Bridport Gardening Club

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Visit to Bicton Botanical Garden – May 2023

News, Outing Reports

May, a time for making elderflower cordial, heading west, may and cow parsley dotted creamy white about the landscape, deeper into Devon a blue haze settled over woods and valleys. Taking the woodland railway gave a wider view of the park than would be possible by foot in a few hours: we rattled along with view of the orangery above formal Italian style gardens, reminiscent of ‘Babar King of the Elephants’.  Passing from sunlight to shade, very close to the[…]

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Bridport’s looking just Bee-looming Lovely

News

You may have noticed that the planting boxes and troughs are now full of summer plants and that this year they look slightly different. Bridport & District Gardening Club, Groves Nurseries and Bridport Town Council have teamed up to replace the usual summer bedding plants with polinator-friendly perennials. Around 20 flower boxes around Bridport town centre have been turned into ‘pollinating patches’ to help with the pollinating insect population. Whilst these flower boxes are usually full of flowers for the[…]

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Visit to Powerderham Castle

News, Outing Reports

Toby’s Garden Festival Lush Devon the hedgerows resplendent in leaf; coloured patchwork of seeded sand and deep red soil; florescent yellow rape in bloom.Balancing stones from Bodmin. Art, botanics, ceramics, and socks from MelplashFrench, Thai and Persian cuisine, cones of vivid colour on earthenware dishesAnyone for a cuppa:into marquees from damp weatherQueues for coffee and delicious hot chocolateSucculent cakes with succulents in icing. Farm produce, hot cheese rolls, and unusual ice creamsPacked marquees, entertaining lectures and samples to taste.Rusted metal[…]

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Bridport Planters Planted in time for the Coronation

News

We have been advising Bridport Town Council on replanting most of the Town planters in East and West Street in time for the Coronation. Led by Monique and facilitated by Daryl Chambers, the Town Surveyor, we advised on some significant changes to the planting approach. With advice from Becky Groves we drew up a simple plan for a range of perennials. Inspired by King Charles’ dedication to sustainability and biodiversity, our criteria is to plant mainly reliable pollinator-friendly plants with[…]

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Visit to Yeo Valley Organic Gardens in March 2023

News, Outing Reports

Primroses pale under distant hedges and roadside banks, magnolia trees beginning to bloom. Bright daffodils and pasture turning emerald green, flock of blackest sheep, and trees waking up, some orange and others acid green. Tamed Somerset, county of dairies, mistletoe hung trees, lush hedged fields leading to gentle wooded ridges. Plant stalls: gentle hues of blue, white, pink and green behind which is the all-important compost zoning.  Raised beds and hard landscaping softened by spring bulbs and vegetable planting.  Rusting[…]

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Melplash Agricultural Society 2023 Garden & Allotment Competition open for Entries

News

The Melplash Agricultural Society are delighted to open entries for their 2023 Garden & Allotment competition.  Judging will take place on Tuesday 20th and Wednesday 21st June and the judges this year are Nick and Jen Tett (Small Garden winners in 2022) and Kevin and Deanna Trott (Allotment winners in 2022). The competition is open to all gardens and allotments located within 12 miles of Melplash Church.  The competition is FREE to enter, and the only stipulation is that you[…]

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Daffodils, mimosa, primroses and more at the Spring 2023 Show

News, Show Reports

Photograph by Philip Grey Despite cold weather and an earlier than normal date, the Bridport Spring Show attracted over 175 entries with some magnificent daffodils and other spring flowers from Mimosa to primroses. Perhaps the most eye-catching flowers were the unusual lime green Hellebores exhibited by Kiera Roth. Other entries ranged from intricate sugar-craft figures, photographs, homecraft, vegetables and the decorated Easter eggs. Outside on East Street the plant stall raised nearly £220 from sale of plants donated by members[…]

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