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to WHAT WE DO Gardening Group 2016
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The High Lane gardening group is a small group which meets in each others' houses and gardens, and visits nearby public gardens using shared cars. Meetings are held monthly, on the third Wednesday in each month, and occasionally the first Wednesday. Nearer the dates, confirmation details of meeting times/place will be sent to group members by email and letter.
ENQUIRIES FOR MEMBERSHIP TO WALTER MASON.
MEETINGS FOR GROUP MEMBERS –
Click on a link below for report on visit
2016 GARDENING PROGRAMME
Jan 20th-Meal
March 16th-Beryl's
April 20th-Dunham Massey
May 4th-Monica's
May 18th-Ness Gardens
June 15th-Arley Hall
July 6th-Lynda's
July 20th-Blueball Cottage
August 17th Biddulph Grange
September 7th-Irene's
September 21st-Quarry Bank
October 19th- Walter's
January 20th
14 members of the group enjoyed a relaxing winter meal at Platform One, organised by Carol.
March 16th
Gardening restarted in March with a pleasant morning at Beryl’s house for seven of the group, who liked the warm lower garden with its sprinkling of daffodills, hellebores, and crocus. Some shrubs had become slightly large and were now difficult for Beryl to prune – a common problem as we all get older!
April 20th
For our April meeting, nine visited Dunham Massey on a gorgeous day, and saw the early colourful signs of Spring. The gardens did not disappoint, and as well as masses of daffodils, erythroniums and anemones particularly caught the eye. The early blossoming trees and fresh green leaves sparkled in the sunshine, and the new rose garden was becoming a sun trap – even before the roses were out! It is a boon that Dunham is so flat and easy to get around, with judiciously placed benches, and now a choice of two eating places! Definitely a worthwhile trip.
June 15th
Six of us spent a day at Arley, full of interest with so much to see and the famous double herbaceous borders already nearing their best. We needed a lunch break to refresh us before we finished our tour. Definitely a worthwhile trip.
July 20th
The six who went to Bluebell Cottage Gardens were bowled over by the improvements Sue Beesley had made, especially the massed perennials in the former top lawn. It made for a very pleasant visit, even if we didn’t see Sue herself (at Tatton Show where she got a Silver Gilt to add to her medal collection). We all enjoyed the day.
Biddulph Grange
This visit was in ideal weather, with the Dahlia Walk already showing plenty of colour. Sadly, grandchildren duties and a recently arranged travel visit, depleted our numbers; a shame since there was so much variety to see and a big contrast with other gardens. On the other hand, the plethora of steps might have worried some of our group.
7 September
We had a very good attendance at Irene’s house, and after admiring her attractive and well-manicured flower beds, we were entertained by an interesting talk by Deirdre Nichols on the creation of a Staffordshire garden opened under the Yellow Garden Scheme. Deirdre showed lots of pictures to illustrate the progress and development of the garden near Wetley Rocks. She was thanked and presented with a pot plant for her fine presentation.
21 September
Several of us visited Quarry Bank and were impressed by the continuing improvements to the path layout by the National Trust gardeners and volunteers, and particularly to the upper garden. A long colourful flower bed of annuals surprised us by its height and variety, and a new upper entrance and refreshment building meant we could have our cup of tea at the top and meander down to lunch at the bottom!
19 October
Nine met at Walter’s and spent some time viewing the large collection of Michaelmas daisies mainly in varied blues, together with the yellows of late rudbeckia and helianthus, and a surprising number of other late flowers. Earlier, next year’s programme had been discussed and both that and the annual lunch venue agreed.
Group Leader, Walter Mason