A brand-new monthly book club, bringing people together through stories, ideas, and conversation, will be launched at a special event at 3.30pm on Saturday 10 October at RHS Garden Rosemoor.

Poet, performer and comedy broadcaster Matt Harvey, who will host the regular meet ups, will do a special reading in the small Garden Room to introduce the club on the last weekend of the garden’s ‘Flavours of Autumn’ event (3-11 October).

Each month the group will explore a different book, following a carefully curated reading list that travels through fiction, nature writing, memoir, poetry, craft, landscape and the changing seasons. Some books will take readers around the world, while others will bring them right back to Devon and the Southwest. What connects the titles is an invitation to be curious: about the natural world, about other people, and about the places and stories that shape us.

Host Matt Harvey will bring his characteristic warmth, wit, and curiosity to the sessions, introducing each book and offering questions and prompts to get the conversation started and to create a relaxed and welcoming space in which everyone can contribute. Whether you have pages of notes or simply want to say, "I loved it", or even "I really didn't!", you'll be very welcome.

Matt says:

“My love of books comes from my parents - my mother passed on to me her love of stories and her interest in talking to all kinds of people, while my father passed on his love of words along with his social awkwardness and total inability to make small talk.

Talking about books we have in common is one of the best ways I can think of to enjoy the company of people I’d not otherwise get to meet and spend time with – I’m looking forward to getting to know the gardens and some of the lovely people who visit it.”

Drop by the Garden Room on Saturday 10 October between 10am–3pm to discover the curated reading list and enjoy 25% off the selected book titles to celebrate the launch of the Read More at Rosemoor book club. 

The first Read More discussion takes place on Wednesday 11 November 2026, when Elif Shafak's acclaimed novel The Island of Missing Trees will be the subject of conversation.

Read More at Rosemoor will take place in the Garden Room once a month - tickets cost £2, in addition to standard garden admission for non-members (savings can be made by booking ahead online). Your £2 ticket can be exchanged as a food and drink voucher to use on site on the day.

Read More is being developed in partnership with independent bookshop The Bookery in Crediton, as well as the Appledore Book Festival, one of Devon's leading celebrations of books, authors and reading.

Readers wishing to purchase future Read More at Rosemoor titles can do so through The Bookery's dedicated Bookshop.org page at https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/thebookery

Book club members can enjoy home delivery, a 5% discount on selected titles and the opportunity to directly support The Bookery, Crediton's community-owned independent bookshop and social enterprise.