Events - 2025
London In Bloom
Once again The Friends of Eastcote House Gardens have hit the jackpot, achieving top marks in all categories!
Congratulations to the Friends for their unstinting devotion to the Gardens, which makes them a delight to explore for visitors of all ages. Here are details of the awards, with a quotation from each report.
- It’s Your Neighbourhood Level 5 – Outstanding (equivalent to a Gold award)
The community participation that you display and work towards is inspirational, running regular volunteering sessions in this beautiful park, covering all aspects of conservation, planning, sharing knowledge and safe working practices. - Our Community – Gold
Everything you do is "community" – involving local people, schools and other groups that benefit from the amazing work you all do to make the gardens look so lovely. You have all worked hard to achieve the incredible standard you have – a beautiful space. Bravo! - Walled Garden – Gold
An absolute gem, and a credit to the hard work each and every one of you puts in. The gardens look amazing, with a great selection in all the borders and beds. I absolutely love the four different plantings you have used in the different quarter feature beds. - Heritage Garden – Gold
There are many references to the history of this amazing space, which is clearly explained by the interpretation at different points. The park is beautifully proportioned, with just the right balance of well-positioned borders and beds placed with thought and care. - Park – Gold
A lovely clean, well-maintained, beautifully matured and established estate park and gardens – with ample space and access for all, plus great facilities and a lovely café to boot. A seamless layout with lots to draw the eye, a beautiful spot for a picnic or to just relax with a book on one of the well-placed benches. This park is lovingly cared for by an amazing group of volunteers, who set the standard in a league of their own. Thank you to all for an amazing visit, and I look forward to visiting again.
We are very proud to of the consistently high standards we achieve – congratulations and huge thanks to every single one of our volunteers!
A bumper crop of top awards!
Heritage Day and Classic Car Event - 14th September 2025
After the disappointment of having to cancel most of our annual Picnic Day in June, it was a great relief that our Heritage Day/Classic Car event went ahead, although we were keeping our fingers crossed that the forecasted rain would come after 4pm.
Despite the unpredictable weather, between 60 and 70 classic cars booked in to be admired by the many visitors. This year we divided the proceeds of the registration fee to enter a classic car between two local charities: the Centre for ADHD and Autism Support and the Hillingdon Brain Tumour Trust.
Visitors also enjoyed sampling home-made cakes from the tea tent, finding a bargain at the plant or second-hand book sale, looking for an early Christmas present at the craft stall or hoping to buy the lucky ticket for the raffle. Throughout the day Simply Gray entertained everyone with their three sessions of toe-tapping music.
The two indoor areas also attracted many visitors. The dovecote was very busy with a record number of 328 visitors, including one who had come all the way from Bromley because there is not a similar building in that part of London. Inside the Stables there were displays by the Ruislip, Northwood and Eastcote Local History Society, Neighbourhood Watch, Eastcote Residents Association and publications of the Friends of Eastcote House Gardens.
At 1.15pm, Philip Corthorne, the Mayor of Hillingdon, presented the Community Shield to this year’s winners Robert and Barbara Green in recognition of all their work in providing plants to many community groups, including the Friends.
Unfortunately, the anticipated rain started during the Dog Show, but this did not deter the owners and their dogs from completing the contest. The rain did contribute to an early finish to the outside activities, but everyone is agreed that it was a successful day, which was only possible due to the hard work of many volunteers.
Susan Toms
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Eastcote Horticultural Society Autumn Show - Saturday 6th September 2025
The Autumn show this year followed a week of rather wet weather. However, the Friends team managed 23 entries into the show.
In total, we were awarded the following :
9 x 1st prize
6 x 2ndprize
3 x 3rd prize
In addition, we were awarded a Gold medal diploma certificate for the “highest points in other flowers” (excluding chrysanthemums and dahlias). These include grasses, ferns, perennials and flowering shrubs – but not herbs, which fall under vegetables.
I would like to thank Jane Neave, Janet Green and Tom Neave for their help in picking. Also, thanks to Jane, Janet and Linda Furnell for help with the staging – and to Janet for returning at the end to help clear away.
Sue Place
Eastcote Horticultural Society Summer Show – Saturday 14th June 2025
The Summer Show falls at a difficult time of year, when some plants have finished flowering and others are yet to flower. The Friends of Eastcote House Gardens team entered 28 exhibits, and we were awarded the following :
3 x 1st prize
7 x 2nd prize
8 x 3rd prize
At this show we were awarded the RHS Banksian medal for the highest number of points accumulated during the three shows in 2024.
Thanks go to Jane Neave, Linda Furnell, Rosemary Bucksey and Linda Wells for picking on the Friday, and to Jane Neave and Linda Furnell for staging on Saturday morning.
Sue Place
Forest School's Training Day - April 25
On April 1st, the Friends of Eastcote House Gardens hosted a training day for local primary school teachers by Archimedes Forest Schools. Twenty participants spent the day learning how to make more effective use of the natural outdoor environment. The day was led by two Forest School trainers, who shared both their underlying philosophy and a range of ideas with the teachers.
The day was entitled Outdoors and Up For It, and consisted of practical activities for the teachers to use in their school grounds or in local green spaces. At the end of the day, each participant was given a booklet of ideas to share with their colleagues.
The day was an outstanding success, with every participant expressing an interest in taking further training. Feedback from teachers included how they felt more confident, had been inspired and now had a greater understanding of how to educate in the outdoors. They also expressed their intention to share their learning with colleagues, senior management, headteachers and governors.
The sun shone throughout the day and the Gardens looked particularly beautiful. The day – including lunch – was funded by the Friends of Eastcote House Gardens with money they have raised from community events. The Committee felt that working with primary schools was an excellent way to ensure that future generations will continue to enjoy and care for the outdoor environment.
Christine Lake
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Eastcote Horticultural Society Spring Show – Saturday 15th March 2025
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 :
- 9 x 1st prize
- 9 x 2nd prize
- 8 x 3rd prize
- 1 x Highly Commended
We were also awarded a Silver Medal and rosette for the best exhibit in Section B – Other Horticulture for our hellebores in water.
At the Spring Show trophies are awarded for points accumulated during the previous year. The Mayor of Hillingdon, Cllr Colleen Sullivan, presented these awards. The Friends of Eastcote House Gardens were awarded two cups – the Highmead Cup for the most points in apple classes throughout the year and the TG Morris Memorial Challenge Cup for the most points in fruit classes.
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
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