Events Past

Reports of previous HPS Norfolk and Suffolk Group events, as told by our members.

John Innes Centre and Wymonham garden visits April 9th 2011

Written by Super User. Posted in Events Past

John Innes Centre, Norwich.

We were privileged to be taken on a tour of the site by Dr Steve Rawsthorne, JICs Science Operations Manager and view the collection of rare books with Sarah Willmott.  The John Inness Centre is the worlds leading plant and microable research centre which delivers innovative worldclass bioscience research and training.  I found the Metabolite Services Room most interesting with some fabulous pieces of scientific equipment.

Gathering-outside-John-Innes-CentreJohn-Innes-Centre-inner-courtyardMetabolite-Services-Room

A very early book dated 1536, Herbalario Vulgare, was open at a page with a picture of a mandrake - Harry Potter fans will know this plant.  The illustrations in publications were stunning and retained their colour.  I particularly liked the front plate of a 1823 volume of Sibthorpe.

John-Innes-Centre-rare-books-library1823-volume-of-SibthorpeMandrake-1536-Herbalario-Vulgare[include photos]

A few members visited Wymondham Heritage Museum, courtyard garden and tearoom for refreshments before proceeding to our afternoon garden visit.  This is well worth a visit so please check the website www.wymondhamheritagemuseum.co.uk.

Sallowfield Cottage, Silfield.

The cottage was once a dairy and the owner has developed a wonderful substantial traditional English garden on a rich and fertile soil surrounding a large pond.  It was a pleasure to sit in the garden on the verandah overlooking the pond having refreshments, listening to the birds and enjoying the scents from virburnum and other highly scented plants at this time of year.

Sallowfield-CottageThe-pondWoodland-area

article and photographs by Linda Hall

A Thinker and Do-er, Saturday 12th March

Written by John Metcalf. Posted in Events Past

Jaime BlakeSaturday 12th March

2 p.m. - Roydon Village Hall

A Thinker and Do-er     the life of Alan Bloom - a talk by Jaime Blake.

Despite taking a degree intending to follow a teaching career Jaime has worked his way up the horticultural ladder.

Initially he was a gardener/groundsman in Peterborough Park's Department and crammed in all the knowledge he could, plus taking the RHS General Certificate.

His father-in-law, Alan Bloom, asked him to work in the garden at Bressingham - that was 22 years ago. In his early years at Bressingham he learned a lot

from Alan Bloom and attained the RHS Diploma.. He is now on the RHS Trials Assessment Panel and the Herbaceous Plant Committee at Wisley.

He is also Chairman of the Norfolk Plant Heritage Group (formerly NCCPG).