Events - 2026

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