Garden Visit & Plant Sale

Written by Chris Davies. Posted in Events Past

9th April 2016

Apres moi le deluge!

I have totally misappropriated this expression with regard to our visit to Sue and Graham Allison's garden at Thorpe St Andrew on 9th April.
It didn't even wait until Sue had taken members on the tour of the garden. It rained all day!
Sue had arranged for the wet boots etc. and started with a talk about the 6 year development of the woodland garden since the spring of 2010, backed up by a loop of photographs on a screen. Members then had tea and a choice of excellent cakes baked by our host Sue, served by Sarah and Barbra, ( both new committee members), interrupted only by the late presentation to Geoff Wilson of some garden vouchers, which he should have had, along with his commemorative trowel, at the AGM, but the vouchers had been omitted due to the change in Treasurer and lack of responsibility of either for the purpose.
After tea, brave members followed Sue, with their brollies, across the original, lawned garden, with large topiary creature, to the beautiful wooded valley, developed over the last 9 years, bright with narcissus and leucojum, newly emerged leaves on some shrubs and trees, the astonishing scarlet berries of Nandina domestica, among others, down the gentle hairpin bends and up the shallow steps, all supported by wooden edgings, very much in keeping with the nature of the garden. It looked very clean and fresh in the rain and occasional bright patches.
Members then returned to the drive, where a dripping Andrew and similar Colin manned the Plant Sale, assisted by other members of the committee, and helpful individuals.
Sue was able to send £200 to the NOOK Appeal, ( Childrens' Hospice), and the Plant Stall raised £157, plus a late bit, for Group funds. Many thanks to Sue and Graham for hosting, committee for supporting and members for bringing and buying plants and attending in this weather.

Chris Davies

"What works in the Garden"

Written by Chris Davies. Posted in Events Past

!2th March 2016

'What Works in the Garden'. Talk by Janet Sleep.

Janet explained that she would be considering ten themes; that this was a large number, but she knew that most of us would have a good understanding of each of them already.

She also said there would be a test later!

Janet briefly described her introduction to gardening, noting that she had contracted the soil-borne disease at the age of twenty seven. She claimed that she was always learning something new, and thus included the recognition that the gardening fraternity may contain nuts.

Her gardening gear depended on a warm jacket with big pockets and a sheepskin hat with a brim, with the fluffy side inside. Favourite garden tools were traditional steel with wooden handles, a Wilkinson Sword 'Swoe', and Felco secateurs.

Janet took a basket into the garden with her, containing her tools and a small notebook in which she recorded the name and planting position of every plant,

Themes:

Structure first, colour second

Janet showed slides to support her case for treating plants as well as hard landscaping and artefacts as part of the structure, citing topiary, tall grasses and unclipped herbaceous 'hedges'.

Beware of pairs

They don't stay matching!

Isolate thugs of the desired kind

Janet suggested growing thugs together and making use of solid path edges or walls to constrain them, followed by prompt seed removal ( see below) and the use of weed- killer on any seedlings in adjacent paving.

Be ruthless - cull, preferably when in flower, otherwise in timely fashion

Culling also applied to poor colours of self- seeded plants, such as aquilegia. Flowering stem should be removed promptly. Whole plant should be removed as does as possible.

Better versions always

Janet recommended that plants with an Award of Garden Merit, in the Plant Finder, or a knowledgeable nurseryman were likely to be good sources of the best varieties of plants.

Don't forget old friends

Things your parents grew!

Don't let prejudice get in the way

Things your parents grew!

Let serendipity be your friend

Unplanned juxtapositions of self-sown or unexpected plant associations might be worth keeping. Spend out where it really matters: eg on garden structures that really work, or the right tool for the job

Janet said she considered it better value to get an arch etc., made by a blacksmith or engineer, noting that clematis grow better on an arch than a wall.

Treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen.

We didn't think that meant us, but when Janet asked us to identify her ten themes, we were able to remember about eight of them!

JANET'S WONDERFUL GADGET WAS A STIHL HSA 25 SHRUB SHEAR.

(Sue Bulbrook and I individually found low prices on the Internet and used them to negotiate £90+ prices from our favourite garden machinery firm: GTEngineering. Dereham. There are cheaper makes, but remember Janet's words!)

See longer summary of Janet's talk in next Newsletter.

Chris Davies

List of Plants from Talk

Structure first, Colour second

Cotoneaster microphyllus thymifolius

Stipa Gold Fontaene - Taxus baccata 'Icicle'

Chionocloa rubra - Persicaria polymorpha - Crocosmia 'Lucifer'

Indigofera kirilowii

Euphorbia nicaeensis

Ozothamnus Ledifolius

Thugs

Chionochloa conspicuaSilene uniflora

Vinca

Ampelopsis quinquefolia

Anemone × hybrida

Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium'

Phormium tenex ‘Variegata’

Philadelphus 'Belle étoile'

Alkanet

Rheum

Geranium pyrenaicum – Geranium Stephanie (not a thug)

Do Different – Think otherwise

Jasmine 'Fiona Sunrise'

ACER negundo 'Kellys Gold'

Catalpa bignonioides

Campsis radicans

Old favourites

Libertia grandiflora

Rosa glauca

Serendipity

Aquilegia canadensis

Fuchsia Lena

Tom West

Chrysanthemum Sweetheart

Mary Stoker

Hydrangea Rendezvous

Cocktail

Kniphofia-rooperi

Pampass Grass - Cortaderia

Calamagrostis, Aster Little Carlow

Pennisetum macrourum

Blue Dahlia

Pink Dahlia - Bishop of Leicester / Salvia leucantha

Euphorbia palustris

Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow'

Ligularia Britt-Marie Crawford

Nandina domestica 'Plum Passion'

Tulipa sprengeri

Euphorbia polychroma 'Midas'

Iris Pumila

Helianthemum 'Henfield Brilliant' (No rockery in Chimney pots)

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