FUTURE EVENTS
PAST EVENTS
Holiday - 28th - 30th June 2024
Burrow Farm Gardens is delightful with borrowed landscape of distant hills. There are a number of distinct areas to the garden including roses, grasses, perennial borders and many mature trees. There’s a lovely walk to a lake and a meadow just to mention a few features. The whole garden feels relaxed and calm, it was full of colour but not over-manicured and had lovely planting and colour schemes. Add in a cafe, small shop, plant sales and ornamental garden features to buy in stone and ironwork and you had some happy gardeners. If you are heading that way or down to Devon or Cornwall, I can’t recommend it more highly for a break in the journey. It’s not far from Axminster.
Our whole day visit to Rosemoor the following day was excellent. It only took half an hour to get there from our hotel so we were there soon after 10.00. The roses were spectacular! They were obviously a little later blooming than up our way and they were mostly at their peak. The scent and colour was sublime. Added to which the weather was warm and dry, perfect for exploring the full extent of the garden. Hestercombe is an historic house and garden which encompasses 50 acres. It had a kind of faded elegance with some formal gardens on a terrace overlooking more formal beds. A trust was established in 1996 to oversee the gardens and try to preserve them using the old garden plans of Edward Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll who were involved in the original layout. Sadly, they don’t seem to have enough volunteers so progress is slow. I think those people who were able to explore the grounds and see the lake had the best of the visit. There were areas where the terrain was rough and there were a lot of steps to negotiate. It’s a very interesting place but you really need to spend a whole day there. As ever it was hugely enjoyable with good company, 3 very different gardens and chances to spend money…. and not just on plants! I’d say it was a great success. |
Plant Fair - Saturday 18th May 2024
Out evening to Folium and Flos, 19th July 2023
Holiday - 2nd-6th July 2023
We had a interesting 5 days and 4 nights, staying at Shrigley Hall on the edge of the Peak District. As well as RHS Bridgewater, we visited Stone House Cottage Garden and Nursery, the Sculpture Garden in Eyam, Bakewell, Gawsworth Hall, Biddulph Grange Garden and the National Memorial Arboretum. More photos in the gallery. |
Annual Plant Fair - Saturday 20th May 2023
Outing to The Down House, Itchen Abbas - 28th February 2023
We had a lovely trip to see snowdrops and the winter garden. We were welcomed by Mark and Jackie Porter who served us some delicious tea and cake followed by a very informative guided tour of the garden, ably assisted by a very friendly cat. You can see more photos in the gallery.
25th Anniversary Tea Party - 17th August 2022
We had a delicious afternoon tea provided by Oakhaven Hospice to celebrate our 25th Anniversary. Over 60 people attended and Sue provided a display of photos of past holidays etc.
Many people also brought flowers from their garden to decorate the stage - an impressive display especially given the drought conditions we have been experiencing. Founder members and past Chairs, Jenny Spenser and Jan England, along with the current Chair, Sue Crabb, cut the delicious celebration cake made by one of our committee members. |
Holiday - 6th-10th June 2022
After a problematic start when our coach broke down just past Lymington, we had a very enjoyable holiday with visits to Cambridge Botanic Garden, Peter Beales Roses and Beth Chatto's garden among others. You can see more photos in the gallery.
|
20th Annual Plant Fair - Saturday 21st May 2022
After a break of two years, this was our most successful ever Plant Fair, raising over £2000 for our charities.
Trip to Wisley Flower Show - Wednesday 8th September 2021
Coach trip to Wisley
Summer picnic - Wednesday 18th August 2021
Out Evening - Heucheraholics - members only Wednesday 21st July 2021 6.30pm
At our first real meeting since early 2020, Jooles and Sean Burton made us feel very welcome at their nursery in Boldre. About 50 members turned up and the weather was perfect. We had a short introduction from Jooles, followed by a wander round the greenhouses, drinks and nibbles.
Plant Sale - Members' only Saturday 26th June 2021 2-4.30pm
Plant sale, tea and cakes and a bit of a social. Ivy Bank, Vinegar Hill
We had a very successful afternoon - the weather was kind to us, we raised £400 for our charities - Forca and the Lymington Hospital Scanner Appeal - and members enjoyed refreshments and homemade cake on the lawn.
Many thanks to David and Christina for letting us hold the event in their lovely garden and to members who donated all the plants for sale, bought them and made cakes.
We had a very successful afternoon - the weather was kind to us, we raised £400 for our charities - Forca and the Lymington Hospital Scanner Appeal - and members enjoyed refreshments and homemade cake on the lawn.
Many thanks to David and Christina for letting us hold the event in their lovely garden and to members who donated all the plants for sale, bought them and made cakes.
2020 Holiday - CANCELLED
Sadly, the 2020 holiday to Ireland had to be cancelled due to the pandemic and the continued restrictions and uncertainty mean that there will not be a 2021 holiday either. We are looking forward to 2022!
2019 Holiday
Over the last 20 years the Club has organised many coach holidays and this year we went to Sussex and Kent, staying in Tunbridge Wells. Following an early pick up from Sea Road Car Park, the weather was warm and sunny and our driver Bob kept us entertained on the journey to Durrance Manor. This first garden was beautiful with lovely views over the South Downs and some amazing planting. Our host, Gordon, was very apologetic when he couldn’t find any cups for our refreshments, so in true gardening spirit we all rolled up our sleeves and did vast amounts of washing up and tea making! Sussex Prairie Garden followed which had the added bonus of an unusual plant fair and plant buying opportunity.......
Hever Castle was a real eye opener and so much better that we had envisaged. Some of us even spotted Jude Law filming a new series. Steve Edney of The Salutation in Sandwich had also invited us to see both his home and the hotel's gardens. If you want jungle exotic, these are the places to visit and we loved it. The highlight of the trip was Great Dixter. There was a chance to see the inside of the medieval house, which has an Arts and Craft wing designed by Lutyens. The garden was splendid, again very exotic and excitingly planted, and the nursery was excellent and well priced. In the afternoon some of us were dropped off at a charming garden and nursery called King John’s which also had super food. The other half were dropped in Tunbridge Wells for a wander in the Pantiles. So to the last day: Wisley & their Autumn Plant Fair… yet another plant buying opportunity. Poor Bob had warned us that there was no room in the luggage part of the coach for more plants, so when we arrived back laden they all ended up in the space at the back by the sink. The Fair was really well laid out and there is a new visitors’ entrance and shop. Good comments flew around so it would appear that the trip was enjoyed. You can see more photos here |
Outing to Dorset - 6th June 2019
Forty-five members had a very enjoyable coach trip to two gardens near Wareham and we were lucky to have a very sunny and warm day. The first garden was Holme which had a garden centre and restaurant, so we enjoyed the lovely gardens and had lunch there. Then we went on to Anderson Manor, a 3-acre garden round an Elizabethan/ Jacobean mansion. The gardens were stunning with roses, topiary, herbaceous borders and a wonderful parterre. Tea was provided on the bowling green and the owners and their gardener were there to give us the history of their restoration of the garden over 40 years of ownership. A wonderful day out. See Gallery for more photos.
Annual Plant Fair - 18th May 2019
With no more than a gentle breeze and the occasional burst of sun, Milford Village Green was the scene of the Club's 19th Annual Plant Fair. Twenty-eight stalls, many commercial nurseries and a few local charities filled the Green with an array of shrubs, perennials, annuals, vegetables, garden artefacts, recycled tyre products and even honey bees.
The members also had a stall and sold an astonishing £990 worth of home-grown plants. Guiding UK (Milford Group) provided refreshments and also raised over £600, whilst another charity, Tools for Self-reliance, took £910. Some stallholders even seemed to sell out of plants - it seems that everyone went away satisfied.
Overall the Club made a record £1835.95 to distribute to two local charities: Milford's Community Library and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, both of whom were present at the Fair.
The members also had a stall and sold an astonishing £990 worth of home-grown plants. Guiding UK (Milford Group) provided refreshments and also raised over £600, whilst another charity, Tools for Self-reliance, took £910. Some stallholders even seemed to sell out of plants - it seems that everyone went away satisfied.
Overall the Club made a record £1835.95 to distribute to two local charities: Milford's Community Library and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, both of whom were present at the Fair.
Christmas Glow at Wisley - 6th December 2018
Highgrove - 31st July 2018
A very enjoyable visit. Sorry, no pictures as cameras were not allowed!