Last night (Thursday March 10th) we had an absolutely excellent talk from Colin Hickman of the Hoyland Plant Centre near Barnsley. Colin talked us through how to grow, care for and propagate Agapanthus, Nerines, and Amerines complete with demonstrations – not only was it obvious he knew and was enthusiastic about his subject, but he was able to communicate that as well. Over sixty people came out to attend the talk and with the opportunity to buy plants and bulbs as well – not to mention meeting up with old friends for the first time in two years – we had a very enjoyable evening.

Our two display boards proved popular too with information about our forthcoming holiday to Yorkshire (still a few places remaining) and other events such as the Plant Sale in May as well as a board full of leaflets from local garden centres and nurseries as well as garden to visit – the Staffordshire Yellow Book was also available for collection.

Later in the month on Wednesday March 23rd at 7.30pm you can join a TSGCN talk via Zoom (or You Tube) given by Margaret Easter on Using Herbs over the Centuries. Margaret is author of The Thyme Handbook (2009), International Thymus Register and Checklist (2009) and The Big Book of Thyme (2010). She is also a lecturer, photographer & holds the national collections of Thymus, Hyssopus and Satureja.

There are two Plant Hunters Fairs within relatively easy reach of us this month –

Sunday March 20th at Ness Botanic Gardens, Wirral, Cheshire CH4 4AY from 10 – 4pm

Sunday March 27th at Arley Hall, Northwich, CW9 6NA 10 – 4pm.

Looking forward to the beginning of April they came much closer to home –

Saturday April 2nd at Sugnall Walled Garden, Eccleshall ST21 6NF 10 – 4pm.

Full details of these and forthcoming fairs on their website.

Flower Power Fairs will also be near us this month but also on Sunday March 27th at Holme Pierrreppont Hall, Nottingham, NG12 2LD 11 – 4pm. Details of this and all forthcoming fairs on the website.

Our next meeting at the Christ Church Centre will be a talk on Japanese Gardens given by Graham Hardman – further details on the Programme page. We hope to have the raffle table back by then and our plant sale table too.