Stone Chrysanthemum and Dahlia Society

Our April meeting is on the third Thursday this month – April 16th. As usual the meeting will start at 7.30pm with an opportunity for tea/coffee, chat, and to purchase plants from our Sales Table and/or a ‘lucky ticket’.

Our speaker is Harriet Rycroft who, having worked for many years at Whichford Pottery in Warwickshire, where she became renowned for producing season after season of the most spectacular planting and colour combinations. will guide us through some ideas, hints and tips for growing our own fabulous displays in pots in her talk Potty Time – a Year in Pots.

Needless to say the photo is not of one of Harriet’s displays, but you can find many of her photos on Instagram – @harrietrycroft

April is the month when the gardens really start going (and growing) and so there is always plenty to do both at home and elsewhere.

Still in March – Plant Hunters Fairs will be at Sugnall Walled Garden on Sunday March 29th. Then moving swiftly into April you can find them at Whittington Castle near Oswestry on Friday April 3rd and, a little closer to home, at the Dorothy Clive Gardens over Easter weekend – Sun April 5th – Mon April 6th.

Trentham Gardens Spring Bulb Festival runs from March 15^th – May 17^th and April is when the main bulb displays truly shine, with the Italian Gardens coming alive with fragrant tulips lining the banks of the Italian Gardens (the long borders) – where 20,000 tulips were planted last autumn – bursting into vibrant bloom.”

The Tulip Festival at Lower Drayton farm mear Penkridge opens on Friday April 3rd. Garden Club members can get 10% discount with a members code which will be available at our meeting on April 16^th.

Keele University Arboretum holds the National Cherry Tree Collection. April is peak time to see many of the cherry trees in bloom. Details of what to see when, how to get there and where to park can be found on their website.

This tree was looking magnificent in Cambridge Botanic Gardens in mid-March – I was lucky to spot a second’s gap in the crowd trying to get selfies in front of it.

Heading back home again, the Dorothy Clive Gardens hold a number of events and walks in the Gardens throughout the year, One in April may be of interest to many of us faced with ‘flopping’ plants – a Plant Support Workshop is being held on April 11^th from 10.30am – 1pm. A practical hands-on session making and using different methods to support plants as they grow, Cost £60 (members) £74 (non-members) to include tea, coffee and lunch.

Looking further ahead – this year’s Bluebell Walk at Sandon will be held on Sunday May3rd. Meet at the church car park at 1.50pm for a 2.00pm start. It costs £5, to include tea and cake, and the walk is about 2miles. No need to book, just turn up on the day wearing sensible shoes and clothes suitable for the weather (wind/rain always a possibility!).

There is only one garden open for the NGS in April that is (fairly close) to us – Cherry Tree Arboretum, Cherry Tree Lane, Woore. CW3 9SR. Admission is £10 and they are open from 10.30 – 4.00. Full details on the NGS website or app.

You could combine it with a visit to the Garden Centre up the road . . . .

The snowdrops are almost gone, crocuses and daffodils are here and the tulips are starting to show – Spring is on its way. Right on cue Paul Green is our March speaker on Thursday 12th with his talk Plants of the Season. Paul (of Green’s Leaves) will take us on a journey through the seasons, looking at appropriate plants and their preferred conditions.
He specialises in rare and unusual plants from around the world and always tests new varieties for their hardiness in the UK’s demanding climate. He will bring plants and give a practical demonstration so that we can see plants that he recommends for the season.

As usual this talk will be at the Christ Church Centre in Stone and will start at 7.30pm.

We have our coach trip to Arley Hall Gardens on Sunday March 22nd – this will include the Plant Hunters Fair. There are still seats left so contact Helen if you want to go.

There are a couple of other Plant Hunters Fairs (fairly) locally later in March – Saturday 28th at Bodenham Arboretum near Kidderminster and on Sunday 29th at Sugnall Walled Garden near Eccleshall.

The Trentham Gardens Spring Bulb Festival starts on March 15th and runs until May 17th.

“March will be dominated by large daffodil displays, along with the start of the pot displays featuring irises and narcissus, ready for the bees to enjoy. April is when the main bulb displays truly shine, with the Italian Gardens coming alive with fragrant tulips lining the banks of the Italian Gardens, the long borders – where 20,000 tulips were planted last autumn – burst into vibrant bloom.”

Finally – following our AGM you may be aware that the Committee needs some volunteers to help with various tasks especially taking (and typing) minutes as we have no secretary. If you feel you can help in any way, even if only one morning/afternoon/evening a month, please get in touch with one of the committee at one of our meetings.

Our February meeting is our AGM. This is an afternoon meeting and starts at 2pm; tea/coffee available from 1.30. Please remember daytime car park charges will apply. There is no plant sales table this month. Visitors and guests are welcome to attend.

Our speaker after the AGM is Robin Pearce with a talk Ornamental Grasses and Ferns. Robin is a retired nurseryman who used to run Worlds End Nurseries at Hallow, near Worcester. He continues to grow a very wide range of hardy plants, with a special interest in dahlia, hosta, hemerocallis, pulmonaria, galanthus, woodland plants, ornamental grasses and hardy ferns. Robin is the former chair of the RHS Herbaceous Plant Committee. He hopes to bring some plants with him.

Membership forms should have arrived in your inbox – if you return them (with fee!) by the February meeting you will be able to collect your Membership Card when you sign in.

February is Snowdrop month. There are several gardens locally where you may find snowdrops including Trentham Gardens and the Dorothy Clive Gardens. Slightly further afield Attingham Park, Shrewsbury, has Snowdrop Watch from 5 Jan -28 Feb “Take a peaceful walk through the woodland and enjoy the simple beauty of snowdrops blooming across the woodland floor.” Have a look on the Great British Gardens website for details of snowdrop displays and walks in other parts of the country.

The Alpine Garden Society have organised a day of snowdrop walks and talks at Lilleshall on Saturday Sat Feb 7^th, 9.30 – 4pm, Lilleshall National Sports and Conferencing Centre nr Newport TF10 9AT. Not Just Snowdrops Day with lectures, plant and book sales. Advance tickets – £48 to include tea/coffee, two-course lunch and goodie bag containing two books worth £40.  Full details and how to book on their website.

Meanwhile Trentham Gardens have a series of Winter Tree Walks during February, walking through the lower slopes of Kingswood SSSI learning to identify trees in winter. You need to book in advance and details are on the website. Still at Trentham and looking forward to March, their Spring Bulb Festival starts on March 15th.

Don’t forget we have a coach trip in March to Arley Hall Gardens which coincides with a Plant Hunters Fair. You should have received an email with a booking form to be returned a.s.a.p. to ensure a seat.

We start 2026 with a Zoom talk in conjunction with TSGCN. Simon Gulliver’s talk is Australian and New Zealand Plants -visitors from strange lands. Simon has a particular interest in garden history, plant hunters, trees and the flora of New Zealand and Australia. This talk looks at Australian & New Zealand Plants – where they come from in the wild, how they are adapted to the unique climates of their homes and how we can grow them successfully in English conditions

Note that the date of this talk has been changed and is now on TUESDAY January 6th at 7.30pm. To log in please go to the TSGCN website and follow the links, or log in directly via Zoom.

The Dorothy Clive Garden is open over the winter, check their website for details. Trentham Gardens is also open but RHS members should note that free entry during the winter will no longer apply from January 1st.

Do keep an eye on the TSGCN website as they have a number of interesting sounding talks coming up in the next few weeks. Garden Club members can log into the Members page to view previous talks. If you can’t remember the password then get in touch with Helen who should be able to help.

It just remains for Helen and the Committee to wish you all a Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

We look forward to meeting you all again in person in February for our AGM.

Our December meeting is on Thursday December 11th at 2pm. This is a ticketed event – if you didn’t collect a ticket at November’s meeting please contact Helen in plenty of time if you wish to come to December’s meeting. (We need to know how many mince pies to order!)

Our speaker is wildlife photographer Kevin Reynolds. His talk – Have yourself a Wild Christmas – will ponder on the part plants, animals, and the environment play in our Christmas festivities. If you ever wondered why holly and ivy, why robins, and indeed why Rudolph has a red nose then join us for a light-hearted chat and a mince pie.

Gardener’s World on BBC on Dec 5th has a feature on John’s Garden ‘ Ashwood Nursery.

The Dorothy Clive Gardens remain open during the winter – 1st November 2025 – 28th February 2026 Open – Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday  10.00am to 4.00pm (gates close at 4.00pm) Tearoom: 10am to 3.30pm. Gift Room: 11am to 3.30pm as does Trentham Gardens. If you are an RHS member there is free entry to both these gardens at certain times – check your Handbook for details.

Our November meeting at the Christ Church Centre features a talk Totally Tulips by Pip Smith – an inspiring lecture on creating colourful spring displays in your own garden.

Pip Smith, formerly Head Gardener at several private and public gardens (most recently at Wollerton Old Hall), is now a garden designer using his previous knowledge and experience to create imaginative, sympathetic and long-lasting designs for private clients.

Our meeting starts at 7.30pm with coffee/tea/biscuit from 6.45pm.

We have had a request from Stone in Bloom who are in search of volunteers – “thoughts and ideas are as welcome as labour” – if you feel you could help in any way they have a meeting on Monday Nov 17th.

Our Gardenalia last month was a success – many thanks to all who cleared out their sheds and brought ‘stuff’ for the rest of us to buy. Some unsold items will make a return to the Sales table this month while anything else left behind was donated to charity shops or to Oak Tree Farm. We have a plant sales table most months so if any members have been splitting their perennials this is the place to sell any surplus and raise a little money.

Don’t forget the Dorothy Clive Garden opening hours change again this month –

1st November 2025 – 28th February 2026 Open – Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday  10.00am to 4.00pm (gates close at 4.00pm) Tearoom: 10am to 3.30pm Gift Room: 11am to 3.30pm

If you are up to travelling a little further afield this month there are several gardening events and open gardens to visit:-

Sunday November 9th the Late Chrysanthemum Show comes to RHS Bridgewater or visit Gresgarth Hall, Caton, Lancs., LA2 9NB – autumn colour in the gardens of Arabella Lennox-Boyd.

Saturday – Sunday November 15-16 Ralph Court Garden, Edwyn Ralph, Bromyard, HR7 4LU is open under the NGS – plants for sale plus refreshments; admission £15.

Sunday November 30th – Gordale Garden Centre, Burton, South Wirral has a monthly exhibition of bonsai with experts on hand to offer advice.

Our October meeting is on Thursday October 9th with a pre-recorded, illustrated talk on Hydrangeas from Sally Gregson. She ran Mill Cottage Plants nursery for over thirty years specialising in Hydrangea and selling the more unusual, and interesting, species and cultivars of hydrangea and their shade-loving companions. Download a list of plants mentioned in the talk here.

The talk will be preceded by our Gardenalia – a sale of our members’ surplus garden tools, plants, and books. Members will receive an email with further details nearer the time.

RHS Bridgewater has some events coming up in the next few weeks, the first being a “gardening advice talk” on September 24th – Fascinating Fronds, Hardy Ferns.

They have a Plant Fair on October 4-5th and (one for your diaries) November 9th they host the North-West Counties Late-flowering Chrysanthemum Show.

The Dorothy Clive Garden have jsut announced their Autumn opening times: –

1st October 2025 – 31st October 2025 Open every day 10.00am to 4.00pm (gates close at 4.00pm) Tearoom: 10am to 3.30p Gift Room: 11am to 3.30pm

1st November 2025 – 28thFebruary 2026 Open – Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday  10.00am to 4.00pm (gates close at 4.00pm) Tearoom: 10am to 3.30pm Gift Room: 11am to 3.30pm

Our next meeting is on Thursday September 11th at 7.30pm. We meet, as usual, at the Christ Church Centre on Christ Church Way, Stone. Jane Allison from Mayfield Plants will be looking at our garden plants from a very different perspective with her talk – It’s a Family Affair – looking at the sometimes surprising family connections between seemingly very different plants. A gold star if you know (without looking!) which family this plant belongs to and what others are related.

You are welcome to arrive from 6.45 to have a cup of tea/coffee, a biscuit and a chance to chat before the meeting – or to buy plants from our sales table.

Our Autumn coach trip is on September 25th and takes us to The National Memorial Arboretum. There are still a few places left so contact Erica or Helen to reserve a place. We will be able to use the Landtrain to travel around the site.

We will continue to collect toiletries for donation to The Hub at our Autumn meetings so try to bring something along with you.

Don’t forget the Plant Hunter’s Fair at Weston Park near Shifnal on Sunday September 7th (you need to buy an advance ticket) and another the following weekend (Sunday September 14th) at Arley Hall near Northwich.

No meeting in August so we are off on our holidays – whether far away or just in our own gardens. If you are staying local then there are a few events and gardens opening that you may not want to miss –

2 – 3 August RHS Bridgewater Summer Bulb Weekend Come along to a fabulous floral weekend. Enjoy vibrant displays, helpful expert advice and specialist nursery stalls from Blue Bell Cottage and Pheasant Acre. RHS Members go free. You don’t have to book for the event, but – this event takes place in the garden. To enter the garden, please pre-book a time slot ahead of your visit.

August 24-25 (Bank Holiday) Plant Hunters Fair. Dorothy Clive Garden. 10am-5pm. admission £5. Lots of other Plant Hunters Fairs in the Midlands this month – see their website for all the details.

There are only a few gardens open under the NGS this month including Yew Trees near Eccleshall, Moat Hall near Shrewsbury, Buntingsdale Park Gardens (group of gardens) near Market Drayton and Goldstone Hall Gardens which are also open on Sept 10^th. Look on the NGS website for all details and for gardens open in other areas – or use the NGS app on your phone.

If you are travelling further afield in the UK and in need of ideas have a look on our Links page to be guided to places to visit. You will also find ideas on our Photos page from previous holidays – please remember to send your garden holiday photos to us to inspire others.

Our next meeting will be on September 11th – more details on our Programme page or come back here later in August.

Our next meeting is on Thursday July 10th at 7.30pm. Our speaker will be Maureen Sawyer and her talk Flower Power considers treasures and other valuables, for long-lasting colour in the garden throughout the year. We meet, as usual, at the Christ Church Centre in Stone.

Before we get to July there are some gardens open locally during June. This weekend – June 21-22nd is Eccleshall Open Gardens which is always worth a visit. Meanwhile for the NGS on Friday (20th) 23 St John’s Road in Stafford is open and The Secret Garden in Little Haywood will open on Friday 27th.

There are two local(ish) Plant Hunters Fairs in June (details on website) – June 22 at Middleton Hall, Tamworth and June 29 at Whittington Castle, Oswestry.

We start July with a very local event. You may remember Ruth Plant came this time last year to give a talk on Dieramas. The National Collection in her garden will be open on July 3^rd, 10 and 17^th at Yew Tree Cottage, Haughton, Stafford ST18 9JR, from 11am – 4pm. Admission is £5.

There are many other gardens open in July for the NGS in Staffordshire as well as the surrounding counties – do have a look on the NGS website for these and gardens open where and when you are on holiday. Yew Trees in Eccleshall opens on weekend July 12/13; and Springfield in Bishops Wood near Stafford opens on the 19^th. then Cheadle Allotments are open on 13^th and The Bungalow, Woodfarm in Tean opens on 20^th. In Shropshire there are many gardens open this month including Hodnet Hall on 6^th and Goldstone Hall on the 9^th.

Also coming up and maybe worth travelling for are the RHS Show at Wentworth Woodhouse, Rotherham on July 16th and, following our talk from Sarah Haisley last November, you may like to visit the Sweet Pea Society Show, at Wem Town Hall 28-32 High Street SY4 5DG on July 19 – 20 10am – 3pm.

There are no local Plant Hunter Fairs this month but on July 27 there is the Flower Power Fair at Sandon Hall – details on website