“The February sunshine steeps your boughs, and tints the buds, and swells the leaves within.” – William Cullen Bryant

Talk: Mountain Flower Holidays in Eastern Europe 

Michael Myers gave us a fascinating talk on Mountain Flower Holidays in Eastern Europe. After researching the best places to visit, Michael told us about his journeys since 1990s to view the alpine horticulture. We learnt about the wild flower meadows of Slovenia and the Trenta botanic gardens in the Alps on the Austrian border. We heard about the bears in Romania, which only the communist dictator, Nicolae Ceaușescu, was allowed to hunt. We saw the fabulous palaces built after his regime, the flora of the Maritime Alps and the two week Prague Alpine Show. It was interesting to see some rare plants and where some more common plants originated such as saxifrage, Leopard’s Mane, Pulsatilla and Hepatica, to name but a few. 

Display Table 

In Suzanne’s vase are plants that grow in the same bed in her garden. The colours blend well together and the plants give out a strong fragrance. Helleborus hybridus, pink speckled and white with pink speckles, Helleborus niger with petals which turn green as it ages, Skimmia rubella, Skimmia confusa Kew Green, Sarcococca humilis, Euonymus Fortunei emerald and gold and Choisya ternata Sundance

Ann brought Synthyris missurica var. stellata, Leucojum vernum var. carpathicum with its yellowtips and Leucojum vernum Vagneri with green tips, Puschkinia scilloides, Hepatica ballardii, Galanthus f.p, Crocus tommasinianus and crocus Gypsy Girl 

Gill J brought Hellebores, Arabis, Anemone blanda, Jasmine nudiflorum, Muscari, Heather, Snowdrop S. Arnott and Wallflower 

Margaret H’s bowl of Hellebore heads 

In her bid to deter slugs and snails from her hostas, Kate has purchased some copper collars. We are following her progress with interest.

Next Meeting

3^rd March with a talk by the farmer florist Susie Rush: Picked at Dawn, The On Growing story. HOME (pickedatdawn.co.uk) .