Sunday 17 February 2019

A short time to make a long border

Presentation: 
Garden designer Mary Swan gave a fascinating entitled: A short time to make a long border in which she explained the highs and lows of preparing a show garden for RHS Chatsworth.
 Mary Swan
 
Mary studied garden design and horticulture and now lectures at Craven College as well as running her own garden design company.  After experiencing being part of a team who put together show gardens, Mary decided to go solo.  She decided to attend a seminar run by the RHS to find out more and discovered the Long Border category at Chatsworth was still open to entries and so she applied for this – with just two months to prepare.
Mary then took us through the hairy process of making the garden with the theme given as Movement.  She used the idea of the wind and the transition from spring to summer to complete the raised bed.  We heard how she drew up the plans, sourced the plants plus a steel screen while following the criteria and contending with the weather.  The list of plants used and details about workshops on design can be found here https://www.maryswangardens.com/garden-design/rhs-chatsworth-flower-show-gold/
One of the useful tips she gave for our own gardens is to take a colour card to the nursery with you to ascertain which plants matched well with others.
The outcome?  A gold medal!
Display Table
Janella’s Hamamelis x intermedia Pallida which she intends to place in her garden near a shrub which shows colour at this time of year.  The plant is commonly known as Witch hazel as the branches were used as divining rods
 Kate’s vase includes Epimedium, Snowdrops including S. Arnott, Ipheion  Alberto Castillo, Cyclamen coum, Hellebores, Iris, Sarcococca, Viburnum bodnantense dawn
Trevor’s Iris recticulata Cantab 

 Ann’s spring display:  Iris Palm Springs, George, Pauline and Sheila Ann Germany, Primulas and Geranium

A bargain, yet to be identified, from The Arium
 
 Gill’s basket contains spring flowers including the Daffodil Jet Fire
From her garden Gill brought Coronilla, Snowdrops, the scented Daphne retusa, Primrose and Hellebore, which last longer in a vase when a slit is made along the length of the stem.
Jill J’s pot of Crocus Cream Beauty
 


Margaret M’s Helleborus Gold Collection Joker











Notice Board
Early notice about Paxton Spring Show and Plant Sale on 30th March.  Dorothy has made a request for plants. 

 Next Meeting
1st March – Forum meeting:  John Freer will be giving a short talk and demonstrating how to stage entries for our Mini Show (or the Paxton Spring Show).  We will also be discussing shade loving plants so we would like examples from your own gardens.




  


Sunday 3 February 2019

One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it provides - W E Johns


This meeting was entitled Friday Forum AGM but after the formal part of the meeting, we reviewed 2018 and reminded ourselves of the wonderful speakers, visits and parties which makes the group so enjoyable.
A friend of Jenny had lent her a book on illustrations by botanical artist  Annika Silander-Hökerberg which includes some plants named after Solander  including climbers from Mexico and West Indies.  Jenny also added some very interesting material to what we know about Linnaeus and Solander from the talk we heard from Friday Forum’s Dr Carl Denton.




Ann demonstrated how to make plant pots from newspaper.  We tried constructing these biodegradable containers and sowed Sweet Pea seeds.  Watch this space.
Display Table
 Judith’s Hellebore foetidus
 Another of Judith’s bargain plants from Morrisons is labelled Christmas Rose but is surely a Helleborus lividus
Norma’s Sweet Peas
 Kate’s Iris was a thoughtful birthday gift
Gardening Matters

Every gardener knows that under the cloak of winter lies a miracle ... a seed waiting to sprout, a bulb opening to the light, a bud straining to unfurl.  And the anticipation nurtures our dream.
-  Barbara Winkler
Notice Board
A heads up about the meeting on 1st March.  John Freer will give a short talk on staging exhibits for our Mini Show on 5th April.  




Next Meeting
15th February:  Presentation - A short time to make a long border: RHS Chatsworth Flower Show by Mary Swan