Wells Voice Article November 2023

It was very unfortunate that our scheduled speaker for October, Michael Jordan, was unable to be with us as he was recovering from a stay in hospital. We wish him well in his convalescence and look forward to hearing him in the future. Howard Burnett who is well known locally was able to give us an excellent talk on Orchids at short notice. 

All of which brings us well into the Autumn and the last of our current meetings which will take place in November. The calendar will be finishing on a cheerfully optimistic note with a topic which embraces a challenge which many of us have faced with frustratingly mediocre results. This is all about space. Not the large open ranges of rolling acreage but those little awkward corners, unruly nooks in the courtyard, small spaces, genuine small gardens, micro plots. There's always space for a garden and a spot of gardening, they tell us. We are talking about that curious corner behind the dustbin, the dog kennel in need of floral decoration, the few square feet left behind by the obsolete bicycle shack or indeed any tiny yard at the back or front of the house. Sceptics may baulk at the idea of a roof garden, especially six floors up but we must grasp the possibilities. Defeatist attitudes are no good to us here. After all, a single flowerpot can constitute a garden, provided of course that it has a flower in it.

However, setting whimsey aside for the moment, one person who has succeeded in making a small garden flourish is Matthew Symonds. By a small garden this is a space measuring little more than six metres square. A little concrete compartment, his Bristol city garden was transformed into an oasis of thriving plants and wildlife. No wonder he was awarded B&Q Gardener of the Year. It promises to be a fascinating talk on Thursday 9th November in the Wells Town Hall at 7.30pm. Open to everyone, Members £1, Visitors £3. Under 16s free. Pip.