Firstly a reminder about our visit to Picton Gardens……………..
This is a brilliant opportunity to see these beautiful gardens under the expert guidance of head gardener Roddy Milne. We need to get the numbers in very soon so please if you haven’t already done so, contact Margaret or Daisy asap to confirm whether you are able to go or not. The more we get the cheaper the cost of entry (20+ = £4.50 – a real bargain!) We meet at 5pm for a picnic (bring your own) in the gardens followed by the garden tour. Plants will be for sale but please take cash with you as the shop will be closed
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Plants for Colourful Shade
We had a well attended meeting last week at which Richard Cain of Penlan Perennials gave a very informative talk on colourful plants for shade, covering the different types of shade and a whole variety of plants both familiar and not that can be used in these conditions to give colourful interest.
Richard had a good selection of plants for sale and offered to take any pre-ordered from his nursery to any of the plant fairs he will be attending for members to collect. See below for details of fairs. Click on the link to go to his website: penlanperennials.co.uk
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Our next meeting ……………………………….
Gardeners can be a funny lot….One minute they’re talking about Galanthus, the next Snowdrops. First it’s phormium, then it’s flax.
If you would like to untangle the Latin, then come along to our illustrated talk “Botanicus Tongtwistii” in May, when the speaker will be Carrie Thomas from Touchwood, Killay, Swansea.
Carrie holds degrees in botany and zoology so we are looking forward to an informative and entertaining evening, after which we’ll know exactly why a Red Hot Poker is called Kniphophia.
Visit Touchwoodplants.co.uk for more information about Carrie and her garden.
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Gerddi Cae Hir Gardens Plant Fair
May 2 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Cae Hir Gardens Plant Fair. Come and enjoy this lovely six acre garden in the heart of Ceredigion. It is an RHS Partner Garden and entry to the Garden and Plant Fair is free. There is a small charge for parking at the local school.
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Ceredigion Garden, Craft & Food Festival, Aberaeron
May 29 @ 10:00 am – May 30 @ 5:00 pm
Free entry
Now in its 7th year and expanding all the time. Held on Alban Square Field, Aberaeron and organised by Ceredigion & District Growers Association, this is the premier event of its type in West Wales.
Over 70 stalls selling plants, craft and food, together with music & entertainment. Something for everyone and FREE ENTRY.
No dogs allowed on the field (except service dogs).
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Aberystwyth Summer Plant Fair
June 11 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
A host of great nurseries from three counties on the Farmer’s Market site from 10.00am to 4.00pm. Summer bedding, veg and perennials amongst others. FREE. Organised by Ceredigion & District Growers Association
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Llanllyr NGS Garden Plant Fair
June 26 @ 12:00 am – 5:00 pm
The Ceredigion & District Growers Association hold a Plant Fair at Llanllyr Garden on their National Garden Scheme Open Day. Entry to the Plant Fair is free, however normal NGS charges are payable to go into the garden. Ample free parking. Please note the Plant Fair finishes at 5.00pm and the Garden is open until 6pm.
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Finally……………………………
Dismantled Greenhouse – details of this came through by email. Please contact Carolyn Somers if interested: ceejaysom@btinternet.com
An Eden greenhouse, 6’x8′ . Most of the glass is there with some pieces broken, all the frame is there but without the door as this was lost to the storms. The only thing is there are no nuts and bolts but these can be bought from B&Q. I am in Nantgaredig just outside Carmarthen.
Cothi Gardeners Visit to Picton Castle
Wednesday, May 25th , 5pm for picnic, 6pm guided tour by Roddy Milne the Head Gardener
Picton Castle Gardens are described as one of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ Great Gardens of West Wales. As their website says:‘What you can see today is the result of many centuries of gardening styles, each overlaying the next, where no one style predominates.’
In the 40 acres of the garden there are woodland walks, a medicinal herb border, a fernery, a walled garden and jungle garden all in the wonderful setting of the 13th Century Castle.
As the talk is in the evening (6pm) we plan on meeting at 5pm in the car park for a bring your own picnic within the grounds.
If you have not already put your name down please do think about coming and let Margaret know at or before our next meeting on April 20th. It should be a really fun and interesting outing and if we can get a group of 20+ together we will qualify for reduced entry of £4.50. Otherwise the entry charge is £7 (concessions £6). Car sharing is available for those who prefer not to drive so please don’t be put off by the distance. From Pumpsaint to Picton should only take about 1 ¼ hrs.
May is a lovely time to visit a garden, but particularly one with an abundance of mature Conifers, Magnolias, Rhododendrons, Azaleas and Camellias such as Picton. To quote from their website for May last year: ‘With the first half of May seeing the wonderful old Magnolias between the castle and walled garden coming into flower, pay a visit to Picton Castle and Gardens this month and you’ll quickly understand why they are famed for its Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Camellias and Magnolias. Some have enormous scented flowers and others, such as the Japanese Azaleas, have many intensely coloured flowers borne in great profusion.’
Rhododendron ‘Old Port’ reputed to be the largest in the world! Photo taken May 2015
See the Picton Website for more details http://www.pictoncastle.co.uk/
2016 Growing Challenge
Do you like a challenge? The 2016 gardening challenge was launched last month by our chairperson Daisy. After a successful Tomato Growing Challenge last year, this time it’s a quite different theme: “What can you grow in one pot?” Daisy suggested a medium-sized (about 20 cm diameter) plant pot, either plastic or terracotta, whichever you prefer. You can grow whatever you like, however, you need to be able to bring your pot along to the August meeting, so try and make sure it won’t be too heavy or awkward to lift. As with all our challenges, it is not a competition, just good fun and a chance to be creative.
Meetings Update
We had an excellent meeting on March 16th when Keith Treadaway gave a very informative talk on Clematis and how we could have Clematis in flower all the year round, by choosing the right varieties. He showed us examples of the different Clematis categories, explaining which were relatively easy to grow, along with those that were rather tender or prone to disease, and concluded with a summary of how to plant, care for and most importantly prune them. For those who were not able to make the meeting, or weren’t able to get a handout on the night, Keith’s list of all the Clematis he mentioned or illustrated in his talk is shown below – remember that not all those in the list are necessarily suitable for our gardens so it is best to look them up before buying. Keith also gave out another handout with a few useful addresses and some basic tips which is shown below the list. His garden, ‘Rosewood’ is open for the NGS on 17th July – for more info click here.
Our next meeting is on April 20th at 7.30pm when we welcome back Richard Cain from Penlan Perennials. The theme of Richard’s talk this time is ‘Colourful Shade’ and he will also be bringing some of his excellent plants for us to buy. Penlan Perennials in N. Pembrokeshire specialise in hardy plants used to coping with low temperatures and high rainfall. The nursery is completely organic and has recently won an Environmental Excellence Award from Horticulture Wales. Click on the link to go to their website, penlanperennials.co.uk , to learn more. We do hope you will be able to come and join us for what will prove to be a highly informative and enjoyable evening.
The Plant Shop – this has started well so please do come and support it at each meeting. Remember: good quality, potted up, labelled, and priced plants to be donated. A table will be set up for the ‘Plant Shop’ at the back of the hall, with a tin for the money to be left in. Please price your donation/s according to size of pot, type of plant and so that it reflects the true value while being less than a garden centre would charge. This way those purchasing will have a good quality product at an advantageous price.
Many thanks to Anne for this excellent suggestion to help increase club funds and provide a little plant retail therapy for all members without breaking the bank! Do try and find something to bring/be prepared to buy/both (!) at our next meeting:
Wednesday 16th March when Keith Treadaway will be talking to us about Clematis – Start time of 7.30pm
Clematis montana ‘Broughton Star’
PLANT SHOP AT COTHI GARDENERS MONTHLY MEETINGS
By definition all Cothi Garden Club members are likely to be plant lovers. Therefore it makes sense to have a stall at each of our meetings where plants can be purchased. This can then raise much needed funds for the continuation of the club and also feed our ‘plant habits’! Surely a ‘win- win’ situation.
This is therefore a request for good quality, potted up, labelled, and priced plants to be donated each meeting. A table will be set up for such a ‘Plant Shop’ at the back of the hall, with a tin for the money to be left in. Please price your donation/s according to size of pot, type of plant and so that it reflects the true value while being less than a garden centre would charge. This way those purchasing will have a good quality product at an advantageous price- again a ‘win – win’ situation!
It would be good if the ‘Plant Shop’ involved as many members as possible. It is understood that not everyone will be in a position to offer plants so perhaps they could consider purchasing one instead so that this is a fully inclusive venture.
The Plant Shop will be open for business before the meeting while refreshments are served so it will not be competition for any of the speakers who may also be selling their plants after their talks. Please remember to take home your unsold plants at the end of the meeting.
Many thanks and look forward to seeing what interesting plants are available for sale.
Gardeners’ World
Saturday March 5th at 8pm (Friday March 4th if you are in England!)
Gelli Uchaf Garden
We were rather pleased to get a call from a BBC2 Gardeners’ World researcher a few weeks ago asking about what Spring bulbs we grew and a bit of background to the garden and ourselves. We were told decisions would be made whether to come and see if we were suitable in the next few days…… a call duly came through and a visit from the recce team was scheduled for the following week. Two very nice chaps came and spent a couple of hours with us walking round the garden and chatting in cold, mizzly conditions while recording it all on a hand held video camera. Now we have been down this path before with the Beeb and it is at this point that we don’t hear anything further – for whatever reason we haven’t been quite what they were looking for. So we were more than a little surprised but delighted to get a call a couple of days after the recce to arrange dates for filming the following week.
Filming crocus in the snow!
Crocus opening in some sunshine
Another take – in the rain!
Filming Carol Klein as dusk falls
We would have to say it was the garden with its profusion of early spring flowers – Cyclamen, Snowdrops, Hellebores, Iris reticulata, Scilla mischtschenkoana et al all doing their best to impress, rather than the 2 gardeners that convinced the Beeb to come. The weather threw everything at us, mercifully with the exception of strong winds, which was brilliant as it demonstrated just what these wonderful Spring plants have to cope with and yet still manage to delight us with their early colour.
The three days of filming, one with the full team of five including the lovely Carol Klein, will be condensed down to about 6 minutes and will be broadcast in the first episode of the new series of BBC2 Gardeners’ World on Friday 4th March if you live in England, and Saturday 5th March at 8.30pm if you live in Wales.
You can read a write-up about it on the NGS website by following this link:
or our own blog/website by following this link:
https://thegardenimpressionists.com/2016/02/15/tarka-on-stage-imogen-and-typhoon-tv-funny-valentine/
Fiona and Julian Wormald
Now that one of the wettest winters on record is behind us, Cothi Gardeners have launched their 2016 programme.
At our February meeting we learned much about photography in the garden from Mary Pipkin; from how to use the various functions on our cameras to composing the scene or subject before actually taking the photograph. A really practical and informative evening which will hopefully improve our ability to take great pictures of our garden favourites. Below is one of Mary’s beautiful photographs many of which she brought to show us.
On March 16th at 7.30pm we are looking forward to our next speaker, Keith Treadaway, who will inspire us with his talk about the ever-popular Clematis. Join us to hear his advice on choosing the right species, where to plant them and how to look after them.
Keith has a wonderful collection of clematis at his garden near Tenby which is open to visitors under the NGS – definitely worth a visit. For details click here.
Photo by Keith Treadaway
Further speakers this year will include experts on perennials, growing vegetables and roses. We will also welcome representatives from some local gardens which are open to the public. For full details please contact Daisy on 01558 650829.
Cothi Gardeners meet at the Coronation Hall, Pumsaint on the third Wednesday of each month at 7.30pm. Annual membership costs £14, visitors and guests are most welcome too, £3 including refreshments.
A very Happy New Year to you all.
Llinos sent the following photos of the snowdrops at Colesbourne Park to cheer us up amidst all the rain! Click here to see their website
Apologies for the lack of activity on the website/blog over the last few months but we have been without internet since the beginning of November. A new satellite system has now been installed so we will (hopefully) be back in action from now onwards.
The incessant rain over the last months and the unseasonable warmth we have experienced have combined to make gardening both miserable and surprising! Weeding and general maintenance have been challenging with the ground badly waterlogged and many bulbs (including a poor deluded Camassia) and other early flowering plants have been out weeks earlier than normal with us.
Hellebores and Cyclamen
Daphne Jaqueline Postl started flowering in early December this year
Looking forward to meeting up again at the AGM on Wednesday 20th January.
The Cothi Gardeners meeting in July was entitled Saving Our Magnificent Meadows. This Lottery funded 3 year project is aimed at targeting 9 areas of wild flower meadows and grassland across the UK, raising awareness of the plight of such rare and fast disappearing special places and giving the public access and information. The talk was given by two National Trust employees based at Llanerchaeron who are involved in the part of this UK wide scheme in Ceredigion. Several National Trust farms in the county are involved in the project and we were given information about how they are tackling the problems of bracken and over grazing in order to encourage greater diversity of flowers in the grassland.
More information can be found at http://www.magnificentmeadows.org.uk/
Anyone interested in meadows locally can find out more on the Carmarthenshire Meadows website by clicking here.
Meadow at Cwmdu
The Cothi Gardening Club has much to look forward to in the coming months.
The August meeting on Wednesday 26th at 7.30pm is the Members Medley
The meeting will kick off with a review of the “Tomato Challenge”, so please bring a selection of fruit if you have them! Then there will be short presentations in 4 areas of the hall, followed by a buffet style refreshment. Can you please provide a plate of savoury or sweet items, drinks will be provided by the Club.
The intention is to have a casual, informative meeting sharing our knowledge/ skills and disasters!
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At our September meeting on the 16th the talk is entitled South West China-Sourcing plants for our Climate and is given by the well known John Shipton.
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Looking to the following month of October we are very pleased to welcome Dr Noel Kingsbury the internationally known writer about plants, gardening and the environment. He is giving his popular and entertaining talk entitled, Women, Men and Gardening at 7.30pm on the 21st. Entrance to this event is £5 (free for members) including refreshments.
Please see our events page for more details
Guests and prospective new members are always welcome, so do come along and join us.
June Meeting – Pests and how to get rid of them
George Sykes an entomologist gave us a fascinating and most informative talk using his wealth of experience advising governments at home and overseas to maximise crop productivity. He explained that the natural system is in equilibrium, but cultivating a garden upsets that, giving an opportunity for some species to multiply and become pests. He took us through the history of chemical controls to less invasive ways of dealing with common garden trials. He finished by saying that in many ways the human thumb is the best biological control! An informative and entertaining evening.
Ideas for controlling pests and weeds were also suggested by members during discussions after the talk such as milk for controlling mildew and ‘Grazers’ for controlling damage by rabbits, deer, pigeons and geese (http://www.grazers.co.uk/). See the gardening tips page for more information.
Inspirational Visit – Llanllyr Garden
On Sunday 28th June Cothi Gardeners had their inaugural ‘Inspirational Visit’ to Llanllyr garden at Talsarn (https://www.facebook.com/Llanllyr). We enjoyed the sunshine and were shown around the wonderful and indeed inspiring gardens by their creators Mr and Mrs Gee, the current owners of the property. Highlights were the rose garden which was in full bloom, the scents and colours quite amazing, the pool and the random flowering of white foxgloves throughout the garden giving a unity to the whole. The afternoon finished with a Welsh tea on the lawn – perfect!
Gathering in the car park
Chatting during the tour
Cothi Gardeners 