For our April meeting we had the welcome return of Darren Rudge, who lived up to his well-deserved radio & TV reputation as the Laughing Gardener for Part 3 of ‘Tea bags, Bras and Tights’. He included some plant history with their various uses over the centuries such as shipbuilding with oaks, and medicinal like willow bark. There was amusing plant trivia too as well as all sorts of ideas to help us save money in the garden (and house) whilst being as environmentally friendly as possible.

These included tips like keeping the cooled water from our boiled potatoes or pasta, which is full of nutrients, to use as plant food, various uses for banana skins plus random storecupboard ingredients for pest control. After the talk he drew our raffle with several donated prizes then we all had the opportunity to pick up his fact sheets and chat over refreshments made by our first volunteers on the reinstated tea rota. There was also a plant swap table full of surplus goodies that several members had kindly brought in from their gardens for us to share, ranging from sedums through various herbs to geums, geranium magnificum, cephalaria and penstemons.

We had already issued online notifications to members for our AGM next month and paper copies of that email were given to those without internet access. Existing and potential new members are invited to bring their own drinks and nibbles to enjoy during a fun gardening quiz (with prizes) which will follow the official business, and there will be raffle tickets for sale (no charge for entry).