Visit to Delph Cottage Garden

Friday Forum members Spent a very enjoyable afternoon at Delph Cottage in Methley where we were entertained by Colin, a master delphinium grower,  He chatted to us about his methods for producing the amazing show of delphiniums he grows in his back garden. Colin now has the national collection of delphiniums with over 100 different named cultivars. 

There can be no better way to spend a summer afternoon than in a gorgeous garden with lovely company and delicious tea and  homemade cakes baked by Colin's partner, Alison. 

"The smallest creatures often hold the key to the grandest mysteries of our ecosystems." - Rachel Carson

Bug Hotels

Members constructed bug hotels from wooden structures and tin cans using a variety of materials such as moss, straw, twigs and pine cones.

Some of the bug hotels were made by Chris VH

Katherine used this wooden utensil holder

The finished products

Suzanne's deluxe model

Bug hotels should preferably be placed out of the wind, away from the rain and have a waterproof roof.

These were no ordinary hotels, these were five star, luxury residencies for insects and bees.

Display Table

 Norma brought Erysimum with varieted leaves which were grown from cuttings of  Judith’s plant in sand, compost and rooting powder

Maggie brought a fragrant bouquet of Rosa “Pink Perpetué”, Rosa “Iceberg”, Clematis “Pangbourne Pink”, Rosa “blush Noissette” and Rosa Glauca

 Ann brought Crinodendron Hookerianum, Clematis Lampton Park, Rosa Penelope, Rosa Golden Showers, Salix babylonica crispa and a flower received in a gifted bouquet which was identified as Ornithogalum (Arabian Starflower, Star of Bethlehem, or Sun Star)

 Judith brought Prunella grandiflora

 Kate brought some stunning Hosta leaves: Abiqua Drinking Gourd, Empress Wu, Orange Marmalade, Snake Eyes, Paradise Island, Paul’s Glory, Blue Ivory, Blue Mouse Ears, Liberty and one which is thought to be June

Gardening Matters

Paxton show is on 21^st June  at the OPAL Centre, 55 Bedford Drive, Cookridge LS16 6DJ which also includes a craft category. Exhibitors should arrive 8.30 – 12.30.Any donations of cakes, money, plants to sell or help in the kitchen will be appreciated

Cookridge Show is on September 13^th

Addingham Open Gardens charity event returns on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd June 2025, entrance £6

Next Meetings:

Friday 20th June at 1.30pm.  Visit to Delph Cottage Garden, 51 Newmarket Lane, Methley LS26 9DN.

Friday 4^th July – Friday Forum Mini Show

Full details can be found on member's emails

The High Line of New York

 

Presentation: The High Line of New York by Dawn Johnson

Dawn, a garden designer and Chelsea Gold winner, took us down the High Line of New York in her talk entitled: A dream, an idea a public park. Starting with photos of the earlier constructed Promenade Plantée in Paris, we learnt how a foundation was set up to transform an abandoned area in New York which had previously housed a freight line into a public park. With water features, play areas, sculptures, art work and a variety of seating made from reclaimed and recycled material, this 3.5 mile stretch is open to the public. The area is planted up with 90,000 different plants and is looked after by gardeners and volunteers. This was no mean feat considering the shallow depth of the soil in which trees, shrubs and flowers had to be planted. Dawn gave us a fascinating insight into how it was all achieved.

Display Table

 

Kate brought Iris, Azalea ‘Rosa’, Persicaria bistorta superba, Silene fimbriata, Geranium, Convallaria majalis (Lily of the Valley) ‘Hardwick Hall’

Liz brought Dodecatheon ‘Red Light’, a Pacific Coast Iris ‘Broadleigh Rose’, Astrantia ‘Bo-Ann’, Heuchera ‘Beaujolais’ and Geranium ‘Johnson’s Blue’ 

 Dorothy brought Centaurea  cyannus, Clematis Arabella, Poppy orientalis, Spanish bluebell, Aquilegia and another small flower which members thought was a rockery Phlox

 Judith brought the double Meconopsis, Erysimum, Heuchera, the attractive foliage of Filipendula ‘Red Umbrella’, Rose ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ (a gift from Friday Forum), Tellima and a white Aquilegia

Amanda brought Gladiolus, Welsh Onion seed head, double Lily of the Valley, Perennial stock, Nemesia, Rosemary, 3 Erysimums and Daphne

Katherine H brought Peony, Euphorbia chameleon, Persicaria ‘Red Dragon’, Ravenswing, various Geraniums, Euphorbia polystichum, Allium’Purple Sensation’, Tiarella, Tellima, Euonymus Emerald and Gold and Peltaria

Next Meetings

6^th June – We are constructing bug hotels so please bring suitable materials such as pine cones, hollow stems, bamboo canes, wood with holes in etc.  

20^th June - Visit to Colin Parton’s garden Delphinium Cottage.  Full details TBA

May is the month of expectation, the month of wishes, the month of hope – Emily Brontë

 Finery in Flowers

Members were asked to create a piece of clothing or fashion accessory using mainly flowers.

The entries were fabulous and very different. Members were then asked to select the best three who were awarded a plant as a prize.

 Third Prize went to Liz with her antique evening bag

 

 Second prize went to Judith with her elegant scarf and beads

 First prize was awarded to Norma with her gardening clogs

 

Norma and Judith with their prizes.  Liz was making tea in the kitchen!

Display Table

 

                            Norma brought a sprig from her Fothergilla shrub

Judith brought a yellow, perennial Erysimum with variegated foliage with turns a shade of purple in
the Winter
  

 

Next Meeting

16^th May – The High Line in New York by Dawn Johnson

Friday Forum Spring Flower Show

 With nearly 40 entries, the Flower Show was well supported.

Dorothy, as show secretary, did a sterling job with the paperwork and John Freer judged the  entries and explained why he graded the entries as he did plus tips for improving our entries in the future. The main advice was to read the schedule carefully as to number and type. 

CLASS 1 One vase containing one Daffodil

1st Olwen Baron

2nd Dorothy Ambridge

3rd Judith Ladley

CLASS 2 One vase containing three Daffodils

1st Margaret Mallott

2nd Christine Vernon

3rd Sue Gray

CLASS 3 One vase containing three Tulips

1st Olwen Baron

2nd Christine Vernon

3rd Margaret Mallott

CLASS 4 Container of Spring flowering bulbs

1st Ann Miller

2nd Marjorie Stephens

3rd Dorothy Ambridge

CLASS 5 One pot plant, indoor or outdoor

1st Norma Hardaker

2nd Dorothy Ambridge

3rd Sandra Tesseyman

CLASS 6 One vase containing flowering branches

1st Sue Gray

2nd Sandra Tesseyman

3rd Dorothy Ambridge

CLASS 7 Dish of floating flower heads

1st Sue Gray

Display Table

 On the left we have Ann's Brunnera Jack Frost, Pachyphragma macrophyllum, Corydalis solida and George Baker, Erysimum Bowles Mauve, Leucojum aestivum, Erythronium revolutum and Pagoda, Ipheon uniflorum, Allium paradoxum and normale
On the right is Dorothy's yellow bouquet

John's Muscari White Magic

John's dwarf Forsythia

Judith's Coleus

Next meeting:

18^th April – no meeting as Good Friday

2^nd May – Flower Festival. This year the theme is Finery in Flowers and we are asking members to decorate an article of clothing or fashion accessory with flowers eg Footwear, headgear, handbag/man bag, umbrella etc. Only two non-natural materials allowed such as plastic plant pot, Oasis or wellington boot.