HPS signs, and home-made ones to each of our houses in place, committee members began to arrive at mine for refreshments and Sue's to get the lunch ready, from 9.30am on a beautiful, English summer's day. Other members began to arrive quite soon afterwards. Colin set up the Plant Stall at Sue's and Len and his wife, Pat, set up the raffle prizes.
Apparently there was a rumour going round that I built the flint walls in my garden. This was confirmed by my husband, who made all the mortar, for the purpose, for the last 31 years. It seemed that this took members' minds off the areas of my garden which were not up to scratch, owing to the lack of gardening time during the past 5 years for a number of different reasons (excuses!).
(click pic for slide show)
Members were positive and kind in their comments and found some plants to look at that interested them, mainly the Colutea x media, with small orange pea flowers, and inflated seed pods, not yet ripe, the Clerodendron trichotomum variegatum, with its delicate pink tinge and pale pink buds, but stinking leaves, if you touched them, and my random collection of Hydrangeas, which was providing a lot of the colour just now.
The party found its way back up the lane to Sue's garden, where perfection reigned in the garden, followed closely by the quality of food provided by the committee and ex-committee member, Shirley.
Food was taken into the garden where members found their own little glade, in small or larger groups and in places Sue didn't know she had. Her collection of grasses was admirable, even I am now convinced to try some other than Miscanthus sorts and Festuca glauca. There was only one complaint; apparently there was not enough orange!
(click pic for slide show)
Three new members made this their first meeting with us. I do hope they come again. There were also three other quite recently joined members, who will have had a bit more time to meet other members with similar interests. Suzanne and John brought their dog, Sargent, who is an associate member.
A kind gardening friend of mine, Rita, who has not quite managed to join HPS yet, for some of the usual domestic reasons, came all the way from Beccles to help with the food, and apparently did all the washing up at Sue's. Her dog, Frankie, spent the day, (between walks round the garden) with my dogs, in our sitting room. Several members asked to see both my dogs and Sue's three, who were also in a safe place during the day. Pauline also spent almost all the time in the kitchen, at both houses, and she and Colin organised the lunch queue, with help from Sue Thurman.
After lunch, the raffle was called, which made some money for the Group, as did the Plant Sale. Members were invited to return to mine for a cuppa before they went home, and some did. Members generally, very kindly, said that the day was well organised and that they had enjoyed it and the lunch. Many thanks to the committee, especially Pauline and Rita, for this.
Sue now doesn't know what to do with herself. I am continuing with the usual gardening, and will have more time from now on, since I am reducing my activities elsewhere, but, as I told David and Brian, I have reached the age when I sometimes sleep during gardening hours. It's been good to have the deadline, though. I've achieved a lot, and will aim to get it all under control before the Winter (if not the next meeting!). Thank you all for coming. I hope you enjoy seeing the photos. Pauline already has an idea for next year's event. We have a committee meeting in a couple of weeks.
photographs by Chris Davies, Colin Pusey, Len Speller and Rosemary Brown
