ON March 17 the Bidford-on-Avon and District Gardening Society held its monthly meeting. The Chairman welcomed members and reminded them about the Inter-club Horticultural Quiz on March 22 to be held at Blockley and he hoped many members would attend to support our team.

Our Speaker for the evening was Suzanne McNally who is the estate manager and head gardener of Sulgrave Manor. She gave us a brief history of the house which is a Country Manor House set in very quiet countryside between Brackley and Banbury. It was built in 1539 and is the ancestral home of George Washington. It was in a poor state of repair and up for sale in 1914 when the American decided to purchase it to celebrate 100 years of Peace between our two counties. Reginald Blomfield (a successful Edwardian architect, Edward Lutyens and William Robinson all contributed to the architectural and garden designs and the house is now open to the public at weekends. The house’s interior is in the style of the Tudors, with an 18 Century kitchen. She then took us on a tour of the wonderful gardens beautifully illustrated with superb photographs. The garden has some magnificent herbaceous borders, best seen in late June. Trees included a Liquid Amber and a Tulip Tree, said to be the favourite tree of George Washington. They have a Tudor vegetable Garden, much loved by children and used to teach them all about the use of herbs and the diet of that period. A large Orchard with 42 different fruit trees, mainly apples which in the spring has masses of daffodils, followed by buttercups and when the long grass is cut the undergrowth becomes a smart lawn. She described the many changes she has made to the garden and how she has improved the yew topiary to produce very elegant peacocks either side of the main entrance. The monthly competition ‘Any three narcissi in a vase’ was well supported, First Prize Alan Walker, Second Pat Dayman, third Annette Haynes, fourth Eileen Roberts. The April meeting is an outing to Hergest Croft and Brobury House Gardens and some places are still available. Please contact our outing Organiser Judy Smith 01789 491313 for tickets. New members and visitors are always welcome, we normally meet on the third Thursday in the month at the Crawford Hall at 7.30 for 8pm start. Details are available from Mrs Annette Hayes 01789 268974 or www.bidfordgardens.com

FRANCES FREEMAN