Newsletter 28th February 2022

Hello. Welcome to tonight’s meeting. Once again we have a very informative speaker to explain all the mysteries of when and how to look after the amazing Clematis. And let’s face it, its perfect timing. We have a few weeks to go before we are in Spring but I ‘m sure a few of you were Brownies or Cubs and our motto was ‘Be prepared. ’ So let me introduce our speaker Ken Black. Ken is a writer and gives talks to societies and gardening clubs about growing Clematis. He is the Membership Secretary of The British Clematis Society. In 2017 he designed and managed the RHS stand at Tatton Park for Clematis, the stand won a bronze metal. In 2019 his design was awarded a silver medal and he was asked to give daily talks on planting and growing clematis. Kens’ own garden is called Adswood and this is open to the public under the NGS on Saturday and Sunday 2nd and 3rd April from 10am to 4pm, pre-booking a time slot is essential. If you can’t make that, it is also open 23rd and 24th April from 10am to 4pm. Admission is £5. Or go to; ngs.org.uk. There 150 varieties of clematis, with several seating areas in his garden, so you can sit and browse his early spring flowered clematis, as was featured on Gardener’s World. Ken will be giving out a printed synopsis of his talk. No pens needed. Jumping ahead to March, with spring about to wake up her sleepy head, Sue Clarke who is a member of the Cottage Garden Society Group, will be visiting us, the group has been awarded a National Collection status from the Plant Heritage for Geranium ‘ renardii’ and Geranium ‘sylvaticum’, two varieties of hardy geraniums which she grows in her garden in Wrenbury near Nantwich. In 2010 Sue was involved in the display garden for the NEC BBC Gardener’s World Show for the Cottage Garden Society and was asked to join the National Committee. She has been part of the group working on the RHS Tatton Show for the last 2 years. Sue’s first plant was a hardy geranium, now 30 years later she really knows which ones grow well in which situation. She will be bringing plants to sell.

Now for the exciting news! Our day trip to RHS Bridgewater at Worsley has been provisionally arranged for Monday 23rd May. We will leave by coach at 9.30am from outside the Community Centre. The journey should take just over an hour. We will leave Bridgewater at 2.30pm, arriving back at the Community Centre at about 3.45pm. The cost per person for the coach (both members and visitors) is £14. Entry into the gardens is free as the Club is an affiliated member of the RHS. It is advisable to take your own lunch and drinks as there tends to be long queues for refreshments. Mobility scooters and wheelchairs are available but must be booked in advance. A deposit of £5 is payable on arrival. More details and a booking form will be set before the meeting in March.

Don’t forget Gleaves Garden Centre, for all your gardening needs, they kindly give us a 10% discount. Jenny Penny Florist no longer gives discount, this was only arranged for a limited time.
We hope you enjoy the meeting and look forward to seeing you again next month.

Maureen Coxon Newsletter & Publicity.