NEWS ITEMS

Report on the Annual Plant Sale 20th June 2009

It was with great trepidation that the committee decided to change the venue for our Annual Plant Sale from Kendal Parish Church Hall to the Preston Patrick Village Hall. At 8.30am the first plants arrived, and after another hour most things were in place. We had the Main Hall devoted to Plants, and the back room for the sale of sundries, cakes and refreshments. Ron Davies was our Supremo for the day, and did a sterling job of sorting and pricing the amazing variety of plants members had donated. We had a good number of members who were also working hard arranging the plants and sorting out displays of our 'wares'. We had everything from humble annuals, vegetable plants and small seedlings to big and small pots of quite special herbaceous perennials. We had so many plants, but would we have any customers!

Just after 10.00 am, after a welcome cup of coffee we were ready to open the doors. We had a good and steady stream of customers who were buying up bags full of bargains. Everything was going well. We were all busy advising on and encouraging plant purchases and the packed tables of plants were soon decimated. People were going out laden with bags of plants - surely a good advert to those passing by. People were still coming in right up to midday when we decided to call it a day. It was hands on to clear up. Everyone got stuck in and by 12.30 we were ready to leave. Plants left over were to be taken to Holehird. Rumour was that we had made over £500. We were all feeling good as last year we had only made £400. So when Glenis (our Treasurer) rang me later on that afternoon to say that in fact we had made just under £800, I was delighted, as I am sure everyone will be.

On behalf of the committee I would like to thank everyone who made our Plant Sale such a success. The members who donated plants, the members who helped on the day, the members who baked cakes and the stalwart work of the committee… a very big thank you. Erica Clapp, Hon Secretary

Photos from the visit to Farletonview Nursery and Garden are in the Photo Gallery .

Delia Shaw was unable to make the visit to Farletonview Garden and Nursery on June 9th, but sent in these photos of clematis "alabast" currently flowering in her own garden.

Delia wrote to Elaine, the Newsletter editor.

I have enjoyed reading the latest newsletter it was refreshing and bodes well for the future, I appreciate all the work the committee do in running the society. I do hope your request for more support and newsletter contributions are forthcoming! With regard to 2010, I wish you a positive response to your search for a new Chairman. I will give your other requests for ideas some thought and will let you know in due course. The name labels at the last meeting were a great idea!

I must apologise for not attending the nursery visit last week – it was my intention to be there. First of all I set off late and then could not find my way and went somewhere entirely different! My husband and myself have both been unwell recently and I just wasn’t feeling well enough to go even though I tried! I do hope you had a good afternoon and intend to visit the nursery some time soon!

I’m also sorry that I really won’t be much help for the Annual Plant Sale on Saturday, even the plants I potted up are looking unwell, maybe a tad neglected as I have been so pre-occupied! I have distributed posters and wish you success.

What wonderful weather we have had this year so far and I find my garden an enormous comfort and inspiration– as do the birds we encourage. I attach some photos of the spectacle in our front garden; where we have gravel in place of grass and against the house are planted and intertwined a climbing hydrangea and clematis ‘alabast’. The view from the house is superb as we see the fine green veins in the flowers as well as the whole window being beautifully framed.

Wishing you all the best on Saturday - With kind regards, Delia

HPS Cumbria Group Programme 2009

Details of our programme are now available. Use the programme link and see what is planned.

A New Venture for 2009 - Summer Garden and Nursery Visits.

We have decided to fill the gap between the May Meeting and the September Meeting with a series of Garden and Nursery Visits, which we hope you will support. All visits are on a Tuesday in June, July, August and September. All the gardens are in Cumbria, with two being about 5 miles from Kendal, so not too far to travel and refreshments are available at each garden. All the gardens and nurseries have plant sales with good quality both usual and unusual plants to buy at very reasonable prices.

Tuesday June 9th Farletonview Garden and Nursery. Simon was a runner up at an early BBC Gardener of the Year Award. He has developed his garden with many plants grown from seed. He will give a guided walk around the garden, and then we will be free to browse the lovely herbaceous plants he has for sale in the Nursery. They are excellent quality and excellent value, and include some more unusual plants. The Tea Room will then beckon. Cost: Garden Tour £2 donation (given to charity). Tea/coffee and a buttered scone £2. (A variety of delicious cakes are also available) Meet 2.15pm at the garden. Directions can be found here on their web site.

Tuesday July 21st Winderwath Garden. Ron Davies extends a warm welcome to members who would like to visit the garden. He will give a guided tour and indicate all the unusual plants he is so well known for. It is an extensive garden and a real plants man's paradise. Ron will also show us his greenhouse area, where he will have a wide range of interesting plants for sale. Tea/coffee and biscuits will be available. Why not make a day of it and visit Larch Cottage Nursery, or Hutton-in-the-Forest for lunch? Cost:Garden Tour and Admission £3.50. Tea/Coffee and biscuits £1.50. Meet 10.45am at the garden entrance. Directions can be found here on the Visit Cumbria web site.

Tuesday August 11th Lawson Park,East of the Lake, Coniston LA21 8AD. This is a new garden funded by Grizedale Arts, and opened under the NGS for the first time last year. Karen Guthrie has designed the garden to be sympathetic to the natural landscape and has grown most of the plants from HPS seed. We will have a guided tour of the garden followed by tea/coffee and home-made biscuits. Members may also be interested in viewing the Lawson Park Collection of 20th century British Design and Craft afterwards. Please see the website www.lawsonpark.org for more information about Lawson Park. Location: 5m E of Coniston. From Coniston Village follow signs East of Lake/Brantwood, car park signed 1m after Brantwood car park. On foot 15 mins walk up footpath from car park. Route not suitable for those with limited mobility. Rough in places, a Google Maps link is here Cost : £6 inclusive per person Meet 2.15pm at the garden.

Tuesday September 8th Cath's Garden Plants, Heaves Hotel, Levens. We will be given an introductory talk about the garden, giving us an idea of the work they do, the range of plants, and experiences at recent shows. The visit will also include going 'behind the scenes' at the Nursery. There will also be the opportunity to purchase a plant or two! Tea/coffee and biscuits may be available in Heaves Hotel. Cost: £1 (Refreshments extra) Meet 2.15pm in the Nursery Car Park. Directions can be found here on their web site.

I hope I have whetted your appetite for some interesting days out in the summer months. If you are interested in going on any of the trips please contact Erica. I will have directions available for the more out of the way gardens. IMPORTANT Please book a place at least 4 days before the date as catering needs to be organized by the gardens.

Cumbria Group - Annual Coach Trip, Sunday July 5th 2009

We have decided to abandon the M6 this year and head east to visit two very interesting and different gardens. The first garden is at Lawkland Hall, Austwick. The garden is opened regularly under the National Garden Scheme, in fact the week before our visit. It is a two acre garden and includes a small lake and extensive beds and borders, which in July will be overflowing with a wonderful variety of perennials, shrubs and trees.

We will then go on to The Coniston Hotel at Coniston Cold for a coffee stop. Tea or coffee and home-made biscuits will be available.

The second garden will be the RHS Garden at Harlow Carr. Matthew Wilson has brought about many changes to the garden during his time as Curator. A new Alpine house will be open in spring 2009, together with contemporary landscaping at the front to reflect the varied habitats of alpines. Highlights of the garden include the famous candelabra primulas along the stream-side from mid June, spectacular new Herbaceous Borders, the hardy annual displays and wild flower meadows, kitchen gardens and many interesting sculptures. Picnic lunches can be taken in the garden or refreshments can be taken at Betty's Restaurant and Tearoom. There is an extensive Plant Sales area, and a huge shop with books and many garden based sundry items. We hope to include a guided tour of the garden.

We will leave Kendal from the Car Park behind the County Council Offices at 8.45am (Parking FREE), and we hope to return to Kendal by 6.30pm.

The cost will be £18 per person for the coach, Lawkland Hall, Morning Coffee, and a tip for the driver. Entry costs to RHS Harlow Carr are - RHS Members and one guest free. (RHS Membership Cards are usually scanned on entry.) Individual entry at Group rates will be £6 and collected on the coach.

Names and cheques to Erica by June 25th 2009(April and May meetings).

HPS Cumbria Group Members' Photo Competition 2010

The categories for the Members' Photo Competition which will be held in March 2010 are to be advised. Watch this space.

Report on the HPS Cumbria Group Annual Coach Trip - 6th July 2008

The weather forecast was not good, but spirits were high as 43 members and guests gathered in Kendal for our annual coach trip. Our journey down to Staffordshire was uneventful except for a tremendous cloudburst as we approached Wollerton Old Hall , our first garden. Someone spotted a slither of blue in the sky and we all prayed that it was positioned over the garden.