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Monthly Archives: July 2025

July meeting

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A day after the coach trip we had our regular monthly meeting, welcoming Nigel Hopes from John’s Garden at Ashwood Nurseries, which we last visited in spring two years ago, with an inspiring presentation on all its beautiful seasons. He explained the behind-the-scenes work, how the garden continues to evolve, and how we can achieve some similar effects in our own smaller plots, with plant recommendations. After his talk he drew the raffle and judged our monthly competition, then we were able to purchase his home-grown Hopes Garden Plants.

July’s colourful competition entries

Anita took first place this month with her dahlia, then Rosalie’s helenium was 2nd, and Sue’s carnation 3rd. Please scroll to the bottom of the post to see them all. Over refreshments, members and guests browsed our bit and bobs table, and collected schedules for our annual show on 30th August. All topped off with a beautiful nearly-full moon as we left the hall!

Anita’s striking dahlia
Rosalie’s helenium
Sue’s carnation

Summer Coach Trip

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A colourful welcome at the entrance….
The cool end of the ‘modern’ border

A week after our Open Gardens weekend, we had a full coach of members and guests for a wonderful trip to Waterperry Gardens near Oxford. The weather was just right, not too hot with a lovely breeze. As well as the 8 acres of landscaped gardens with so many different areas, we enjoyed the plant centre, gift barn, art gallery, rural life museum and Saxon church. Not forgetting the teashop and strolls by the river!

One of our members said it was the best garden that she had ever visited. There was lots of inspiration, whatever our individual tastes. Please do look at our Gallery for more photos of the trip.

Juicy rose hips!

Open Gardens Weekend

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One of the twelve beautiful gardens

We were delighted to welcome 268 visitors to our Open Gardens weekend, raising £1340 in programme  sales, which will be shared between the Village Hall and the Gardening Club as usual, a real success in stiflingly hot weather. Everybody enjoyed the range of styles and sizes in the 12 gardens as well as some excellent views, with one commenting: “every garden had some take-home inspiration for our own plot”. Our oldest visitor was a sprightly 102, and some had travelled quite a distance. 

There was a wonderful atmosphere, with refreshments at several gardens and the village hall where there was also a popular plant stall. Craft stalls in some of the gardens and the wider village were busy too, with some making kind additional donations to the club and hall.

Thank you to everybody involved in achieving this result: the garden owners without whose generosity this event couldn’t happen, the village hall volunteers, all who donated plants and cakes, behind-the-scenes helpers, and all who supported the event by buying programmes. Please do look at our Gallery page where are there are wonderful photos of all the gardens taken by visitor Rob Clayton, a keen amateur photographer, who has kindly shared them with us.

Some of the village hall plant stall.