Derek Dexter, of Wokingham Fuchsia Club gave a talk on these varied and beautiful plants to Club members. Since 1999, when he started growing and showing fuchsias Derek has won many trophies pursuing his hobby, as he describes it. He demonstrated successful over-wintering of the plants, first cutting down one by half, then stripping off […]
Herbaceous Perennials was the subject of a talk given to Littleton and Harestock Gardening Club by Rosemary Hardy, horticulturalist, owner of Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants, and winner of many Chelsea Gold Awards over 25 years. In her book of that name Rosy tells the story of those years, showing how she and husband Rob, “and […]
“Native Orchids” was the subject of the talk given by Leif Bersweden Phd a botanist whose book “The Orchid Hunter” : a young botanist’s search for happiness” was inspired by his boundless, engaging enthusiasm for “our most charismatic plant.” Fascinated by plants, from childhood, he stayed in this country for his gap year, rather than […]
For his annual lecture Ray Broughton, our Club President, chose as his subject Pests and Diseases. Members had been asked to bring examples which Ray studied with a high powered microscope, identified, and advised treatment. Such was the strength and clarity of the special microscope that images, transferred simultaneously to a large screen, were presented […]
Geoff Hawkins, gardener, broadcaster and consultant spoke on “All Year Round Colour”. Numerous slides showed a vast variety of plants, shrubs and trees, throughout the seasons, many enhanced by colourful foliage, (some strikingly variegated) and others by bright, sometimes vivid stems. White and gold mark the Winter landscape with Galanthus Nivalis, best seen in massed […]
John Baker, keeper of the National Hosta Collection, spoke to The Littleton and Harestock Gardening Club about gardens in Japan. He and June have travelled extensively, as we were shown in numerous slides of these remarkable gardens, many with a religious and Nature theme, and historical connection, all with distinct styles. The three main styles […]
Asclepias, a genus of tuberous perennials or subshrubs was the subject of a talk given to Littleton and Harestock Gardening Club by Barry Clarke, a widely travelled and experienced plantsman and keeper of five National Collections. They grow naturally in South America, North America, Canada and in South Africa. Grown for their flowers, which are […]
Twenty years ago Fran joined a group of botanists from the Czech Republic studying plants in an area of lakes, mountains, glaciers, forests, valleys and wide open spaces, many of them wheat fields. We saw slides depicting dramatic landscapes, remote, vast, and far removed from habitation. It was Summer, with the daytime temperature reaching 30 […]
