HARDINGTON GARDEN CLUB
Meeting held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 28th May 2008
Hardington Mandeville Village Hall
The fifth meeting of the Hardington Garden Club was attended by 32 members and 5 guests. We now have a total of 47 full members.
Chairman, Trevor Cherry, welcomed everyone and reminded members of the following:
- Newsletter – directions for outings; list of gardens to visit in June and the feedback form which we would like filled in and returned this evening if possible please.
- June, July, August Meetings – still time to sign up and pay for these – please see the boards on the table, Shirley and Sally are ready to collect your money!
- Village Hall Planters – thanks to Ernest Kong and Mike Bickerton we now have two planters for the hall which the committee have planted up this very afternoon despite the weather! We hope you approve.
- Parish Bulb Planting Scheme – Trevor explained that the local council will provide 3000 daffodil and crocus bulbs for planting around the village. We, as the Garden Club, have been asked to do this so we will need a team of volunteers for the Autumn. Please give your name to Trevor if you can help.
- Village Hall Committee – we have been asked if we would like a representative on the Village Hall committee – Trevor asked for a volunteer.
- Plant Stall – many bargains to be had – do have a look.
- Gold Club – we are entitled to a shopping afternoon or evening at Poundbury – a show of hands for interest was taken with very little positive response. No further action will be taken!
Trevor then introduced our speaker, Lyn Spencer-Mills, who had come to talk about the development of her garden at Hooper’s Holding in Hinton St. George.
Lyn explained that she and her husband had come to Hooper’s Holding when they retired. It was a run down house and garden with a few out buildings and mostly just rough grass. The garden totals a third of an acre and Lyn and Ken have turned it into a delightful garden of rooms. A central feature is the formal pond which is just about the only part of the garden visible from the house. Lyn showed slides charting the development of the garden and how things have changed over the years. Her beds are colour themed and the out buildings have changed use several times and been chicken sheds, beach huts, cat homes and grandchildren accommodation! For a time Lyn and Ken also held a national collection of Hedychiums - ginger lilies for the NCCPG (National Council for Conservation of Plants and Gardens) one of her favourite plants.
Hooper’s Holding is open to visitors several times a year under the National Garden Scheme as well as to private visits by groups. We look forward in anticipation to our visit in July!
Trevor thanked Lyn for her interesting and inspiring talk and invited questions from the floor.
The refreshments were then served – thanks to Eve Lloyd and Sarah Smith, and the raffle was drawn.
The meeting closed at 9.30 pm.
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