The Cornish Dahlia Society warmly invites you to our October Get Together — an opportunity to catch up with friends and enjoy an afternoon talking about all things gardening and growing dahlias.
Our Speaker: Henry Welch
We are delighted to welcome Henry Welch, Head Gardener at The Lost Gardens of Heligan, who will share his knowledge, experience and passion for the gardens during our October Get Together.
Henry grew up within walking distance of Heligan and began his horticultural career there as an apprentice. He went on to train at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, before returning to Heligan in 2024 to manage the Jungle. In 2026, he was appointed Head Gardener.
Henry is passionate about caring for Heligan’s historic plant collections, including its National Collection of Pre-1920 Camellias and its wonderfully unruly large Rhododendrons. He believes that conservation-focused collections are vital to the future of historic gardens, helping to protect plants of cultural and botanical significance while also sharing their stories with visitors.
The Jungle is a particularly important part of Heligan for Henry. He has a passion for immersive and atmospheric planting, using bold, contrasting foliage to create spaces that visitors can wander through, discover at their own pace and, for a moment, feel wonderfully lost within.
Henry is also deeply interested in productive growing. In Heligan’s just-over-one-acre kitchen garden, more than 300 varieties of fruit, vegetables and herbs are grown using polycultures, nature-friendly methods and seasonal produce. This demonstrates how resilient, productive and beautiful food growing can be.
Henry’s Talk
During his talk, Henry will take us on a journey through The Lost Gardens of Heligan, covering:
- A little of the history of the Heligan estate
- The modern history of Heligan and its remarkable restoration
- An introduction to the different areas of the gardens
- The garden’s new approach and future focus, including conservation, ecological gardening, succession planting and hay strewing
- A look at some of Henry’s favourite plants growing at Heligan
Q&A and Dahlia Expertise
Following Henry’s talk, there will be a Q&A panel, where Henry and dahlia experts will be on hand to answer your gardening questions.
It promises to be a fun and informative afternoon — and bring your friends too!
Everyone is welcome
- Free entry for everyone, including members and non-members
- Refreshments and raffle
- Free parking
- Disabled access