Wells Voice Article March 2022

Picture above: Magnolia Campbellii. It was the answer to one of our quiz questions at the February meeting. The question was: after which plant did George Washington name his horse?

Business is business as they say, and it was very pleasant to see Wells & District Gardening Club back once again in the Town Hall. It was not quite business as usual but careful management allowed a very enjoyable evening with many welcome new faces as well as patient members anxious to get on with things; to say nothing of the opportunity to get out and meet people.

A short general meeting unanimously approved a rise in the subscription for the first time for a decade or more, and to proceed with plans for garden visits later on in the year. This was followed by a gentle quiz with questions ranging from Isaac Newton's apple and George Washington's horse to the colour of elderberries and the speed of garden insects in flight. Something for everyone in fact where haphazard guesswork had as good a chance for success as encyclopaedic horticultural knowledge.

The next meeting will be held again in the Town Hall on Thursday, March 10th at 7.30pm. Our guest speaker will be Mary Payne MBE who will be giving a talk on the Gardens of Compton Acres in Poole, Dorset. Mary is a very well-known lecturer, writer and garden designer with gold awards at RHS Chelsea and Hampton Court. She was instrumental in introducing to many Somerset gardens the ideas of Piet Oudolf with his mixed plantings of blending perennials and grasses. Lady Farm at Chelwood is an early example and for many years Mary has been Garden Consultant at Compton Acres.

It promises to be a worthwhile evening as she never fails to be both entertaining and informative. Everyone is welcome and there will be a chance to join the membership or just come as a visitor.

Until then, we must get with our careful clearing and optimistic sowings. But remember the old saying (below). Pip.

 

Four seeds you have to grow

One for the pheasant and one for the crow,

One to rot and one to grow.