The Alitex Annual Lecture has become one of those traditions that feels woven into life at Torberry Farm. Over the years, we have welcomed some remarkable names from the worlds of gardening, design and horticulture to Alitex HQ, gathering among the greenhouses for an evening of stories, ideas and shared enthusiasm.
We have heard from inspiring designers and gardeners including Marian Boswall and Charlie Harpur, while Alitex’s wider history has brought us together with much loved figures such as Mary Berry and Alan Titchmarsh. Each occasion has added another small chapter to a tradition we are incredibly fond of.
This year was no exception.
On Thursday 10th September, we welcomed a wonderful gathering of guests to Alitex HQ for our Annual Lecture 2026.
The evening began as all good autumn gatherings should: with a glass of fizz in hand, mingling around the fire and enjoying canapés made using produce from the Kitchen Garden at West Dean. A particularly fitting start, as our speaker for the evening was none other than West Dean’s Head Gardener, Tom Brown.
Tom took us behind the scenes at West Dean, sharing the joys, challenges and occasional horticultural mishaps that come with caring for such an extraordinary garden. From the celebrated glasshouses and Kitchen Garden to the meadows and trained fruit, his talk explored what it means to inherit a remarkable gardening legacy while still having the confidence to make your own mark.
Looking to the future, Tom and his team are also paving the way for planting that is more resilient to our changing climate. Faced with hotter, drier summers and increasingly unpredictable conditions, they’re experimenting with a wider variety of plants and new ways of growing them. Drought tolerant planting and West Dean’s wonderfully resourceful ‘dry meadow’ reflect a thoughtful approach to working with nature rather than battling against it, while keeping the garden every bit as beautiful.
There was plenty of practical wisdom along the way, delivered with Tom’s characteristic humour because, as anyone who gardens knows, sometimes you simply have to laugh when things don’t quite go to plan.
It was a warm and inspiring evening, and a wonderful reminder that the best gardens are never really finished. They grow, adapt and change with the people who care for them. Thank you, Tom!
That sense of evolution feels especially fitting for the Annual Lecture itself. What began as a gathering around horticulture has grown into a much loved Alitex tradition, bringing together gardeners, designers and friends of Alitex to share ideas, experiences and a genuine love of growing.
The speaker may change each year, but the spirit of the evening remains much the same: good company, thoughtful conversation and a shared curiosity about gardens and the people who shape them.
We are already looking forward to the next chapter.
