Newsletter 22nd February 2016

Good evening to you.  We hope you will enjoy the meeting tonight. Sue Jeffries is with us tonight, Sue began her gardening career as a child helping her Gran in her kitchen garden and what started as a hobby ended up as a career. Sue trained at Reaseheath College and Myerscough College, and is now a fully qualified teacher holding workshops, training sessions, courses and talks. So… …if anyone is qualified enough to tell us how to ‘ Grow Your Own Fruit and Veg’ Sue’s the one.

For our annual competition, which takes place at the AGM in June, we have decided to grow Herbs. Tonight you will be given seeds of, Parsley Chives Basil and Coriander, the sort of herbs you can use in the kitchen practically any day of the week to make your dishes more delicious. The way you grow them is entirely your choice, four individual pots, all in one pot, you choose, but do keep in mind there could be a fair bit of weight when it comes to carrying them to the competition.  Good Luck to you.

Norton Priory are now preparing an interesting programme, they are having a Fruit Tree Grafting workshop on Sunday 28th Feb. from 10am – 4pm £25.  Garden Plant Structures, Sunday 26th March, 10am – 3pm and for those who are interested, a Willow workshop is being planned for the near future, date to be arranged.

We discovered a problem with our programme for March.  Our meeting was planned for 28th March, which turns out to be Easter Monday, a Bank Holiday, so we have managed to rearrange a room in the community centre and contacted our speaker and the new date is now 21stMarch. Please alter your programme or diary. We would hate you to miss the meeting. Note, we will not be in the usual room, our meeting with Mucklestone Nurseries will be in the Lounge, which is the first room on your left as you enter the Community Centre.

If you are interested in having a day trip out why not try the Halton Horticultural Society who organise day trips by coach, Call 01928 568097.

We have already mentioned Mucklestone Nurseries are coming to us in March, they are based in Staffordshire and we are planning a visit to them hopefully in July, we will see round the nursery which forms part of Church Farm and has extensive native woodlands, ponds and natural unimproved meadows – Sounds lovely! The date has still to be finalised, but we will of course advise you as soon as possible.

And Finally – It’s snowdrop time again, what more lovely vision is there to remind us that Spring (we hope!) is just round the corner.  There are so many places to spend an enjoyable walk amongst the snowdrops, Rode Hall & Gardens until 6th March. Dunham Massey has stunning snowdrop displays in their Winter Garden. If you have snowdrops in your garden and find it difficult to bend and see them, try place a mirror on the ground directly beneath the flower for a stunning view.  Have a good evening.

Maureen Coxon