The Gardening Interest Group offers a variety of gardening events throughout the year. These events are open to all St Stephens residents and usually free. The aim is to include a selection of activities that will appeal to all those with an interest in gardens, even if they may only have a windowsill and to share advice and stories of success (and sometimes failure!).

Generally, we will start in the Spring with something to make, last year we made herb hanging baskets. As the weather improves, we run a competition to grow something everyone can get involved in, last year it was chillies, this year it is ginger. The programme often includes a trip, this year it will be to RHS Hyde Hall, during the flower festival.

(Left) Judging the Chilli competition, 2024.

Saturday May 16th 2026 : 10.30am to 12 noon

Place House, 103 St.Stephen's Road
How to grow and dry flowers for arranging. Free plants to give away.

Everyone welcome.

Sunday 9th August 2026 : Pick up is at 9.00am

The SSRA Gardening Interest Group has organised a visit to Wakehurst Place, Ardingley, Sussex on Sunday 9th August 2026 following the very successful and enjoyable visit to Hyde Hall last year. Wakehurst Place is the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, garden in Sussex that is the site of the Millenium Seed Bank and many other attractions. Please see the attached letter for further information and an application form. The price of the trip covers the cost of coach travel, tip and reduced price group entry.

We have a WhatsApp group for sending out quick updates and responding to questions.

If you would like to join the group let Pauline have your mobile number and you will be added.
In addition you could email : judi@meaden.net or call 07401 020883

Churchyard working party meets on the first Monday of the month from 9.30am.

The Churchyard working party meets on the first Monday of the month from 9.30am. Please feel free to join us at any time during the morning and stay for as long as feel able to be with us. We are always delighted to see you. I think that we shall probably be focussing on clearing debris, etc. so, if you could bring rakes and some means of transporting the debris to the compost heaps, it would be very helpful. We might also be able to look at some of the graves to tidy them up. Please wear stout shoes and gloves.

The first Open Garden Event held on a warm and sunny Sunday in June 2017 was a memorable highlight of the summer when we had the opportunity to visit many beautiful gardens and, more importantly, to get to know many of our neighbours. Thanks are due to everyone who opened their gardens for this extremely enjoyable event and to Graham and Angela Gibbens for offering us a lovely venue for the afternoon teas that were available. We especially thank Pauline Walters and Chris Molony for the effort they put into organising the day which raised £400.00 in total, £300.00 of which has been given to the Canterbury and District Early Years Project and £100.00 to Porchlight. Margaret and Alan Carver also offered teas and a plant sale in aid of the League of Friends. We repeated the event in 2018 when it was the turn of residents living in roads not included in the first event {i.e. St Stephen’s Hill, Green, Road, Close and Court, Manwood Avenue and Hales Drive} to open their gardens and photographs of this occasion can be seen under the 'events' pages.

Here are some more images from the very successful 2017 Open Gardens Day:

For the gardeners in the area, there is already a Broad Oak Allotment and Garden Group, who meet at St Stephens Social Club.
They are a friendly group with one thing in common, growing your own in Allotment, Home Garden, Patio or balcony. Most of all it's a great time to socialise, get to know others, make new friends, your neighbouring plot holders, or local community. After a bit of advice from other Gardeners ? They meet up on the last Friday of every month and it’s free.
They have a Facebook page which you can see : here.