Mid - Month News
Thursday, May 17, 2012
After just 2 weeks of concerted efforts by Dunraven of Bridgend,
our conservatory has been erected. We are very pleased how well it
looks against the house something we were so concerned about given
the age of the Lodge. Hopefully with underfloor heating and 2 sets
of trifold doors we will be able to use it year round
Front view of the conservatory
Moira was the first one to have a celebratory
drink!! (New furniture expected soon)
View from the House Garden with underfloor heating
pipes just laid
Somehow in a busy schedule we found time last week to go to
Malvern Spring Garden Show. The showground was as wet as we have
ever seen it with precious little grass left in the car parks and
areas around the trade stands. In spite of all this a good day as
always especially in the Floral Marquee. We also saw Gardeners
World being filmed - at least 7 crew etc for each take!
This marvellous stand of blue meconopsis on the
stand of Reginald Kaye
Some of the best stands in the entire show are always
those of the many Plant Societies in the UK and this one is of The
British Streptocarpus Society featuring some of the species (wild)
forms from which many of our modern large flowered hybrids have
been developed. The members who staff these stands are so
knowledgable and informative it is possible to spend a long time in
this part of the Show.
This jolly lady on the Bowden Ferns stand is
anticipating an imminent visit from Monty Don who is "hiding"
behind the very large fern to the top left hand side of the pic (he
moved just as I clicked the shutter!) There was a very good range
of ferns on this stand with many unusual or rarely encountered
forms. Needless to say I spent more money there!
Trade stands near the "sheds" at the top end of the
showground. I like the juxtaposition of the hot tubs with the cold
grey sky and the muddy ground with not a blade of grass to be seen
on the first day of the show.
That's it for now - a full May update will appear later this
month but in the meantime lets hope the weather picks up and if you
are at the Spring Festival at the Royal Welsh Showground on Sunday
20 May please come along to my talk at 1.00pm in the Floral
Hall.