AFTER welcoming members to the meeting the chairman, Jonathan Collins, gave details of the Interclub Quiz being held on March 23 at 7pm. Mickleton will be competing with other local teams and the audience will be able to have a go at the answers, if they wish to do so (pens and paper will be available). Refreshments will include wine, home-made cakes, tea and coffee. Other forthcoming events include the Spring Show on the morning of April 9 and a trip to Stourhead (Wiltshire) on May 12.

There followed an illustrated talk about the history, design and influence of courtyard gardens given by Adrian James, a regular speaker to groups and societies in Central England. The range of courtyard gardens shown went from early ‘chahar bagh’ origins at the Taj Mahal to modern, small enclosed gardens. It included slides of the Mezquita in historic Cordoba (Spain) and of ‘Open Courtyard Week’ also in Cordoba when residents’ beautiful private courtyards are open to the public. Some of these were full of colour against a backdrop of white walls looking stunning in the strong Spanish sunlight. Small, modern gardens can have the same peaceful, contemplative feel of the historic courtyards by use of similar design ideas based on water rills, green planting, tiles or stone with the area divided into four identical parts (quadrants) and often with a central feature.

There was a vote of thanks to Adrian James followed by the announcement of the competition winner, Susan Ward, for her posy of Snowdrops.

SANDRA REED