“There is always something else to do. A gardener should have nine times as many lives as a cat.” Vita Sackville-West

 Presentation

We didn’t know what to expect from the delightful and dapper Peter Mathers’ talk entitled Poetry, Prose and Peonies. It turned out to be a hugely entertaining and informative tour of the gardens of famous people with literary connections. Peter talked us through the history of the gardens accompanied by great photographs and personal anecdotes ranging from William Wordsworth’s garden in the Lake District to Winston Churchill’s garden at Chartwell. There were plenty of ideas to adopt for our own gardens as well as places for our to-visit lists.

Display Table

Lots of flowers of every colour on the display table

Maggie brought Tulips, Ballerina, the white Trumpeter and vini chic “Pink Green”, Epimedium grandiflorum Frohnterlen, Pulmonaria Opal and Omphalodes Verna

Kate brought the attractively coloured leaves of Actinidia Kolomikta which turn pink in hot weather

Kate also brought Heuchera ‘Harry Hay’ whose flowers can reach 1m, Tellima grandiflora, Persicaria bistorta ‘Superba’, Vinca minor with a purple flower and Wulfenia carinthiaca

 
    

Judith brought Honesty, Hebe hulkeana, Euphorbia polychroma, Smyrnium, Erysium, Tulip saxatilis

John’s Dodecatheon

John’s batch of germinated Begonia seeds sown in a clear plastic container

Derek brought this plant grown from a seed and now 7 years old and a tray of seedlings for members to try

Carol brought Malus moerlandsii Profustion with its striking blossom, Viburnum ‘Mohawk’ and Azalea ‘Conny’

Peter’s fragrant Daphne cneorum

Ann’s Malus Profusion, Rhododendrons Blue Tit and Curlew, Haberlea rhodopensis, Tulipa saxatilis, Little Beauty and Dasystemon

Sandra brought Honesty, white and pink Bluebells, Cornflower centaurea, Arum italicum, Brunera Jack Frost, Omphalodes Cherry Ingram, Persicaria Domino, Sorbaria-sorbifolia-sem, Pulmonaria, Camillia, Bergenia, Euphorbia, Geranium tuberosum, Lamium, Primula and Golden Chimes

Can anyone identify this plant with a bud forming?

Next Meeting

3^rd May Friday Forum Flower Festival – create a garden scene based on a song or book title. Details emailed to members.