Mary James has sent some photos in from her visit to the Eden Project.
If anyone knows the names of the two beautiful flowers, pictures taken in the tropical biome, she would appreciate the information.
Some more pictures of the Cornwall trip – showing the lovely weather (help you take your mind off all the recent rain) sent in by Deborah Jackson.
The tour was for four days visiting six beautiful and very different gardens and with lovely spring sunshine. The visit was slightly earlier than usually undertaken but there was still much to see in all the gardens; the late afternoon visit to St. Just in Roseland church garden was very atmospheric with a sea mist drifting in. The helicopter ride out to Tresco was a bonus as also the extended tour with the Head Gardener there.
Please enjoy the gallery of photos.
As we dip briefly back into winter here are a few pictures to put you in a brighter frame of mind.
At the end of March a happy band of gardeners went down to Cornwall for a few days to enjoy the spring sunshine. The trip out to Tresco via helicopter was particularly enjoyed. These photos were sent in by Sue Oldfield who says the trip was excellent.
These pictures are from a workday held at Combermere Abbey, Whitchurch (on the border of Shropshire and Cheshire) this January. The workday was for full hands on experience of pruning and thinning the espaliered fruit trees under the guidance of the Head Gardener.
The maze is unusual in being formed not from yew or beech hedging but from espaliers of apples and pears, forming passages of more than half a mile into the centre and back again.
The group had a very interesting day working on some of the 135 trees carrying out winter pruning to complement the summer pruning. They were fortunate with the weather and had a tour of the gardens following lunch in the restored glasshousde before resuming work. Member Bridget Zorn was the photographer on this occasion.
A workshop forPlanning a Kitchen Garden was held at West Dean Gardens in Sussex. The Garden Supervisor Sarah Wain led the day imparting vast amounts of information – including such details as site aspect, wind protection, trainign of fruit, even down to the angle to hold a hoe. The day included a tour of the gardens, potting sheds and glasshouses
Mary James writes “We had a good turnout for our Autumnal meet-up for the Northern WFGA members at the Quinta Arboretum near Holmes Chapel in Cheshire in October and we had the most beautiful weather to enjoy the day. Ten members gathered from various counties – Derbyshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Yorkshire, Cumbria, Shropshire for a day out to enjoy the Arboretum and to network.
The Quinta Arboretum had been planted by the Lovell family and is now maintained by the Tatton Trust and there is lots of new planting taking place to replace some of the older trees. It has a pine ollection, malus collection, oak collection and some wonderful avenues of trees which were planted to commemorate family events.
Conveniently situated behind the Swettenham Arms folk were able to enjoy drinks and lunch or a picnic in the grounds. The co-ordinators, Debbie Jackson, Helen Warburton and Mary James all attended
which gave new trainees a chance to meet them and for Helen, as the newest Co-ordinator on board, to chat to Debbie and Mary.
WFGA members were fortunate to be able to visit Arne Maynards garden in Monmouthshire this September.
In fact this is the third in a set of visits that members have been able to view the changing garden. We first went six years ago just after the house and garden had been acquired from the Spitalfields Trust. The Trust had rescued the old building from rack and ruin. It was then up to Arne to make a garden to complement the beautiful old property. Arne showed us around the grounds – telling us about all the inspiration and rationale behind his ideas for developing the garden.
On our subsequent visits we have seen how these ideas have been put into place in the developing garden and how some have been changed over that time due to the weather, plant growth and other factors.
This visit we were blessed with a lovely but windy day to see how things have progressed so far. Some had only previously visited the first time and were amazed at the changes – the house no longer is confronted by a sea of gravel for one thing. Soil has been moved around the site – new banks made, other areas levelled; hedges and trees have been planted – some topiarised (if that is the right word); stone walls have been built. The house now sits very comfortably within its setting – and looking as if that has always been so.
The general ambience is of one of rural idyll; the few significantly planted borders, courtyard garden and vegetable garden are jewels set within the open country feel to the garden. In a word - magical
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Those with forethought had brought their note books and wrote of the details they were inspired by – planting schemes, landscaping ideas and particular plants. Al in all a very enjoyable afternoon – complete with tea and gooey cake – brilliant.
