“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) .

“The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies.” Gertrude Jekyll

 

Discussion

Judith hosted a lively discussion on gardens and plants from our childhoods. The memories went back to WW2 and included bomb shelters in the back garden and digging for victory, usually rhubarb and potatoes.

Judith remembered Galega (Goats Rue), carnations,, lupins and daisies, picking bluebells, visiting a relative’s allotment where gladioli were grown and sending off for seed catalogues.

Margaret H told us about her father tickling the tomatoes in the greenhouse with a rabbit’s tail. Her grandma grew the Rose Cecile Brunner which Margaret still has in her garden and has passed on to her daughter.

Peter’s family gardened on limestone in Eyam, Derbyshire, reknowned for self isolating to prevent the spread of the plague. Perhaps that’s why he had a resident ghost which passed their garden! His garden also housed cages of budgerigars and canaries.

Many members recalled the flowers of their childhood: Cornflowers, London Pride, Sweet Peas, Dahlias, Sunflowers and Golden Rod. Remembered also were the making daisy chains, testing whether we liked butter with a buttercup under the chin, making perfume from rose petals and the trend for the regimented planting out of bedding plants such as Marigolds, Alyssum and Lobelia.

Suzanne told us how, as a child, she learnt gardening skills from both sets of grandparents and Amanda remembered the scent of Irises.

Dorothy was given a small plot in her parent’s garden on which she grew Sunflowers. The farmer offered her a penny for the seeds for his parrot but, before she could claim her reward, the plants got eaten by the horse in the next field!

Ann showed us the Enid Blyton book, Let's Garden, which sparked her love of gardening.

Display Table

The sweet fragrance of early flowering shrubs permeated the whole room. It is clear how they attract and provide food for insects and bees.

Judith’s attractive Hellebore Silver Dollar came from her favourite supermarket

Amanda brought Iris and Witch Hazel

Gill’s posy contains Lonicera fragrantissima, Arum Italicum, Iris, Snowdrops, Pieris, Christmas Box and Pulmonaria

Kate’s posy contains various Snowdrops, variegated Pulmonaria and Iberis.

Ann brought the winter flowering Clematis Freckles, Arum, Puschkini, Hepatica and yellow, white and dark purple Hellebores

Maggie brought Sarcococca hookeriana 'Purple Stem' , Viburnum x bodnantense Charles Lamont, and Viburnum tinus 

Kate’s Hellebore Dorothy’s Dawn and quirky ornamental ducks came from Moss and Moor garden centre in Ilkley

Next Meeting:

The next meeting on 17^th February is a talk by Michael Myers entitled Mountain Flower Holidays in Eastern Europe.

“The wise gardener anticipates June in January.” Anonymous

 Presentation

We were pleased to welcome Brian Dennsion again to Friday Forum. On this visit he took us on a tour around his beautifully designed garden. Members made copious notes on the printed lists when they saw a plant or an idea to copy in their own gardens. Brian also wowed us with the ingenious watering methods which he has invented and showed us how he keeps his lawn in pristine condition. A cheerful slide show on a very cold afternoon.

Display Table

There is still a lot of interest in the gardens of some of our members.

Amanda’s Snowdrops: The double Lady Beatrix Stanley on the right and Rosemary Burnham with its fine green lines (currently selling at £45.00 per bulb).  In the foreground, Carol’s Clematis Winter Beauty

Gill’s posy contains Hellebores which she split the stems to last longer, variegated Ivy and single and double Snowdrops

Ann’s basket contains Witch Hazel Hamamelis Mollis, Snowdrops Galanthus Elwesii and Wendy’s Gold, the half hardy Narcissus Elara (n.cantabricus × romieuxii), Cyclamen coum, Iris ungularis, Viburnum tinus and Christmas Box (Sarcococcus confusa) and Muscari Early Bird

Kate brought Smimmia japonica and Kew Green, Hamamelis Arnold Promise, variegated Cistus, Christmas Box (Sarcococcus) and Polypodium cambricum Richard Kayse

Kate’s Helleborus niger

Next Meeting

3^rd February: Plants from our childhoods; a group participation session led by Judith Ladley.

Christmas Forum

What better way to end the year?

A flower arranging and wreath making demonstration with lots of useful tips from Friday Forum members Judith and Peter.

Members then tried their hand at creating their own masterpieces

Home made mince pies and Christmas tree parkin by Liz

Liz also made this Boxing Day Chutney which flew off the sales table

Next meeting will be on 20^th January: Activities and their Results in a Freely Blooming Garden by Brian Denison.

Merry Christmas and Happy New year

“A bare tree stands with roots on both ends in December days.” – Kiran Bantawa, “Bare Trees”

Presentation: An Introduction to Japanese Gardens by Dr Andy Bolton

Dr Bolton is the Chairman of the regional group of the Japanese Garden Society

Andy gave a fascinating talk on Japanese gardens. We learnt about the elements which these gardens contain and the symbolism of these. These naturalistic gardens are predominantly evergreen, with no variegation, and have a limited range of plants. Some are just to be gazed at while others take you on a journey by following the stones and bridges. We were shown examples of the gardens including from his visits to Japan and his own garden.

For more information and images click here here or check out their Facebook page of The Japanese Garden Society.

Display Table

There is still interest and colour in the garden at the beginning of December.

Ann brought the tall, lates flowering Amicia Zygomeris, Liriope muscari, Bergenia, Hesperantha Mrs Hegarty and coccinea, a burgundy Vinca minor, foliage of Arum italicum and Crocosmia Emily MacKenzie

Kate’s Anisodontea El Rayo, the African mallow and Penstemon Plum Jerkum

Dorothy’s Christmas Cactus in full flower

Next Meeting

Our last meeting of 2022 is our Christmas Forum is on 16^th December when we’ll be creating festive floral displays, eating home-made mince pies so please dress in Christmas apparel.

The 2023 programme is now on the blog page here.  Please note that meetings begin on 20th January

 

“November’s sky is chill and drear, November’s leaf is red and sear” – Sir Walter Scott

Presentation

Ben Cooper told us about the very interesting history of East Riddlesden Hall, where he is the part-time head and only gardener. We learnt about the garden’s past, present and future design plans before Ben answered all our questions.

For more details about opening hours and walks around East Riddlesden Hall click here

A couple of photos I took in Spring pre-covid:

Display Table

These roses are still blooming in Kate’s garden

Judith brought Cotinus coggygria Grace with its attractively coloured foliage, Abelia and Geranium Rozanne

…. and what’s this from Derek’s garden? He planted a few bulbs of Allium Summer Drummer which RHS describes as  “ a tall stunning onion”  and Google calls  an extremely tall and late-flowering ornamental between 4 – 5 ft!

Next meeting:

Presentation by Andy Bolton – An introduction to Japanese Gardens