We were given a glimpse of the humorous side of gardening at our February meeting. Our speaker, Patricia Elkington, is a County Organiser for The National Gardens Scheme in Hampshire and has the privilege of visiting gardens before they are accepted into that popular “yellow book”. Patricia encouraged the gardeners amongst us to be imaginative when using statuary in our gardens as they could offer a focus for a border without a natural eye line, or a host to climbing plants or just raise a smile or two. Slides of what had appealed to her sense of humour were used to illustrate these suggestions.
Of course there is a serious side to opening one’s garden through the National Gardens Scheme, approximately £2.5 million each year is generated for nursing, caring and gardening charities.
Also on display at this meeting were the results of those knitting sessions, as jumpers of all sizes and colours were exhibited before being posted to Zimbabwe. As to the welcome they will receive, there is an update on the Hampshire Federation website which reveals that there is a great deal of excitement when these parcels are received and the contents distributed to the children who need them.
The Ladies who Lunch at the end of each month, revealed they were off to the pub again, this time to The Coronation Arms in St Mary Bourne and diaries continue to be filled as plans were outlined for a possible summer visit to Tyntesfield House near Bristol.
Gwen Appleton’s experiences of the travel industry will be revealed at our next meeting on the 31 March – “I don’t wish to complain dear, but ……..”
Diary Dates:
2011
07 March – Danebury Group Spring Meeting
09 March – Coffee Morning
12 March – Walking Group
22 March – HCFWI Spring Council Meeting – Portsmouth (ticket event)
31 March – Meeting 7.30 p.m. in the Village Hall – Gwen Appleton : I don’t wish to complain dear, but !
05 April – Reading Group
09 April – Walking Group
28 April – Members’ Meeting (details are unknown to the committee, so contents cannot be revealed).
Sharon King
