HILLTOP GARDENING CLUB HAPPENINGS IN SEPTEMBER.
On 5 September –Alun and Jill Whitehead spoke on ‘An Autumnal Romp- a Seasonal Look at Gardens and Art.’ It was a two for the price of one where Alun would be selecting images that represent Autumn:- spider webs that become apparent, and flock of goldfinches in and around their farm, whilst his wife with a designer’s eye, homed in on specific plants - their colours, form, textures and combinations. Their images opened our eyes to really observing the beauty around us. Their land has been open to the public for many years for the NGS and Alun spoke warmly with affection for the landscape -of tractors, fields raising winter crops, cider apples and large skies in and around their Leominster farm.
Their travels in Britain took us to major flower shows, lesser known gardens of Herefordshire, Hauser and Wirth, Quenington Sculpture Trail, Great Dixter and Bridgewater.
They chose plants that are abounding in Autumn- Michelmas daisies and the flambuoyant dahlias, rudbeckias, coreopsis, tagetes, and the late heleniums and helianthus. Jill often would allude to artists who valued specific flowers such as Monet who valued the Chrysanthemum as an early subject. Of course the strident hues of the autumn leaves were also included, along with, fruits, seeds and their dispersal.
They drew their photographic display to a close with images of the onset of winter: those mists, the sheen on an outdoor seat from moisture, and the frosts.
EASTCOMBE AUTUMN SHOW.
Considering the few entrants, we had a remarkable number of entries and the hall was glorious, lit up by the colour on the tables of flowers and vegetables, with a wide number of marmalades, chutneys, jams, a few scones and one loaf! and with a large number of photographs. An impressive display. It was great to see so many enjoying chatting over a cup of tea and cake- made generously by Ann Gardiner.
Mike Eccott and Janet Hendy fed the computer and Kathy Eccott stalwartly ran round with prize winners’ cards. Stewards also supported the judges who had come kindly from a distance- Ruth Fraser’s twin sister Janet Gaskell., Liz Flint and Chas Pearse. Our many thanks to all who ran the event and those who took a lot of trouble making the entries. Pam Perry excelled with her exhibit ‘Coronation’ with her attractive display of red, white and blue flowers, carrying off the £30 token for David Austin Roses given generously by Mark Abbott in memory of his mother who enjoyed our club.
HILLTOP GARDENING CLUB HAPPENINGS IN AUGUST.
Our first meeting indoors since early June was a brilliant talk by a talented photographer, Adrian James, who tours the world taking garden and plant photographs. We had several visitors to share the enthralling tour of paradise gardens, centering on Persian gardens. (‘persian’ translates as ‘paradise’.) As major empire leaders fought for new territory travelling east to west and then back to the east, places of shade, water and calm were emblematic of the paradise garden. They were first established in Iran in the Middle East as early as 546 BC and the concept and design carried to Morocco, then Spain, and later India.
The key elements were channels of water- usually set out in the form of a cross. Footpaths would also act as an alternative. These were fed by qanats, essentially conduits, where high in the mountains shafts pierced the water table, and underground aqueducts carried water to the gardens from a great distance.
Fountains and waterfalls (chador or veil of water) abound to deflect and mirror the light, improve air quality and provide soothing sound. The typical oasis of trees grew up, providing shade, and seating was an important element, and still remains so today, where people could meet and talk. Green was the essential colour of the vegetation and flowers were not a part of the beauty. Wind towers provided a system of air cooling for courtyards below and within the palaces.
The palace of Pasargadae from 546 BC in Iran has its irrigation system still in place, now seemingly totally arid with no trees. It is set with high mountains behind it, within desert. The city of Persepolis in southern Iran, with a population taught by the prophet Zoroastria, also had practical irrigation channels or paths set in a cross formation, subdivided into further divisions of four. This ceremonial centre and palace were destroyed by Alexander The Great. Both pre-date Mohammad, who at age 40, began to have revelations from Allah that became the basis for the Koran and the foundation of Islam. The Koran speaks of paradise gardens with four rivers of water, milk, honey and wine, shutting out the harsh desert. The 16thc bagh-i shahzadeh in Isfahan, has ‘40’ columns on a pavilion, 20 of these were reflections in the long pool.
Muslims brought Islam to Morocco @710AD and onto Spain. Marrakesh has a large reservoir/wide rill, fed by a qanat, which provides an effective irrigation system to crops set below in the intersections of channels where citrus exude their perfume, adding to sensory delight.
With so many incredibly beautiful images it is impossible to share all the places to which we were carried, with Cordoba, the Alhambra , and onto Kashmir at the commencement of the Mughal dynasty in 1526. To complete the full picture of their global influence Adrian showed English gardens with Persian influence at their heart including our local Sezincote!
OPEN GARDEN.
Monica and Jim Ridge’s house: Despite Monica’s concern that her garden did not match up to those we had seen on Adrian’s images, there was a resounding show of members who came along to enjoy a chat and walk about their garden. Very English with lots of colour, enviable vegetables, tea and scrumptious cake!
Allotments, Soil and Care - Robert Bryant and Lesley Evans - 4th April.
A sunny evening brought out quite a number of members and visitors to the first event of the Spring season at Eastcombe Village Hall. ‘Allotments- soils and care’ was the title of our combined talk and discussion. We knew it would be interesting with Robert Bryant who is warden for Eastcombe allotments and Lesley Evans nee Greene, warden, and representing Bisley Chestergate allotments and the Bisley Community Composting Scheme which is adjacent to the plots.
Robert and Lesley both have a vast experience of gardening- Robert designing gardens with flowers at their heart, and Lesley for vegetable growing and ambassador for soil enrichment.
Eastcombe is an excellent example of an urban allotment with neatly kept plots- 56 in all, of which some are available at present. Bisley has a different ambience- wide open space, chilly in winter with large plots surrounded by edible wild hedgerows and a community orchard at one end. There are plots available here too for those from other areas with needs not met elsewhere. Both sites are excellent for fruit growing.
Robert kicked off the event with a series of his photographs covering the ‘journey’ he has made at Eastcombe since 2018, and opening the floor to a discussion on pests and how to care for the plots organically. Well supported by Lesley, she spoke out for no- dig gardening (Charles Dowding led the way), composting to aid fertility and avoidance of breaking up soils by rotovation which just breaks up couch grass and damages the texture. She added that amateur gardeners will not be able to buy or use peat based compost from next year.
Bringing a pond into your plot was also cited as great to encourage the presence of wildlife- it could be a small bowl or a larger pond with shallow ledges. Introducing toads will remove slugs without the need for any poisons! Devising a method to allow animals eg hedgehogs, to drink but able to climb out, is essential.
Wild flower meadows are on each site- Robert has transformed a dumping ground on one corner to a very flowery meadow indeed- buying wholesale has allowed for greater areas to be sown. Perhaps plot holders can join forces? Now is the time to go for it, but pernicious weeds do need to be cleared first and seed must touch the soil for germination.
Bisley alloment holders often have larger expanses of wild flora on their own plots, which encourage pollinators who in turn will aid fruiting. Swapping young plants and providing excess for the Stroud Food Bank are also intrinsic.
Hoo House Nursery - Julie Richie - 7th March
The Hilltop Gardening Club’s first evening meeting of 2023 in Eastcombe Village Hall, on March 7th, saw Margaret Wood, Membership Secretary & Treasurer, busy collecting fees and welcoming old and new members. Plant presentations and thanks were made to Ruth Fraser who is standing down as Vice Chair after many years of supporting the club and also to Janet Hendy who prints the adverts for our meetings.
Julie Richie, our speaker from Hoo House Nursery brought to the meeting thorough practical gardening experience, a practiced aesthetic eye and plants for sale. Taking us through ‘Colour Combinations’ Julie’s vibrant, wide-ranging slides banished for an hour or so the impending snow and cold of March in favour of riotous, colour-filled reminders of earlier years. While acknowledging colour choice is a question of taste, Julie’s selection of planting schemes highlighted how hard it is to pull off some combinations. Armed with helpful plant lists, members were able to follow Julie’s formidable knowledge and memory as we were drawn into careful looking. Playing to the strengths of Hoo House Nursery (unusual herbaceous perennials) we were presented with myriad possibilities through the gardener’s year approach. Exemplars gleaned from across the country demonstrated how attention to detail and a passion for plants resulted in unusual juxtapositions that ‘worked’. Form and colour combinations soon had members taking notes and looking forward to experimenting in the year ahead. Along the way Julie added advice on plant viability and shared the difficulties of changing weather patterns. Optimism and experimentation were the order of the day as Julie’s selections were drawn from enviable great gardens to colour combinations to try at home. An enjoyable, informative first night for the Hilltop Gardening Club year.
Hilltop Gardening Club - Annual General Meeting - 7th February 2023.
Our A.G.M. was held on 7 February. Jane Randall, our Chairperson revisited the year with what talks, visits, and events that we had enjoyed.
Special ones included our visit to Old Court Nursery and Picton Garden, with a guided walk around their Michelmas Daisy collection and their new ventures in the shade garden. After lunch we looked around the garden of Perrycroft,- the Voisey designed house of the Arts and Crafts Movement in the Malvern Hills, which stood proudly on a hill overlooking extensive tracts of land. We ate our picnic and enjoyed delicious tea from china teapots and cups and cake as a welcome in the coach house. Time then to wander through the meadows and potter around the greenhouse and vegetable garden in the sunshine.
Another special afternoon was held at The Walled Garden, where the Museum hosts set up tea and coffee whilst the club supplied the scones, jam and cream. It gave members a chance to get together after so many lonely covid times.
Our Finance Secretary, Margaret Wood, whose position is now joined with the Membership Secretary, gave a full account of our accounts. In order to make it fair for members who pay £15.00 annually to join, visitors will now pay £3.00 to join in a talk. Coach trips, which are paid separately above the membership, give first option to members.
One of the Programme Secretaries, Jenny Exley, gave an insight into the new programme for the coming year, which covers a range of talks on historic, and far flung gardens and parks abroad, and hands on gardening tips, a Spring plant and preloved tool sale at The Lamb, and coach trips.
The A.G.M. wound up with the changes to the Committee. Most remain in place but Ruth Fraser, who has been Chairperson and Vice Chairman over 20 years has stood down. Pam Meecham, a recent committee member will replace her. (Although how can you replace Ruth with her very knowledgeable guidance on how to run our club!) We all joined in clapping her as thanks. Jane expressed her thanks to several members for their help.
Jane invited more members to join the committee- so please do -we need you!
Gill Hazell gave a Powerpoint quiz on Fruit and Vegetables. Some quite challenging questions but members rose to it.
