ON June 17 an ‘Open Gardens’ evening was held in place of the usual meeting. This was greatly enjoyed by club members and their guests in spite of the drizzly weather. Seven lovely gardens were open for viewing, all very different from each other and seeming to reflect the tastes and personality of their owners.

The gardens varied in size, soil type, aspect and planting themes. One garden contained over one hundred different Clematis, another had a secret area approached by a small path surrounded by pretty plants. There was an imaginative use of a mirror in an archway, creating an illusion of a bigger garden. We saw delightful seating areas surrounded by beautiful planting, ponds with a bridge, large well-maintained lawns, woodland areas and colourful herbaceous borders. One lovely garden was truly a ‘secret garden’ as it was completely hidden away down a long driveway. To complete the evening’s pleasure we all enjoyed drinks in the summerhouse at one of the open gardens thanks to the kind generosity of the garden’s owners.

The next meeting is in the King George’s Hall, Mickleton on July 15 at 7pm and the talk is on Container Gardening by Jon Mason.