11th Annual Southern Symposium – Friday, 25th September to Sunday, 27th September 2026

A festival of friendship, food and fronds!

Whether you’re just setting out as a gardener or are an expert horticulturist, there is something new for everyone to discover at the Kells Bay House and Gardens Southern Symposium.
Now celebrating our 11th anniversary, this much loved event brings together expert speakers and passionate gardening for a weekend of fun, great food and conversations, covering everything from fronds to contemporary garden design.

About the Symposium

Held over three days in late September, the Southern Symposium is a highlight of the Irish horticultural calendar, with gardeners and speakers coming together to enjoy great talks, wonderful food and all in the stunning surrounds of Kells Bay House and Gardens.
Our horticultural gathering is limited to just 50 attendees, ensuring an intimate experience.

Meet the Speakers

Once again this year we’ve a wealth of Irish and international speakers. Here is the start of our lineup for this year’s Symposium to whet your appetite on those who’ll be bringing their passion and knowledge to Kells Bay:

Peter Zale Ph.D

Director of Conservation Horticulture and Collections, Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania, USA

Talk Title:
“Botanical highlights from a decade of plant exploration for Longwood Gardens”

Peter Zale, Ph.D holds a Master’s degree and Ph.D in plant breeding and genetics (2009, 2014) from The Ohio State University and is currently Director, Conservation Horticulture and Collections, at Longwood Gardens.

Phakamani M’Afrika Xaba

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa

Title of the talk:

“More than a Garden: Kirstenbosch, the Living Legacy of South Africa’s Flora”

With over 20 years at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Phakamani M’Afrika Xaba has built a career at the intersection of horticulture and conservation biology. As a conservation research horticulturist, he curates one of Kirstenbosch’s oldest garden areas and manages several Living Plant Collections—including cycads, Strelitzias, ferns, and Clivias—as well as the Useful Plants Garden.

A central thread in his career has been cycad conservation. He holds an MSc in Conservation Biology (Cum laude) on the reproductive biology of cycads and is currently pursuing a PhD on cycad conservation. He led pioneering work on Encephalartos latifrons, overcoming long-standing reproductive barriers and contributing to the first successful experimental restoration of this critically endangered species. He also developed HortCoRe, the first horticultural conservation strategy (https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12143/9471), and played a leading role in setting up the structure of the Horticultural Enrichment Forum to strengthen skills and knowledge across the profession.

Beyond curation, Phakamani has spent more than a decade collecting, researching, and learning to grow indigenous useful plants. He led the establishment of Useful Plants Demonstration Gardens at the KwaZulu-Natal National Botanical Garden, Harold Porter National Botanical Garden, and Kirstenbosch. He has also worked with schools, NGOs, and youth in impoverished communities on the Cape Flats and in the Overberg district, helping pilot indigenous useful plant gardens and small nurseries as sustainable sources of income, linking conservation directly with livelihoods.

His passion for horticulture’s role in sustainable conservation extends internationally. He has collaborated with partners such as Kew on global cycad conservation efforts across Africa and Asia. He is a long-standing member of the IUCN Cycad Specialist Group and has published numerous peer-reviewed papers. He is also lead author of Traditionally Useful Plants of Africa – Their Cultivation and Use (Cambridge University Press).

Phakamani actively promotes mentorship and information sharing to enhance horticultural training. He has served on the committees of various conservation organisations and on the editorial committee of the Botanical Society of South Africa’s Veld & Flora Journal, where for four years he wrote a regular column on the growing and use of traditionally useful indigenous plants.

His current research explores cycad physiology, focusing on the environmental cues that trigger cone production and offset formation, key to improving conservation outcomes for threatened species.

Keith Weed CBE, RHS President

President and Chair of the Board of the Royal Horticultural Society, London, England

Title of the talk:

“The Invisible Garden and The Second Golden Age of Horticulture”

Keith Weed CBE is an experienced Chair, independent director, trustee, and advisor to both businesses and not-for-profit organisations.

Nuala Doherty and Conall O’Caoimh

Ardán Garden is the joint creative project of Nuala Doherty and Conall O’Caoimh.

Title of the talk:

““Eco-Aesthetic Gardening: Creating beautiful habitats with plants, design and art””

Ardán Garden is the joint creative project of Nuala Doherty and Conall O’Caoimh.

Located in Howth, Dublin, Ardán’s design is a direct response to the windy conditions on a rocky outcrop, at the top of the hill of Howth, and 4km out to sea.

Daniel Michael, Surreal Succulents, Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, Penzance, Cornwall, England

Title of the talk:

“From a Windowsill to RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gold”

Daniel Michael is the owner of Surreal Succulents in Cornwall and is recognised as one of the UK’s leading succulent growers and hybridisers.  Starting from a small collection grown on a windowsill, Daniel has gone on to build Surreal Succulents into an internationally recognised nursery, known for pushing the boundaries of succulent growing in the UK climate.

Jon Wheatley VMH

Vice President, Royal Horticultural Society Stonebarn Landscapes, Chew Magna, Bristol, England

Title of the Talk:

“My Most Interesting Experiences in Horticulture and Ideas for the Future”

Jon Wheatley VMH has devoted more than 50 years to horticulture, building an outstanding reputation as a plantsman, garden designer, landscape consultant and horticultural leader. He is a Vice President of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and serves as Chair of RHS South West in Bloom.

Running Order 11th Southern Symposium

Symposium Schedule

Kells Bay Gardens – Southern Symposium XI

Friday, 25th – Sunday, 27th September 2026

Friday, 25th September

The Gardens and the Plant Centre are open to all delegates until dusk.

6:00pm – Symposium Buffet Supper
Join Billy and our speakers for an informal evening of horticultural banter.

7:30pm – Jon Wheatley VMH
Vice President, Royal Horticultural Society
“My Most Interesting Experiences in Horticulture and Ideas for the Future”

Saturday, 26th September

8:00am – Breakfast (Residents only)

9:30am – Delegates Gather on the Terrace
Complimentary tea and coffee. Please collect your name tags.

10:00am – Welcome and Introduction
By Billy Alexander.

10:15am – Keith Weed CBE
President, Royal Horticultural Society, London, England
“The Invisible Garden and The Second Golden Age of Horticulture”

11:30am – Tea & Coffee

12:15pm – uPhakamani M’Afrika Xaba
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa
“More than a Garden: Kirstenbosch, the Living Legacy of South Africa’s Flora”

1:30pm – Kells Bay Sala Thai Buffet Lunch

2:45pm – Peter Zale
Director of Conservation Horticulture and Collections, Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania, USA
“Botanical Highlights from a Decade of Plant Exploration for Longwood Gardens”

4:00pm – Questions and Answers
With our guest speakers.

4:15pm – Closing Remarks
By Billy Alexander.

4:30pm – 5:30pm – Guided Garden Walk
A guided walk through the gardens with Neil Porteous, joined by the guest speakers.

Sunday, 27th September

8:00am – Breakfast (Residents only)

9:15am – Delegates Gather on the Terrace
Complimentary tea and coffee.

9:30am – Nuala Doherty and Conall O’Caoimh
Ardán Garden, Howth, Co. Dublin
“Eco-Aesthetic Gardening: Creating Beautiful Habitats with Plants, Design and Art”

10:45am – Tea & Coffee

11:15am – Daniel Michael
Surreal Succulents, Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, Penzance, Cornwall, England
“From a Windowsill to RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gold”

12:30pm – Questions and Answers
With our guest speakers.

1:00pm – Lunch
Soup and gourmet sandwiches.

1:30pm – Weekend Formalities Conclude

Delegates are welcome to continue visiting the Gardens and the Plant Centre.

Ticket Information

Full Weekend Ticket: €180.
(Includes all the talks, dinner on Friday night, light refreshments throughout the weekend and lunch on both Saturday and Sunday)

Full weekend ticket here

Two Day Ticket: €140.
(Includes all the talks, dinner on Friday night, light refreshments and lunch on Saturday)

Two Day: Friday & Saturday ticket here

Two Day: Saturday & Sunday ticket here

Day Tickets: €60
(Available for Friday and Sunday only – limited availability)

Friday ticket here

Sunday ticket here

Celebrating Eleven Years of the Symposium

If you want to find out a little more about the Symposium and its background download the Brief History of the Southern Symposium