Events - 2026
Eastcote Horticultural Society Autumn Show - Saturday 12th September 2026
The Autumn show this year followed many, many weeks of very hot dry weather with drought conditions. However, the Friends team managed 34 entries into the show.
We were awarded the following :
8 x 1st place
11 x 2nd place
8 x 3rd place
We were also awarded a Gold medal diploma certificate for the “highest points in other flowers” (excluding chrysanthemums and dahlias).
I would like to thank Linda Furnell, who led the team in my absence and who picked on Friday alongside Janet Green and Allison Mitchell; these three were joined by Rosemary Bucksey for staging on Saturday morning, returning at the end for the prize giving and clearing up.
Sue Place
Heritage Day and Classic Car Event - Sunday 13th September 2026
The weather was mixed, but two long periods of rain did not deter the many visitors to our Heritage and Classic Car Day.
The main attraction was the display of over 60 classic cars, covering all makes, colours and sizes. A special treat was the Bentley dating from the mid 1950s along with an exhibition of photographs and magazine articles. The proceeds of £700.00 from the classic car registration fee will be divided equally between two local charities: the Centre for ADHD and Autism Support and the Michael Sobell Hospice.
Also outside were the Friends’ stalls for tea and cakes, the raffle and crafts and further back behind the Gardeners’ Cabin were the sales of second-hand books and plants. The two local charities and the Eastcote Horticultural Society and the Royal British Legion all had stalls in the grounds.
Throughout the day everyone enjoyed live music from Simply Gray.
The Grade II-listed dovecote was open all day and attracted a total of 236 visitors. This is probably an underestimate, as at times it was too busy to accurately record everyone. Also open was the listed Stables building, where visitors could view an exhibition showing the history of local schools by the Ruislip, Northwood & Eastcote Local History Society, purchase publications and cards from the Friends of Eastcote House Gardens or seek advice from Neighbourhood Watch.
During the day David Simmonds, our local M.P., presented the Community Shield to Martin Weedon in recognition of all his work as a volunteer litter picker.
In conclusion, the day was a great success, raising a total of £1,930.00. This was only possible due to the hard work and enthusiasm of all the volunteers. A big thank you to everyone.
Susan Toms
To view the photos below please click on the image and then use the arrows to scroll through them.
Eastcote Horticultural Society Summer Show - Saturday 13th June 2026
After a week of varied weather culminating in heavy rain on Thursday night, it was dry for the picking on Friday, and Saturday was a gloriously sunny day. The Friends of Eastcote House Gardens team managed to collect enough blooms to submit 34 entries – we were awarded the following :
10 x 1st prize
4 x 2nd prize
9 x 3rd prize
We also won:
The Jack Hardy Cup for the highest points in the flowers section – a great achievement, as we last won this cup in 2017
A Silver medal diploma for the best rose exhibit
A Silver medal diploma for the best exhibit in the vegetable section
I would like to thank the team of Jane Neave and Linda Furnell for picking on the Friday, and the additional support of Rosemary Bucksey for exhibiting on the Saturday.
Sue Place
Summer Fete and Picnic – Saturday 6th June 2026
Despite the inclement weather, this year’s Fete was another great success for the Friends of Eastcote House Gardens. Our fantastic team of volunteers worked hard from the early hours to make sure that everything was ready in good time.
A terrific turnout of visitors braved the rain, and there was plenty for them to do. Stalls run by the Friends of Eastcote House Gardens included a tea garden, a tombola, sales of plants, publications and pre-loved books, raffles and a sale of home-made items from our weekly Craft Group. Visitors also had the opportunity to visit the historic Dovecote.
This is very much a local community event, so there were also stalls from a wide range of voluntary groups. The Dog Show in the park celebrated breeds of all shapes and sizes, and more physical challenges were provided by the tug of war and the Scouts’ climbing wall.
Musical entertainment from Simply Grey and two styles of dancing – modern from I Got Soul and traditional from Phoenix Morris – kept the crowds entertained. Children were also able to listen to a storyteller in the Old Orchard, and the Ruislip Woodman pub provided a Pimm’s and Prosecco bar for the grown-ups. We were delighted to welcome the Deputy Mayor of Hillingdon, Cllr Colleen Sullivan.
The Fete was a great success: not only did people enjoy a fantastic afternoon out in the fresh air (and occasional rain!), but we also raised much-needed funds – both for the Gardens and for a variety of local charities. A very big Thank You is due to everyone – volunteers, visitors and everyone who donated items for the raffles and tombola – who made this year’s Fete such a great success.
To view the photos below please click on the image and then use the arrows to scroll through them.
Eastcote Horticultural Society Spring Show – Saturday 14th March 2026
The day of the EHS Spring show heralded rather chilly weather but with bright sunshine. The Friends of Eastcote House Gardens team entered 42 exhibits, covering daffodils along with hellebores and other plants.
We were awarded the following :
- 13 x 1st prize
- 16 x 2nd prize
- 18 x 3rd prize
- 1 x Highly Commended
We were also awarded two cups :
- The J S Ranger Cup for the highest points in daffodils
- The W E Evans Memorial Cup for the best exhibit in Class 30 – which is 3 vases, 3 blooms each, 3 cultivars (one cultivar in each vase)
- Plus a Gold Medal Diploma for the most points in the Other Horticultural section.
The show was attended by the Mayor of Hillingdon, Cllr Philip Corthorne, who was amazed at the large variety of different daffodils on show.
I would like to thank the team of Jane Neave, Linda Furnell and Rosemary Bucksey for picking on Friday and exhibiting on Saturday.
Thanks go to Jane Neave, Linda Furnell, Janet Green and Linda Wells for all their hard work on behalf of the Friends of Eastcote House Gardens.
Sue Place
