Greener Lindfield and community groups champion sustainability

By Nicky Holbrook

Many residents will know us for our monthly Greener Lindfield article or for our much-loved annual Seed & Plant Swap at the Repair Café, but Greener Lindfield is more than a single group – it’s a collaboration of passionate, local volunteers who work together to champion sustainable greener gardening across our village.

Greener Lindfield is an amalgamation of several fantastic community groups, each contributing their own expertise and energy. We meet to share ideas and support one another’s projects.
Here we introduce each group and we are always excited to welcome new voices, ideas and new groups who share our passion for a greener future.

Friends of Eastern Road Nature Reserve
A conservation group that helps to protect and promote the local nature reserve. They meet on the second Sunday of every month to undertake tasks such as path maintenance, vegetation clearance, and wildlife monitoring. New volunteers are always welcome, whether it’s getting your hands dirty or helping out behind the scenes. www.easternroadnaturereserve.org.uk

Share Haywards Heath
A Library of Things where you can borrow a wide range of items, rather than buying new. They have been operating for over two years and have made over 700 loans to date. You can see all the items they have to lend by going to their website. Items are usually borrowed for a week and most cost 50p or £1 a day. www.sharehh.org.uk

Lindfield in Bloom
The current group reformed after Covid and look after the gardens around Lind-field Medical Centre. With six members, they are all like-minded amateur gardeners who get together to care for the gardens, weeding and planting any donated plants. To join the friendly group email John Stevens at john.stevens2010@gmail.com.

Lindfield Horticultural Society
Much has changed in the way they garden over the years. Unlike their predecessors, who attempted to tame and constrain nature, current members work alongside it to create gardens and allotments that are both beautiful and productive and encourage wildlife. www.lindfieldhorts.org.uk

The Co-op
Local Co-op Member Activator, Alison explains: “The Co-op recognises the importance of championing a better way of doing business and doing the right thing for people and the planet. To do this, we work collaboratively and co-operatively with our members, customers and community connections, including supporting local initiatives with Our Local Community Fund.” www.coop.co.uk/membership

Lindfield Parish Council
The council is committed to protecting the village’s natural environment. During 2025, the Climate Change Working Group progressed initiatives including a grass verge pilot scheme (details available early 2026). They met with neighbouring councils to share good practice e.g. on the wonderful Hurst Meadows that inspired everyone in the management of Wilderness Field. They installed two hot bin composters to reduce green waste and a swift nesting box that awaits four new families in 2026. www.lindfieldparishcouncil.gov.uk/ Climate_Change_32316.aspx

Fairer World Lindfield
A climate and environmental action group whose aim is to raise awareness and encourage individual and collective action to help combat the climate and ecological crisis. This year, they supported local primary school assemblies, held events on topics such as fast fashion, honey bees, the digital carbon footprint, plus last spring, a ‘Green Extravaganza’ celebrating the magic of soil. www.fairerworldlindfield.org

Lindfield Open Gardens
Organised with and for St Peter and St James Hospice, every summer, eight to 12 gardens are showcased to raise funds for the hospice. New participants are always welcome to experience the joy of sharing their passion for plants, wildlife and nature with our community. www.lindfield-gardens.co.uk

Our Nature Watch
A small, thriving local nature group around Lindfield and Walstead who spot, share and improve the place we live in together to support all sorts of nature in any way we can. www.ournaturewatch.com

Heather Martin
A local garden designer who shares her great knowledge of plants and the natural environment.

Colin McFarlin
A Volunteer Waste Prevention Advisor, he trained over ten years ago with Brighton University and receives regular updates on recycling from WSCC and the government. Colin actively supports the local community and, “It is so rewarding to be able to answer your questions on recycling, and if one person is able to recycle one more item correctly, then I have done my job!” www.facebook.com/colin.mcfarlin.7

Find Greener Lindfield on Facebook @GreenerLindfield or email greenerlindfield@gmail.com.

Lindfield Horticultural Society

By Christine Cawley

Lindfield Horticultural Society (LHS) has been at the heart of village life since its inception back in 1945. Much has changed in the intervening 80 years, but gardening remains a passion for many Lindfield residents, and new generations are bringing a fresh outlook to how we tend our gardens.

The LHS is keen to embrace change, whilst still maintaining the traditions for which it is known and loved, and is inviting members and non-members alike to a Coffee Morning at the King Edward Hall on Saturday 8th February from 10am to 12noon.

As well as providing an opportunity to meet fellow gardeners and enjoy tea, coffee and home-made cakes, this event will highlight current and future projects planned by the LHS.
It will also feature the annual seed swap and the unveiling of the new 2025 schedule.

Other local organisations, including Greener Lindfield, the Eastern Road Nature Reserve and Lindfield in Bloom, will also be there to showcase their own aims and activities.
Along with the traditional flower and produce shows, talks and outings, the LHS is trying out some innovative new ideas in 2025, with gardening masterclasses, flower arranging workshops, visits to members’ gardens and a special rose event.
This coffee morning will showcase these and much more, and there will also be the opportunity to chat to the committee and to put your gardening questions to a team of experienced gardeners.

If you’re interested in joining the Lindfield Horticultural Society, you can do so on the day, visit www.lindfieldhorts.org.uk or contact Membership Secretary, Jacqui Essen, at membership@lindfieldhorts. org.uk.

Greener Lindfield is here to support sustainable gardening practices

In partnership with Lindfield Rural Parish Council and several local organisations including Lindfield Horticultural Society and Fairer World Lindfield, Lindfield Parish Council are pleased to launch Greener Lindfield, an exciting new initiative bringing together groups, individuals and businesses across the village to encourage and support sustainable gardening practices.

The aims of this alliance are to help local residents find ways to reduce garden waste, improve biodiversity, protect wildlife, and promote alternatives to harmful chemicals. We plan to achieve this by bringing people together to share existing knowledge and generate new ideas, and by encouraging everyone to take the initiative and try something new. If we all work together we really can make a difference.

Lindfield Life have kindly invited us to contribute a monthly article with hints, tips and ideas for combining a love of gardening with a love of the environment. But we’re far from experts, so would love to hear from anyone who has suggestions or who has made their own contribution towards greening the village, which we could support and possibly emulate. In addition to these articles, please join our Facebook group or email us on greenerlindfield@gmail.com if you’re interested in becoming involved in this exciting new project and have ideas to share, whether as an individual or part of a group or business.

March is generally considered to be the start of the gardening year, and now is a great time to think about sowing seeds. Even if you haven’t grown flowers or produce from scratch before, why not try sowing a few seeds in a pot on the windowsill? Perhaps some tasty tomatoes, or flowers like marigolds which will not only add a splash of colour, but also encourage pollinators and deter pests.

Our goal is to stimulate a dialogue throughout Lindfield, working as an umbrella organisation to draw together and increase visibility on existing projects and to provide a forum to support and empower everyone to get involved. Just like with the seeds, if we can provide the right conditions for growth, who knows what we might achieve!

Lindfield Horticultural Society’s Seed Swap and coffee morning

Lindfield Horticultural Society’s Seed Swap and coffee morning will take place at King Edward Hall on Saturday 4th February. Visitors and society members are invited to drop into the Jubilee Room from 10am, for a coffee and bring along any seeds they have collected over the autumn to swap for something new.

There’s also a chance to buy ‘Just Julia’ Sweet Pea seeds for growing and entering into the Society’s two special Sweet Pea classes in the July Summer Show (one for adults, one for children). The seeds cost £2 for 10 seeds. There will be another chance to buy Sweet Pea seeds at the February talk on Wednesday 8th at King Edward Hall at 8pm, when expert Darren Everest will share his knowledge and experience of growing and showing Sweet Peas.

Scaynes Hill Open Gardens requires your displays

Do you live in Scaynes Hill? Do you have a garden that you are proud of? Would you like to open it for a good cause?
Scaynes Hill Open Gardens will be happening again this year and we would love to have some new gardens to include. It will be on Saturday 17th June 2023 from 1.30pm until 5.30pm and proceeds will go to St Peter and St James Hospice. If you love your garden and would like to share it with others, please get in touch. It does not need to be perfect! If you would like more information, please contact Helen or Martina. Helen: 07804 320 470 or helenhicks99@hotmail.com or Martina: 07815 311 319 or martinacowen@ gmail.com.

Lindfield Horticultural Society's February events 2022

Photo: Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Members of Lindfield Horticultural Society will be holding a coffee morning and seed swap on Saturday 5th February in The Jubilee room of the King Edward Hall. Visitors are invited to bring along any spare seeds they may have to exchange with other gardeners. Seed swaps are a great way of using up excess seeds and of discovering new or unusual varieties of flowers and vegetables without great expense. There will also be a sale of second-hand gardening books, as well as a small selection of plants, preserves, and of course, the all important coffee and cake. The coffee morning starts at 10 am till 12 and entry is free.

Also…

Members of Lindfield Horticultural Society are looking forward to welcoming award-winning gardener Andy McIndoe as their guest speaker in February. Andy has more than 40 years of experience in retail and production horticulture and was responsible for the development of the Hilliers Nurseries chain of garden centres. During his long career with Hilliers, Andy designed the company’s show gardens and headed up the team that won 25 consecutive gold medals at the Chelsea flower Show. In 2017, the Royal Horticultural Society awarded Andy McIndoe the Veitch Memorial Medal in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the science and practice of horticulture. Andy is a regular contributor to various gardening publications, blogs and BBC radio. The talk Andy will be giving is titled ‘Planting with Trees’ and will take place in the King Edward Hall on Wednesday 9th February at 8pm. Entry fee is £2 for members and £4 for guests, though any guests joining the society on the evening (subscription for the year is £6) will have their entry fee waived.

LHS Autumn Show goes ahead in September 2021

Members of Lindfield Horticultural Society are looking forward to holding their Autumn Show on Saturday 11th September, in the King Edward Hall, from 2pm - 4.15pm.

The classes have been carried over to this year due to the cancellation of last year’s shows and include:
#263 ‘Chrysanthemums, three blooms in one vase’
#290 ‘Apples, cooking, three’
#366 ‘Upcycle a vegetable can’

There are lots of children’s classes too, including ‘A painting of a sunflower’ for 10 and unders, and the LHS Junior Potato Competition – which is also available to 11-15 year-olds. For entry details, classes and show timetable, visit the LHS website, www.lindfieldhorts.org.uk and click on ‘2020 Show Schedule’ – which will download a PDF with all the information in.

All info is being carried over from last year’s shows which didn’t take place. Email editors@ lindfieldhorts.org.uk for any other details. Admission is free.

BBC gardening expert visiting Lindfield

Lindfield Horticultural Society has arranged for Nick Bailey of BBC’s Gardeners World to give a talk at the King Edward Hall on 11th April 2018 at 7.30pm.

Nick Bailey has worked in horticulture for 25 years and has created and managed gardens on four continents. He is also a garden designer, bestselling author, columnist and was the Garden Journalist of the year for 2017. He was also the Head Gardener at Chelsea Physic Garden for many years.

Tickets, on a ‘first come, first served’ basis, are £5 each for members of the Lindfield Horticultural Society and can be obtained from Michael Elliott, call 01444 483039. 

Cash or cheque (with SAE if unable to collect tickets personally). Tickets for non-members are £7.50 and go on sale on 14th March 2018.

The annual membership of the Society is £6 and non-members would be very welcome to join the society at the same time as purchasing a ticket for this talk at member’s rates.

Lindfield Horticultural Society's 2017 Autumn Show

By Claire Cooper

The annual battle of the pumpkins will be played out in the King Edward Hall on 9th September, when rival pumpkins growers go head to head to see who can produce the biggest vegetable at Lindfield Horticultural Society’s Autumn Show.

Last year’s winning giant pumpkin, pictured, was grown by Ian Cooper on his allotment and weighed in at an impressive 56kg (123lb)!

“It was actually judged by circumference as the society doesn’t have scales big enough to weigh it,” said Ian. “After the show I cut it into quarters and weighed it piece by piece!”

Ian’s giant pumpkins have picked up the top award at Lindfield Horticultural Society’s autumn show for six out of the last seven years.

“I was beaten in 2013 by my rival, Richard Watson,” Ian recalled. “He’d been runner up the year before and had asked me my secret. Rather foolishly I ‘spilled the beans’ and the following year he beat me! 

“It was also the year I had presented the society with the Pumpkin Cup, and I didn’t get to bring it back home!” 

This year Ian has been cultivating two pumpkins and is quietly confident that one will scoop him a seventh award. “The recent weather has been absolutely perfect for pumpkin growing, so I’m certainly on track to beat my record and bring home the cup,” said Ian.

“The competition is always very good-natured, but we are all in it to win!”

[Full article in September 2017 issue of Lindfield Life]