Times is a newsletter emailed to all members.
The Fagus Times is now produced bi-monthly as follows – Dec/Jan, Feb/March, April/May, and so on. Members are welcome to submit short articles, garden problems, suggestions for topics, garden related events or photographs for possible inclusion to Mary at fagusgardening@outlook.com. Photographs should include the plant name or garden. Copy deadlines are the end of the third week of the month for inclusion in the next edition.
Notice Board
Members may advertise garden related events here, ideally on A4 or A5 paper.
Discounts
Garden Centres –
The following offer FAGUS members discount on production of their signed membership card.
- Brackenwood Plant Centre – Abbots Leigh
- Cadbury Garden Centre (Blue Diamond) – Congresbury
- Cleeve Nursery – Cleeve
- Garden Park Nursery – Tickenham
- Riverside Garden Centre – Bristol
Seed Companies –
For discount codes offered by seed Companies please go to the secure members area.
Gardening Gloves –
At meetings we sell Showa gardening gloves at discount prices.
Plant Sales
Members may bring along the occasional surplus plants for sale on our charity table at meetings. At the May and September meetings, dedicated tables will be available for more extensive plant sales. All plants offered should be established in clean pots and labelled with the plant name, donors name and suggested price. All proceeds from plant sales will go to our nominated charity.
Charity Table
FAGUS is keen to support local charities. Members are encouraged to submit names of charities that FAGUS might like to support. The committee choose the charity in March of each year and the funds raised are given to the charity in the following February.
Our charity since 2019 has been Home-Start North Somerset, Support and Friendship for Families.
The money is raised by contributions that members make to the monthly Charity Table and donations of plants, garden produce, and other garden related items such as books, seeds and tools are most welcome. Donors are requested to take home their unsold donations at the end of the evening.
Come as a Visitor
Visitors are most welcome to monthly meetings. The cost is £4.00 per meeting which is refunded if you decide to join on the night.
Why not visit our Facebook Group and join into chat relating to all gardening matters.