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 15th – May 17th 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 16th.
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 11th 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 . . . .
Stone Chrysanthemum and Dahlia Society 