Plant Showcase

Our March meeting brought us another welcome pandemic-postponed speaker, Byron Lewis of Lichfield Garden Centre at Curborough with a whole range of plants to show us from climbers such as Trachelospermum jasminoides variegatum, shrubs like Loropetalum ‘Fire Dance’, dwarf non-spiky Mahonia ‘Soft Caress’, lime-tolerant Easydendrons and scented Sarcococcas, perennials, spring bedding, summer bulbs and wildflower seed bombs!

His informative talk in his charismatic Welsh accent covered the cultivation of the plants as well as how the pandemic had affected the garden centre and what it now offers in addition to the sales area. All the choice specimens which you can see in the photos were available to purchase after he’d drawn the raffle, with members and visitors giving new homes to many of them.

We were very lucky to secure this presentation as the centre is now so busy (and fortunately handy to visit) that Byron is winding down his talks, just honouring those already booked. Members were also able to help themselves to a selection of gardening books kindly donated to the club by Joan and Bob, together with magazines brought in by other members to share. From next month we hope that we will be able to offer everybody refreshments again after the talks too.

Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’
Cornus before its annual pruning!