Friday Forum Christmas Party 2019

The afternoon kicked off with a gardening joke from Norma: 

Why does Father Christmas have three gardens?  Did you get it?

Margaret M brought some miniature Christmas stockings which she would fill with chocolates and some hearts to hang on a tree:

See the intricate cross stitching

 

Ann brought a pot containing seven types of Christmas berries:

Butcher’s Broom (Ruscus Aculeatus) which got its name from the method of cleaning down the wooden blocks they used.  Sarcacocca Confusa with its strong scent and black berries, Hedera Helix (Ivy), Holly (Ilex aquifolium), Iris foetidissima, Gaultheria procumbens and Cotoneaster

 

This was followed by James F’s Annual Christmas Quiz.  In groups of three, our task was to identify 27 different types of berries and seeds.

No group scored 27, but James gets full marks for the efforts he went to devising the quiz and arranging the 27 items per table.  It took James a year to devour all the eggs for sufficient boxes and eat lots of fruit and collect the items.  We had great fun identifying the items and learning that the macadamia nuts were named after the Australian chemist John Macadam and that turpentine came from pine nuts.

It wouldn’t be a party without pass the parcel (with forfeits) organised by Janella, a free raffle and mince pies.

Gardening Matters

If you can’t get out in the garden, here’s a podcast to listen to:


https://bloommagazine.podbean.com/e/podbean_best_podcast_hosting_audio_video_blog_hosting/

Notice Board

Sue G sends her greetings to all from Italy

The full Friday Forum programme for 2020 can be found on the appropriate page.

Next Meeting

3^rd January – New Year Forum.  Judith has put out a request for your early garden memories.  This is something she has wanted to do for a long time and it would be good to hear your thoughts and reminiscences.