Bridport Gardening Club

Author: Chris Senior

2019 Club Holiday in Wales

News

We spent our first day at Bodnant, a Grade One listed garden in Snowdonia’s foothills, with excellent mountain views.  There are 80 acres of Italianate formal gardens with shrub-filled glades, historic plant collections and 42 UK Champion trees.  We rounded off the day with a trip on the Great Orme Railway around the promontory overlooking Llandudno Bay. The second morning was spent at Portmeirion Village, which was created by Welsh architect Clough Williams-Ellis (C.W.E.).  The site he found had everything[…]

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2019 Summer Show – A Success

Show Reports

On the day of the Show the United Church Hall in East Street is always a delight with the scent and colour of flowers, the wonderful vegetables large and small and all the fruits of the labour of Bridport Gardening Club members and friends over the summer. With figures overall very similar to last years with 59 exhibitors and 471 exhibits, a record number of entries in the horticulture classes made sure the Show was a success.  Fine entries in[…]

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British Bees

Meeting Reports

We were treated to a beautifully illustrated talk by Briget Strawbridge Howard in July.  It was surprising to learn how many species we have in Britain, the varied forms they take and fascinating to hear the complex life cycle of some. The decline in the  insect population is due to a number of factors; gardeners can provide vital nectar and pollen by planting blooms of differing shapes and depths, flowering all through the year, from early bulbs to winter ivies.

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Outing to Tapeley Park

Outing Reports

An outing in July 2019, literally, took us to pastures new – Tapeley Park, near Instow, North Devon. The Christie family has owned the Tapeley Park for almost 300 years. It overlooks the Torridge estuary with wonderful views across to Lundy Island and Saunton Sands. It looks out on to terraced gardens in a wide variety of styles and plantings as well as an ice house, a shell house and a permaculture garden developed by Hector Christie demonstrating principles of[…]

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Trekking in the Himalayas

Meeting Reports

An entertaining evening was much enjoyed when our Patron,Clive Groves, came to speak on “Trekking in the Himalayas through the Eyes of a Nurseryman”. Following retirement in 2010, Clive, together with Diana, journeyed to Costa Rica, for an enjoyable trek despite adverse conditions. In the Himalayas they both achieved the climb up to Everest Base Camp. Altitude sickness, perilously narrow paths, cold, snow, ice and “yak attack” were all overcome.  The reward was breathtaking beauty and finding plants growing in[…]

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Outing to Mottisfont Abbey, Hampshire

Outing Reports

The grey rainy day could not dampen spirits as members arrived at Mottisfont in Hampshire for our June outing . Ancient yews and cedars graced the grounds on the walk to the walled gardens, glorious with Old Roses in full bloom. Heavenly scents emanated from flowers in red,pink,creams and white. Above were clematis clinging to the walls and while peonies, foxgloves, viola, alliums and geraniums added to the palette. 

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Visit to Elworthy Cottage Nurseries

Outing Reports

The May 2019 outing took us to the Taunton area.  Firstly,we visited Elworthy Cottage Nurseries which proved a delight of naturalistic planting with flower filled borders amid lovely mature trees.  Later,at Hestercombe, members wandered the restored Edwardian gardens designed by Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens where irises were particularly lovely.  A relaxing stroll beside the lakes was a must to see the waterfall cascading over mosses,beneath ferns and lovely old trees.

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Seaside Gardening

Meeting Reports

Of particular interest to those of us gardening on the coast was Caradoc Doy’s talk on Seaside Gardening at our May 2019 meeting. He advised looking at the native plants, growing beside the sea and in estuaries, which have evolved to withstand strong salt-laden winds.  Choosing cultivated plants from these families will give greater success; blue and fleshy leaves are a clue to plants that have adapted well. Caradoc showed illustrations of many trees, shrubs and perennials which will bring[…]

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The 2019 Spring Show

Show Reports

What a Spring Show – record figures – with 60 exhibitors and over 500 entries. The daffodil and other flowers were looking and smelling wonderful and the Hall was a riot of colour and industry. Visitors looked as if they were enjoying themselves and we certainly did. The Hall was busy and the refreshment team took over £165, well done. The Daffodil Society Medal, donated each year by David Downton, was won by Bridport exhibitor Dave Townsend and the Tamblyn[…]

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