Category: Gardening Group

By the time you read this we will have had our February meeting, a talk on A Spring Garden.

We are currently taking names for our first trip, on 3^rd March, to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, leaving Ogle Street at 9.30 am. The cost is £20.

There are some gardens opening in February for the NGS, I thought some of you might be interested if the weather is favourable!

15 and 16 Feb	The Dower House, Melbourne, DE73 8JH Oak Cottage, Well Lane, Swadlincote, DE11 8AG Church Farm, Church Lane, West Drayton, DN22 8EB
22 and 23 Feb	Hedgehog Hall, 3 Loddington Rd, Tilton on the Hill, LE7 9DE The Old Vicarage, The Fields, Middleton by Wirksworth, Matlock, DE4 4NH

Just a reminder that we are having our plant swap a month earlier this year, at our April meeting, so if you are starting to plan your growing for this year, or indeed have already started, and you have more than you need, please bring some along to exchange with others.

Patricia Rayner is coming to that meeting to talk about Japanese Gardening. She was snowed in when she was due to come in 2024, so we look forward to her talk this year.

Anne

November’s meeting unfortunately had to be cancelled due to the snow, we have rebooked the speaker to come to us in April next year.

There is no meeting in December or January, the next meeting will be February, with a talk on a Spring garden.

Enjoy your planning for the new year of gardening.

Anne

Last month the group had a question and answer Garden Problem session. The answers were provided by experts at the Garden News magazine, and it is encouraging to hear that they also suffer the same types of problems and difficulties in their gardens.

There were tips on how to successfully grow different plants, how and when to prune, and how to deal with tenacious weeds. Autumn is considered the Gardeners’ New Year, a time to plan and prepare for the next seasons’ growing. Sow the seed swap was very successful and is something we will consider again in the future.

November’s meeting, on the 19^th is again at the John Godber Centre, when we will welcome Patricia Rayner who is going to talk about Japanese Gardens and the particular style of gardening.

All are welcome as we are an open group.

September saw the group travel to Northamptonshire for the last trip of the year to Coton Manor. We picked a glorious day, probably the best trip, weather wise, we have had all year!

The gardens were beautiful and still full of colour. There were also hens and cockerels lazing in the sun, dozing pigs living the life of Riley and 6 flamingos in or near the lake. The volunteer gardeners were a mine of information and willing as ever to answer queries and give information about the many unusual flowers and plants.

The tearoom did a roaring trade as did the nursery, and several new plants made their way back to gardens in Hucknall. All in all, a wonderful day out. 

This month, on 28^th October, we are back at the John Godber Centre for a Gardeners’ Question and Answer Session, meeting at 1.30 to 3.30. Come and find out all about the problems on your plot and see if we have the solutions!

We are also having a ‘Seed Swap’ at this meeting, so if you have any surplus seeds, either in packets or from your own saving, bring them along to swap or give away to someone else.

All are welcome as we are an open group.

In August, 28 resolute members made their way through rain and dark grey clouds to Shropshire to visit David Austin Roses. The greeting team remarked that we had missed a deluge just before we arrived! But then the weather changed, and the sun appeared and shone on us for the rest of the day. The downpour though affected the scent of the roses and they were just beginning to reveal their fragrance by the end of the afternoon.

There were several gardens to walk around, laid out with roses and other plants, statues and benches to rest on. The team of gardeners working there were also willing to answer questions and queries. We were also accompanied by the resident Peahen, admiring the pots on offer in the Sales area.

So many colours, variations, scents, and sizes, something for everyone. And that was seen in the number of bags and pots that found their way into the “boot” of our coach! The tearoom and restaurant were also well patronised, in true u3a fashion. Everyone enjoyed the trip and we were again made very welcome by the team at the Centre. Well worth a visit.

September’s meeting is another trip, this time to Coton Manor in Northamptonshire. The coach for this is full at the moment, but we can take names for a waiting list in case of cancellation, if anyone else is interested.

On 15^th October we are back at the JGC for a Gardener’s Question and Problem session. All are welcome as we are an open group.