There was an excellent turnout at our meeting on Wednesday 19th May to hear Carrie Thomas give an illustrated and highly informative talk on the intricacies of latin plant nomenclature, explaining why latin names are needed, how they are arrived at and how they explain individual plant characteristics, habitat, etc.

She started the evening with a warning about Aquilegia downy mildew disease which has decimated her national collections of Aquilegias and is gradually spreading through the UK. See her website for more information at http://www.touchwoodplants.co.uk/aquilegia-downy-mildew.htm

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Requests for help at various events in the coming months were made. If anyone is able to offer their assistance at any of the following please contact the relevant parties.

1) Keith Brown will be having a plant stall at the NGS garden open at
Gelli Mydog, Myddfai, SA20 0JQ on Sunday, June 5th and Sunday, July 24th between 12 and 5pm. Due to his illness he has asked for help to man the stall, so if anyone can spare an hour or more to help out on either or both these days please contact Anne at glan-yr-afon@hotmail.co.uk .

2) John and Helen have a large group visiting their garden on Saturday, June 18th and have asked for help with both the serving and supply of cakes for the teas. Contact them at johnhelen@greystones140.freeserve.co.uk

3) Angela and Martin (Sculptors Garden, The Old Post Office) have their joint garden open day  with Benda (Bwlchau Duon) and would also like help  with the serving and supply of cakes for the teas. Contact through www.farquharsonduffysculpture.com

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PICTON GARDENS VISIT

Remember our visit to Picton Gardens is this Wednesday. Those who would like to  can meet up at 5pm in the visitors carpark for a picnic tea within the grounds before we all meet Roddy at 6pm by the Restaurant (closed at that time). He will then take us on a guided tour of the garden. Plants will be on sale but please remember to take cash as there will be no credit card facility. Cost is £4.50 per person (no concessions or free entry  as this is a special tour out of normal opening hours). Anyone who would like/can offer to car share please contact Margaret on 01558 650887

OUR NEXT MEETING………..

Speaking to the Cothi Gardeners’ Club on Wednesday, 15th June will be Sarah Jones from Dinefwr in Llandeilo.
Sarah is a National Trust ranger and will tell us about her work, which includes taking care of the famous herd of White Park cattle, fallow deer and of course the extensive grounds.
Some of us may have already walked around Dinefwr but Sarah will let us know all about the history of the park, including a visit in the 17th century by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown who advised the then owners of Newton House on the possibilities of landscaping the grounds. Today a popular walk on the estate has been named the Capability Brown Trail.
A large part of Sarah’s work involves conservation, so we will learn about the unusual and endangered species which we may be lucky enough to encounter and how the grounds are maintained for visitors to enjoy at all times of the year.