GRANDMA ABSON

EVERY NOW AND THEN I COME ACROSS A BLOG THAT IS WORTH PASSING ON TO OTHERS AND GRANDMA ABSON IS JUST ONE OF THESE DELIGHTFUL BLOGS VERY INTERESTING AND WORTH SHARING JUST CLICK ON LINK AND IT WILL TAKE YOU TO HER PAGE HOPE YOU ENJOY AS MUCH AS ME jeannette

www.grandmaabson.com

 

CRAFT SALE

I WILL BE HOLDING A CRAFT FAYRE IN DAGENHAM ON THE 8TH JUNE 2013 10AM TO 3PM £10 PER TABLE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HAVING A TABLE PLEASE CONTACT JEANNETTE

a word from peter

GREEN FINGERS CLUB MEETING NEXT MONDAY 25^th February

At The Heathland Centre, Heathway.

A Special Club Meeting with Tom Hart Dyke a meeting not to be missed.

Plant Hunter and Creator of the WORLD GARDEN at LULLINGSTONE.

Tom story was the subject of a BBC 2 documentary SAVE LULLUINGSTONE CASTLE and Tom has also authored The Cloud Garden an ENGLISHMENTS HOME.

This will be an inspiring evening his passion for plants lead to Tom being kidnapped by bandits on one of his adventures in South America why he was collecting Orchids.

Partly in order to endure his nine months in captivity. Tom drew a map of the World Garden, which he would create hopefully on his return to Lullingstone.

See you there

Peter

Winter outing February 2013.

The winter outing to Anglesey Abbey Gardens and Lode Mill, Cambridge, was a great success. En route the American World War 11  military cemetery was visited. It is the only one in England. The weather was beautiful, it was amazing how much brighter & warmer it was, considering it was only a few days since there was snow on the ground.
 The gardens are famous for their winter colours and amazing gleaming silver birches, they were beautiful in the sunshine. There are over 200 varieties of snowdrops.

One of the many varieties of snowdrops.

Kathy & Susie among the silver birches.

The American memorial cemetary was spectacular, meticulously maintained, and although only a short visit, was very memorable.

One of the many statues depicting the servicemen.

Notice all the crosses to the right, what a waste of young lives!

The crosses just went on and on, it was very poignant.

The final port of call was the Scotsdale Garden Centre, Cambridge. One of the UK's largest independent Garden Centres with a large restaurant within, which serves hot food. Many of the members took advantage of this to refuel before the journey home. A great time was had by all.

January 2013 meeting.

The January 2013 meeting was a very busy one, in spite of the bad weather. Kathy & Susie were kept busy taking outing bookings, Jeanette & I (Hilda), were taking the subs, issuing cash receipts & selling the remaining newsletters. The fact that Peter was doing the talk made it easier, as we could allocate as much time as it needed.

Busy bees, Kathy & Susie, taking outing bookings.

Eventually, all the office work was done and Peter could start his talk. He started by telling us some general news, how everybody loved the London Lights outing and the fact it will be repeated  this year, on December 7th. Although Peter is not going to run the Harold Hill club, they still want to join in with our outings. He has booked three so far, and will add more as the year goes on.  

There were two new members present, whom Peter welcomed. About ten people have left the club, mainly because of distance they have to travel, ill health or advancing age. People who are recommended by members will be welcomed to fill the spaces.

You will notice the lovely shiny teapot that Andrew is holding in the photo of the post below, (scroll down). It was a Christmas present from Matthew's Nurseries, whom we will be visiting later, on Friday April 19th, after Beth Chatto's garden. It will be good to see them again.

 Peter was eventually able to start his talk, starting with recommended plants of interest for everybodys' gardens. The PLANT OF THE MONTH was designated DAPHNE ODORA, a delicately flowered, sweet smelling plant. A piece was passed around for us all to smell, it was beautiful.

Afterwards, he had a range of garden chemicals to target specific garden weed and pest problems, this was most informative

After tea, made in our nice new tea pot, he showed us several photos taken at various outings over the years, also featuring Richard making funny faces at various times. I didn't realise he had that talent!

When we were putting the chairs away afterwards, Iris Watling came and spoke to me. She does calligraphy and had a new project to write & decorate, it was a poem, which she thought the club would like to know about. Here it is:

Learn to know the seeds of your garden

To love and cherish what they bring

Consider the places where they grow

and make it your aim to protect them

Remember their seedtime of the year and the

joy of others who are to look upon them

Keep them in your mind and heart

As a great lesson from nature

I thought it was most appropriate. Here is a photo of  Iris, taken at the November 2011 meeting:

Iris Watling

 

THE DREAM TEA TEAM !!!!!

 

                                                   OUR FIRST MEETING OF THE YEAR
                                          THANK YOU RICHARD, ANDREW AND JUDITH  

TIM &JEAN AT LONG HOUSE PLANTS

INVITE YOU TO OUR OPENING WEEKEND TO SEE OUR WINTER FLOWERING PLANTS & LEARN ABOUT OUR NEW INTRODUCTIONS FOR 2013

TO BE HELD
 
FRIDAY,SATURDAY&SUNDAY 1ST, 2ND & 3RD MARCH 2013

10 -5 PM FRIDAY & SATURDAY 10.00 AM -4 PM ON SUNDAY

FREE TEA &COFFEE, FREE NEWSLETTER FOR 2013

WE WILL BE OPEN UNTIL 29TH SEPTEMBER 2013

OUR USUAL OPENING HOURS ARE EVERY FRIDAY & SATURDAY 10 - 5 PM ,
SUNDAY 10 - 4 PM & BANK HOLIDAYS 10 - 5 PM
 
YOU WILL FIND US AT
 
        CHURCH ROAD, NOAK HILL, ROMFORD RM4 1LD
                          
                                        01708 371719
                    www.longhouse-plants.co.uk

if you click on website link it will take you straight there