Garden visits

Friday Forum members had a very enjoyable afternoon looking round three very different gardens in Cookridge. Luckily the rain held off (more or less). All three gardens were blooming thanks to the abundance of rain we’ve had recently.

Pat’s acers were a stunning part of her lovely garden.

We all fell in love with Tito, Mandy and Paul’s tortoise, and we were impressed by the amazing variety of plants that they grow in pots.

The Turners enjoying a cuppa in front of  clematis Princess Kate

 

Yvonne’s garden was a riot of colour, with annuals, perennials and shrubs grown together in themed beds.

We finished off with tea and cake - a perfect end to a very enjoyable afternoon. Donations will be sent to Wheatfields. 

Next Meeting

4^th August: Presentation by Hilary Hutson – The Colour of Plants

We finished off with tea and cake - a perfect end to a very enjoyable afternoon. Donations will be sent to Wheatfields. 

Next Meeting

4^th August: Presentation by Hilary Hutson – The Colour of Plants

Summer Flower Show

Summer Flower Show

Eric kindly judged our Friday Forum Summer Flower Show and gave us useful tips for showing.  Thanks also to Dorothy for acting as secretary.

 

1st Prize Kate (entry on left)

1st Prize:  Brenda

1st Prize:  Peter

 

 1st Prize:  Trish

1st Prize:  Derek for his Pony Tail plant grown from seed

1st Prize:  Dorothy

Display Table

Judith's Argyranthemum Banana Spice

 

Judith's huge headed Hydrangea Annabelle.  For those who find it floppy, there is Strong Annabelle

.

Kate's Dianthus carthusianorum, Tritelia, the shorterVerbena Bampton, the fragrant Phlox Blue Paradise. Geranium Patricia and  Stachys Hummelo

Peter devised a quiz where we were asked to name the 10 plants displayed from his garden.  Nobody managed to identify them all but the exercise was interesting!

Next Meetings

July 21^st  Garden visit. 3 x gardens in Cookridge

August 4^th  Presentation – The Colour of Plants – Hilary Hutson

Slugs are just homeless snails

 Garden Pests: Friend or Foe

Chaired by Kate, this Forum looked at garden pests using Val Bourne’s recent article in the Telegraph as a starting point. She argues “Not all slugs are bad – you should embrace them in your garden” and goes on to distinguish between helpful and hateful slugs and the most effective ways of dealing with them. We discussed methods of preventing slug damage from copper rings to beer traps and how to dispose of them. Changing our planting habits, using silver leaved plants and companion planting were considered.

Kate brought her book by Val Bourne and offered to loan it

  Display Table

Kate’s jug contains Geraniums: Max Frei, Patricia, Ann Folkard and Rozeanne with Astrantias: the dark Roma, the white Shaggy and Maxima

Dorothy brought Heuchera, Astrantia, Centaurea (cornflower), Allium moly, Lychnis coronaria, a side shoot of Delphinium, a Common Spotted Orchid and the fragrant Sweet Peas Bubble Gum and Gwendoline

Judith brought a lovely white Poppy, Silene fimbriata, Matricaria, white Argyranthemum  , Peucedanum, a silver leafed Pulmonaria and Cineraria Maritima. They would look wonderful in a container or a bed.

Next Meeting

7^th July: Friday Forum Summer Mini Show

 

Visit to East Riddlesden Hall, Keighley

Friday Forum members met at  East Riddlesden Hall for a tour round the gardens by the lovely and knowledgeable Ben Cooper.  Ben has been head gardener here for two years.

 

 

The first border we came across was a herb garden with a variety of herbs including some more unusual ones which could have been used at that time such as soapwort.  These were used for both medicinal and culinary purposes.

In this walled garden is an orchard and a deep and high herbaceous border


 

After the tour, some members visited the Hall while others visited the tea shop.

Maggie Y sent these photos of a recent visit to Harlow Carr

Across from Harlow Carr in Harrogate is  Horticap who have revamped their nature trail and included information boards on insects, butterflies and wild flowers.  The fairy garden is also looking charming.  The nursery has interesting plants at a reasonable price and the cafe/restaurant has outdoor seating and is much cheaper than Betty's. 

Next Meeting:  June 16^th Forum: Friend or Foe; Garden Pests