Bridport Gardening Club

Latest Posts

A Brief History of the Veitch Nurseries of Exeter and Chelsea

Meeting Reports

At the February 2020 meeting Caradoc Doy fascinated his audience with a brief history of the Veitch Nurseries of Exeter and Chelsea.   Run by the family over two hundred years and five generations, it began in a small way on the Killerton Estate, where John Beech trialled new trees for the estate and to sell. Son-in-law James Veitch opened a shop in Exeter, then as the business grew James Junior established a nursery on the KIngs Road.   The[…]

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Christmas 2019 activities with the Gardening Club

Meeting Reports

The annual Christmas shopping outing headed for Salisbury to coincide with the Christmas market in the square. There were fewer stalls from Europe this year, but delicious and attractive purchases could be still made from the colourful kiosks. A very windswept Highland’s End hosted the club Christmas dinner, attended by over seventy guests.  A lovely meal and convivial company was much enjoyed by everyone including our guests of honour, our patrons, Clive and Diana Groves. Sue Langdon’s huge raffle concluded[…]

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Images of Dartmoor

Meeting Reports

Tony Burges’ talk in November 2019 took his audience on a tour of the moors through all seasons; from spring bluebells to snowy peat-bogs and rocky tors.  He shared his interest in Ancient History and also delighted his audience with myths and ‘fairy doings’ in the wilderness. Tony was born and bred in Devon and his passion for Devon & Cornwall was inspired while he was on Dartmoor training to become a Royal Marine.

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What to do if you’re not receiving Gardening Club Emails

Meeting Reports

Several members are reporting that they no longer receive Gardening Club emails.  The most likely reason is that they are going straight to Spam or Junk mail.  This is what to do if you spot a “bridportgardeningclub@gmail.com” address amongst your Spam/Junk mail: Tick the box next to it – then: a) You will now see the option to move it to your Inbox. b) Also, there is usually a ‘This is not Spam’ button you should click which, hopefully, will[…]

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September outing to The Garden House

Outing Reports

September saw two very busy weeks for the Club beginning with a return visit to the Garden House, on the fringe of Dartmoor.   After hearing a brief history members, were free to wander the grounds, still resplendent in late summer colour: hydrangea paniculata catching everyone’s eye.   Of special delight was the walled garden, where dahlias, heleniums, rudbeckias, fuschias and asters glowed. The grasses in the naturalistic borders was a theme continued at the monthly meeting, when Malcolm Mills (Gold Club)[…]

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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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