As the winter of 2009/10 proved to be the coldest for over 20 years, January and February can easily be dismissed for commentary as it was far too cold to be outside and no gardening took place. The depth of frost in the ground was notable to at least 100mm (4”) so at least we should have killed off some pests and diseases this year. Walking on frosted grass tends to kill it off though, so there was no point in inspecting the garden as you do more damage than good, so we waited for warmer days.

If you count winter as December, January and February in broad terms, then the ‘last day’ of winter was a howler. A deep ‘low’ (Atlantic storm) swelled up from Spain and Portugal killed 45 people on the Atlantic coast of France as it travelled north-east and fortunately only grazed the south-eastern tip of England with wind and rain.

March 1st arrived, and in the true fashion of ‘the quiet after the storm’, it was a beautiful day with no wind, blue sky and pure sunshine - such a contrast to recent times and so good to see the sun at last! It did not mean however that warmth was on the way, and doggedly the daytime temperature would not move above 6C with sharp frosts at nights. Time to check the nest boxes and make sure they are clean, secure and dry for this season’s (bird) customers, who needed a lot of feeding with seeds and fat balls this year to help them through the cold winter.

The snowdrops opened and the cold weather gave us the benefit of a long lasting display. This also gave us a longer time to divide and move the bunches after flowering (’in the green’). We will extend the rather sparse display in the Ring o’ Trees for 2011.

It was noted that the small daffodils at the triangle that we all pass in our cars every day were a full month behind in blooming this year, and the garden daffodils put on a spurt of growth when the figures hit double digits and started to bloom in the last week of March.

Plug plants faired better in the greenhouse than propagated seeds which struggled in the low light levels and with the cold nights. Nothing grew quickly and the evidence was there to see in the Garden Centres, who equally struggled to supply good quality young plants for purchase. I suspect prices will be high come peak season for basket and bedding plants in May this year, to offset the high costs of heating that have been used to get the plants to grow.

Very slowly they reached double figures and the plants in the greenhouse came to life. It was short lived and heavy rain and wind set in for the last week of March bringing deep snow to Scotland. The greenhouse came to a standstill again and in the beds and borders there was time to weed the dreaded bitter-cress before it seeded too far, and remove the perennial weeds that had spread during winter.

The growth of algae and moss on furniture, pots, compost bins, tree branches and especially the lawn seemed much worse than in previous years, so early April was spent cleaning the furniture and pots but with the lawn having to wait for warmer weather in late April or May, otherwise you just drag the good grass out by the roots with the moss.

April is also the time to get to grips with your pots of lilies and red lily beetle. This pest has become far more prevalent in recent years and action is needed before the plants produce their leaves which will turn to a sticky black mess on the undersides from this beetle’s eggs and secretions. As it is bright red it is easy to see, but cup your hand underneath as you try to remove them as their defence mechanism is to fall to the bottom of the stems and get lost in the leaf junctions. They need to be destroyed or they will re-infest the plant.

While sun levels were good in April, it was also exceptionally dry and this was followed by a dry May too. The 10mm of rain at the end of the first week was vital as there was precious little else in the month. The big demon of this month proved to be the intense late frosts on the 10th and 11th which killed off any soft fleshed squashes and tender plants that had ventured from the protection of the greenhouse, cold frame or poly tunnel. Fruit blossoms managed to survive better than expected which was good since this has been a fantastic year for blossom and bodes well for a good fruit crop later in the season. I did loose my new Pluot tree – a combination of an apricot and plum which I was experimenting with. It has survived perfectly happily through all the snow and ice of winter, but the hot sunny days of early May and these two bitter nights were too much and death was immediate.

All of the above though, meant that by the time we held the Gardeners’ Mart on Saturday 22nd May, there was pent up spending in Hempstead waiting to be unleashed. And we had the answer for it. On a perfect day of blue sky, sun, warmth and no wind we presented a fabulous array of flowers, vegetables and plants in very good condition and within an hour and a half we were sold out, selling over £1000 of items who average price was 50p-£1. A great morning and a great boost for Club funds. We sold over 40 courgettes (a reflection of domestic casualties, I think) and 50 tubered dahlias.

Dahlias are beautiful and great value and have been over-looked in recent years as they are considered too blousy. But large borders demand some striking plants and once you get over the initial growth stage and the attempts of slugs and snails to deny you your prize, they are well worth growing. Their late summer addition to the border when other plants have passed their best is terrific. They will need staking against June’s thundery downpours, but they will love the moisture this brings and will put on substantial growth.

The Spring dryness also meant that the grass grew more slowly meaning less lawn mowing, that slug and snail numbers were noticeably down whilst the cold nights meant that the veg patch soil was slow to warm to temperatures suitable for planting out potatoes etc.

Chelsea Flower Show in the pre Bank Holiday week (25-28 May) managed to maintain its high standards of display although many presenters said they took more stock with them this year to overcome failures.

By the end of May/first week of June, the garden had mostly caught up on its late start and the veg patch was fully planted with salads, beans, squashes, carrots etc and the hedges had burst to life so strongly that the first cut was needed. Tulip and daffodil leaves could be removed, delphiniums were at full height, bearded iris and alliums were in full glory and the roses were budding up. In the strawberry patch, the flowers had opened and small fruits were forming and these will be ready for Wimbledon fortnight, right on cue. It is amazing how everything catches up after a late start.

Gardeners and farmers are never satisfied. After the 10 mm of rain on May 1st we had 25mm between the 6th and 8th of June and then the sun came out and the temperature soared here in the East and we did not see rain again until w/c 12th July. In that time, without wind and rain to knock them about, the roses, pot flowering lilies and summer-flowering clematis gave the most magnificent displays. The 20 year old Queen Elizabeth rose outside my back door, which I rather riskily cut hard back into the old wood last winter, produced over 100 blooms in its first flush and the rambler by the front door smelt heavenly in the warm, still evenings.

Anything that was watered during this period performed very well, and summer bedding plants came on quickly with the combination of evening watering and daytime sun, but the rest of the garden turned quickly to a crisp. Lawns went brown, poppies collapsed, phlox shed all their lower leaves and drooped, the stems of astrantia bent in half and only the tough old hardy plants such as yellow loosestrife, red hot poker, achillea and day lilies, really coped well.

In the fruit cage, assisted by some watering, the redcurrants and gooseberries looked good but raspberries stayed smaller in size. There was no question of getting a fork in the rock-hard ground and the lawn mower has one of its most redundant spells, only putting in an appearance once a fortnight rather than twice a week as is common at this time of year.

The Hempstead Annual Flower Show on Saturday 10th July, whilst well-attended with over 300 entries, showed the effects of the late frost and recent dry spell with vey few vegetables ready. Trusty courgettes had just come on stream and lettuce were in good form for having very few slugs and snails around, but carrots and greens generally were scarce and potatoes were prone to scab.

There were relatively few vases of flowers in the Show and I will write to encourage everyone to find a strip to grow some cut flowers in future, and recommend some varieties to include.

The Annual Spring Clean–Up Day is organised by the Parish Council to tidy up and clean the central areas of the village, so as to present it in the best possible light to visitors and people passing through it. The Gardeners’ Club are major contributors to the work force that undertakes this task. This year it has been focussed on keeping the water-courses free and running and the ponds clear of tree debris, weeding the flower beds around the Village Hall, continuing the clearance and renewal work around the War Memorial, keeping the designated footpaths clear, trimming the grass verges on the village’s roads and the first post-winter litter pick. In respect of the latter, this has been facilitated by access through the Parish Council to purpose designed litter picking kits from UDC. The Club would like to record its thanks to all members who contributed to the Spring Clean-Up this year.

The AGM was chaired by Diana Frost who welcomed those present and recorded her thanks to Jeremy Schroeter for standing in for her on a number of occasions during the year. The Treasurer, Chris Scott, reported that the Club Funds at the end of year stood at £5,654, some £200 more than at that stage in the previous year, and club membership had been sustained at around 150. Thanks were recorded to Tricia Ridgway particularly for auditing the books and 2009 accounts of the Club.

Diana Frost, in her Chairman’s report, indicated that the Club had enjoyed a varied and successful programme over the year and that the committee had met on 7 occasions during the year. The Club exhibited its adaptability, when there were clashes with other local events, and adopted the principle of supporting them wherever possible. Members have been particularly active in engaging with general village activities organised by the Parish Council and the Parochial Church Council.

The election of officers and committee members then followed and the Committee elected for 2010 consists of Chairman – Diana Frost, Vice Chairman – Jeremy Schroeter, Secretary – Brian Ray, Treasurer – Chris Scott, Committee Members – Sean McCarthy, Sarah-Jane Davies, Hanne Greville-Morris, Julian McCarthy and Life President – David Haylock.

Those present were given sweet squash and Jerusalem/ Christmas cherry seeds to grow for this year’s Autumn Show competition.

Membership of the Gardeners’ Club stands at 150 currently and we are keen to increase that in 2010 to 200. Membership costs have remained unchanged for over 20 years and are £1 for Annual Membership and £10 for Life Membership. The Club offers considerable benefits, including lectures on gardening-related topics, organised visits to gardens, participation in the Annual Show with low entry costs, purchase of high quality plants at its Annual Gardeners’ Mart, free entry to the Autumn Show and discounting of purchases at a local gardening centre. If you have not yet signed up for membership of the Gardeners’ Club this year and wished to join, do make contact with me on 01799 599728 to make the necessary arrangements.

The Horse & Pony Show will take place by kind permission of David & Meryl Haylock at Hill Farm, Hempstead commencing at 9.30am on Sunday 18th July. Schedules will be available from David Haylock on 01799 599238. The Show offers a wonderful mixture of showing and jumping classes and is ideal to enter for the young horse/ child/ older horse/new rider, etc. and there is always the clear round ring; it is also planned to continue to have a number of classes for showing dogs.

The HDGC BBQ team will be out in force with their extensive menu for meat-eaters and vegetarians alike, and plenty of drinks on hand for whatever the weather may throw at us!

If you are not competing, do please come along and support the event by walking round the showground and enjoying the food and surroundings at this traditional Village celebration.

The schedules have been revised and updated with some new classes and will be issued with the Hempstead Newsletter in May. Anyone else wanting a schedule should contact me then on 01799 599728. Entries for the Show need to be delivered to the Village Hall on the Saturday morning of 10th July between 8.00 and 10.15 am after which the Hall is cleared for judging, which commences at 10.45 am. The Hall will re-open at 2.30pm for viewing and the Cups and Trophies will be presented at 3.45pm

All entries need to be removed by 5.00pm.

Each year the Club nominates a local event that it encourages its members and friends to attend. This year it is at the village of Chelsworth on the delightful Brett Valley in Suffolk, which opens up some 20 private gardens between 2 and 6 pm on Sunday 27th June and has done this for the past forty years; there is free parking, teas are available and there are plant and produce stalls. The charge for access to all the gardens is £5 per adult but there is no charge for children. Members usually share transport and Chelsworth is located on the B1115 from Sudbury to Stowmarket.

Despite the very cold winter, there has been some better weather recently, that augurs well for a range of good quality grown summer bedding and garden plants, including delphiniums, hardy geraniums, day lilies, rudbeckias, echinaceas, herbs and more; this event will take place as usual from 9.30 am on Saturday the 22nd or 29th May of the Spring Bank Holiday weekend on the green opposite the Bluebell Inn. It is one of the Club’s major fund-raising events of the year, at which you can buy premium quality plants at bargain prices, so please do support it.

Simon Leatherdale, who is an expert in wood management for the Forestry Commission, will be our guide on this visit to Hempstead Wood; participating members should meet at the gated entrance to Hempstead Wood in Finchingfield Road at 10 am

The next event then will be the Club’s Annual Dinner in the Bluebell Inn on Thursday 4th March; this is always an enjoyable occasion and, if you have an interest in coming along to it, do make early contact with Sean McCarthy on 599558.

The first event of the year will be the Annual General Meeting, at which programme and financial reports of the year’s activities will be presented and officers will be elected. This will be followed by an opportunity for members present to socialise with drinks and nibbles provided by the Club.

Brian Ray
Secretary

In the past couple of years we have had fairly dry winters, but 2009 was reasonably wet throughout with a particularly cold and wet spell in early February when it snowed heavily and thawed to mild flooding the following week. This snowfall was later than we have seen in recent years and as some plants were already stirring into growth it checked their arrival, and hence Spring seemed to take a long time to arrive this year.

As much of a gardener’s time is spent in the greenhouse at this time of year (preferably one with a heater just to keep the freezing temperatures at bay), it is light levels that matter more than temperature. Heated propagators with thermostatic controls make it much easier to ensure seeds germinate well. The advantage of the thermostat is that the seeds do not overheat during the day so much, and are not subjected to cold at night – a more constant temperature is created. Whilst they are not a cheap item to purchase, they do give you a better return on your seed investment.

When the snowdrops did come through in the garden after the snow, the show this year was magnificent, aided by the calm conditions in late Feb but it was a struggle to find a daffodil in flower for St David’s Day on the 1st March. Only the smaller tête-à-tête which make such a great display at the triangle in the village, showed their yellow colour and I calculated that these started flowering some 9 days later this year than last.

The 145mm of rain in the first quarter was followed by a long, dry, late Spring with only 79mm of rain in the second quarter to the dismay of many farmers. Bean crops would not move out of the ground and stayed stubbornly short at on 300mm high for weeks on end. They only just survived through the constant tiny showers of April and May when they really needed a good volume of rain to get into the ground.

The early May Bank Holiday was dry and the village had a good Clean-up Day working around the pond and stream areas of the village, but the second Bank Holiday was rainy, and whilst as holiday weekenders it was not desirable, it was the first real rain for two months and crops and gardens were in much need of the moisture. A week later we basked in three days of temperatures at 27oC with pure blue skies and sunshine and Spring quickly turned to Summer.

Suddenly hanging baskets were in need of planting up, troughs and tubs wanted filling, Spring flowering bulbs needed to be moved aside and old leaves cleared away and the greenhouse needed cleaning again as we moved from seedlings and plantlets, to the time for cucumbers and tomatoes and the seasonal shading to be applied. Every minute counted as the jobs rushed together. Within a fortnight the strawberries were ripening and the vegetable patch had rows of lettuce, spring onions, radishes, broad beans and early peas ready and trenches were being dug for beans of every type – French, runner, dwarf varieties, borlotti and more. Even with days at their longest, every minute was needed.

It was hard to pause long enough to enjoy the magnificent display of roses that the first flush produced this year. Helped by the burst of high temperature in the first 3 days of June and only caught once by the 13mm of rain on the 10th, the display was flawless this year and with only the gentlest of breezes, the perfume in the late afternoon and early evening was glorious. If you do not have any roses near your front of back door – make a note to plant some. There are varieties and sizes for every location these days and disease resistance is much better on the newer varieties. Judy Ewer’s display of David Austen roses at her Open Garden day at Blagden’s on the 28th June just caught the end of the first flush of roses and were still an absolute delight to see and smell.

We turned the corner to July and heavy rain on the 6th and 7th finished off any chance of roses being entered in the Annual Show. The three rose classes were almost devoid of entries this year. The Show itself was on a fine, dry day which was fortunate as this day was also shared by the Midgley’s annual summer garden party bash, but even here, by evening the wind had got up and shower clouds loomed. The following Tuesday it started to rain and did not stop til the 31st. July recorded 115 mm of rain (4.5”) and whilst it was depressing to see grey skies daily instead of blue, the vegetable path thrived, we did not have to rush home from work and start watering everything, and trees, hedges, shrubs and larger plants thoroughly enjoyed the combination of warmth and moisture.

Slowly August improved and the school children on holiday could ride their bicycles and go swimming and by the 19th we reached 28C – if only for one day before showery conditions returned. But these were mostly light and made no real impact, and with good amounts of sun the tomatoes in the greenhouse started to redden quickly. The plum crop was a bumper harvest again this year although the plague of wasps we suffered was not so pleasant. We resorted to placing an old mayonnaise jar in the tree, with holes pierced in the lid and half filled with sugar water or similar. The numbers caught were staggering but it meant that most of the plum crop survived intact.

September turned out to be a beautiful month and I can’t remember geraniums looking as good as they did this year. The mixture of sun and water were perfect for them this year, and whether it was the displays in my garden or in hanging baskets or the village tubs, they were glorious everywhere. I counted 34 heads of bloom in my hanging basket which had two plants in. Not a bad return on my investment of £1.40 from the Gardeners’ Mart!

The other astounding result this year was the crop of apples. I thought with the lack of rain in August that they would suffer, but seemingly they had enjoyed the July rain at just the right point in their growth and the end result was a magnificent crop of eaters and cookers. If you don’t have any apple trees in your garden I urge you to plant some. There is so much variety now, with good flavour from the old varieties but now grown on new root stocks and with sizes of trees available for even the smallest garden. This is one of the purest of English delights so do treat yourself.

August, September and October form the biggest harvest months in the garden and we have been well rewarded this year for our efforts. Another job at this time of year is to collect seed from your plants and store them in a cool, dry place for next year remembering to label the packets accordingly. There is nothing worse that staring at some valuable seeds in the spring and not having a clue what they are or how and when to grow them.

The warmth of September was continued into October and temperatures near 20oC were recorded to the last week of the month. This allowed time for melons to ripen in the greenhouse which don’t get a long enough growing season if the weather turns too quickly. The autumn colour was fabulous accordingly and the trees were not battered by the usual autumn storms until into November, and even then, the rain was reasonably gentle in Essex. But the rain brought dropping temperatures so the seasonal norm of 11oC by day and 5oC by night arrived and the leaves quickly fell from the trees changing the season. Gardening duties moved on to leaf clearance, cutting down and changing hanging baskets to winter pansies and violas for some colour. And soon the greenhouse is cleared of all its summer produce and washed down for winter; with the bubble wrap re-instated and summer terracotta pots that cannot stay outside, brought in for winter protection.

Whoever thought gardening was for the summer months only, think again. By mid Feb we will be back in the greenhouse with the propagator out and packets of seeds in our hands and we start all over again! Happy Christmas!

Diana Frost

Talk on Light through the Trees on Wednesday 30th September 2009.

Peter Beale provided the Club with another scintillating talk on Light through the Trees, in which he focused on closed areas of water within a woodland habitat with light being transmitted through clearings in the trees. His talk ranged over the many butterflies that thrive in these habitats encompassing Orange Tips, Brimstones, Fritillaries, Camberwell Beauties and Painted Ladies from Europe, which in 2009 had been at their most prolific for many years. He highlighted the key part that flowering evergreens, such as holly and ivy, provide an environment for the evolution of small and delicate blue butterflies. He included examples in his slides of miniature shrews only the size of a cockroach thriving in areas with chalky soil, of the White Admiral with black and white markings, which is rare in the UK, and of prolific orchids growing in damp but well-illuminated habitats.

Autumn Clean Up Day on Saturday 3rd October 2009.

There was a good turn out from the Gardeners’ Club for this Parish Council organised event, which focused on the central areas of the Village with mowers, strimmers and shears being used to cut overgrown grass and verges and to trim hedgerows; trees beside the Village Hall were cut back and 400 or so tete a tetes were planted on the bank to the west of the Bus Shelter. There was an extensive litter pick from Wincelow Hall Road through the Village to Boyton’s Lane and up Church Hill to Pollards Cross. Some further work was undertaken on the boxed evergreens at the rear of the War Memorial and the paved area beneath it was identified, as in need of replacement in the short term.

Autumn Show and Social Evening on Friday 16th October 2009

After the successful switch of this event to a Friday evening in 2008, it was decided to continue in that vein in 2009 and the Club was rewarded with a turnout of 47 members and friends. There were a good number of entries including those from younger members, two of which gained second and third prizes for Harris McCarthy and Olivia Jarman respectively. Sue Bright collected three out of the seven Trophies, whilst four different members of the McCarthy family, Anthea, Harris, Sean and Tracey gained prizes.

The Trophies presented by the Club’s Vice Chairman, Jeremy Schroeter, were as follows:

Interspersed with the viewing and judging of the seven classes above, there were opportunities to taste a range of red and white wines as well as soft drinks and complemented with some delicious warm savoury snacks with dips and the well established hedgehog of mature cheese and pineapple prepared by Sarah-Jane Davies.

Brian Ray
Secretary

Busy Bees

I now understand why they are called Busy Bees. The talk given to the Club by Stephen Poyser of Cambridge Beekeepers Association gave the most fascinating insight into the life of honey bees and their amazing roles and behaviours.

Sadly only a few villagers turned out for an evening in which there was so much to learn. Beautiful close up photos and a hive box accompanied the talk as Stephen gave a detailed account of the three types of bees and how they live. We talked about farming, crops, activity within the hive, how the queen is formed and her role and what happens when she is deposed. We talked about organics, chemicals, the problems in America, over-wintering, nectar versus pollen, mileage travelled, stress problems, diseases and predators, using local honey for health reasons and a host of other issues as we sipped a glass of wine and listened enthusiastically. Without bees pollinating our fruit and vegetable crops, there would be significantly less food for us.

We had two beekeepers in our audience as there is always more to learn on behaviours on this complex subject, while the rest of us were novices although tales of eating fresh honeycomb in childhood were recounted. We learned how scent plays an important role within the honey bee world and how they may choose to land on us just to investigate our scent. They are inquisitive creatures. And we also learned that swarms are not necessarily aggressive despite what Hollywood films would have us believe – they are merely dividing the hive and looking for a new home with their new queen.

Stephen showed us the different colours that honey can be depending on the dominate crop from which they have been taken in their 3 mile radius from the hive, and how the crop also affects the viscosity. When you buy honey from a beekeeper and it goes cloudy and solid at the bottom, it has not ‘gone off’ as this is impossible for honey. Just warm it gently back up and it will return to liquid form.

Having worn Stephen out with our questions and interrogations, we purchased honey, cosmetic creams, candles, furniture polish and wax blocks.

When you are out and about this summer at any county shows, make a point of visiting the Beekeepers Association and support this vital resource. And if you want more information on how to keep bees or go on the 2009 Beekeepers course, investigate the Cambridge Beekeepers Association website (http://www.cbka.org.uk/) for more information.

Footnote:
Bumble bees are not the same as honey bees. When you see large single bumble bees early in the season, these are the new Queens who will form their colonies in that year. They are precious and struggle when the temperature goes up and down a lot, and 2007 was a bad year for them for this reason. If you see them, give them clear passage as they too, are doing a vital role.

British Beekeepers Association:-
http://www.britishbee.org.uk/

Local Beekeepers Directory:-
http://www.touchlocal.com/business/search/typeId/174/type/Bee+Keepers

We have added to our plans for early spring with the following additions which we hope will attract some of our younger villagers as well as the adults. If you are not a member do not worry, you can join at the door (£1). Wednesday the 5th of March, 8pm at the Village Hall, Willow Weaving.

Deb Hart will show slides of how willow is grown, demonstrate how it is cut and woven, make a feature and let everyone have a go at stripping some willow, if they wish to participate. The evening will cost £2, and refreshments will be included.

Tuesday the 8th of April, 8pm at the Village Hall, The Importance of Bees. Stephen Poyser of Cambridge Beekeepers Association will talk on the above, and will have part of a hive and samples with him. Bee populations have declined but they are vital to our well being through the work they do, so come and learn more about them, and what we can do to help. Cost £1 including refreshments.

These new dates mix in with the Annual Dinner to be held on the 13th of March at 7.30 for 8pm in The Bluebell Inn and give us a great start to the year. If you have not yet booked your place, please call Sean McCarthy on 599558. The recent Winter Walk at Anglesey Abbey took place on a perfect winter’s day and was thoroughly enjoyed by all who came. And the AGM and slide show of Barry Kauffman-Wright on Seasons of a Woodland took place at the end of February.

Do you have children interested in gardening and wanting to learn some gardening skills? If so, please let any of the committee know and we will organise an event accordingly.

Diana Frost

H&DGC trip 9th Feb 2008 - Winter Walk

The Club took its first trip early in the year to visit the Winter Walk and snowdrop collection at Anglesey Abbey, just north of Cambridge. On a perfect winter’s morning of pure blue sky, clear sunshine, no wind and frost on the ground a dozen of us met at 10.30am at the new Visitors’ Centre as it opened for the days business.

Those who are RHS members could enter free while others paid the Adult price of £4.40 or concession rate and immediately headed either for the coffee shop or to the Winter Walk. It’s promotion did not disappoint and the wide, winding, gravel path took you along planted groups of mature shrubs, trees and bulbs giving wonderful presentations of stem colour, flower, shape and scent. On this day, in full glory, were the viburnums ferreri Candussimum and bodnantense ‘Dawn’, the mahonias, the Cornus (Dogwoods) and the Hamamelis collection. Many of these were offset against the white-washed bramble looking especially dramatic with dark green backdrops. The architectural shapes of the trees against the blue sky made looking up a pleasure, and in between the shrubs, close to the edge of the path, were groups of iris, hellebores, epimediums, bergenias and crocus.

I was particularly interested to see clusters of Iris ‘Katherine Hodgkin’ which we sold at the Autumn Show in autumn 2006. This delicate, lilac, 150mm high iris has a strongly mottled, deep gold throat and stands out more strongly than the traditional darker purple forms.

As the end of the walk, the best had been saved till last when the path swept left to an area of dark soil planted only with white barked beech trees ‘Betula utilis var jaquemontii’ standing 6-7m high. At human height you looked straight through this forest of white stems and up to the upright curving branches above. It was breath-taking and cameras were out in abundance to try and capture the beauty.

From there we carried on walking all round the rest of the Abbey grounds, past the mill and along the cyclamen path and riverside walk, through the winter dell, across the front of the house. Lastly, we walked through the woodland path where school children added snowdrops under the trees and then back to the Visitors’ Centre which by now was very busy. The area near the house contains some magnificent specimens of mature trees including cedar and weeping beech and in their own right are well worth seeing.

This trip could not have been undertaken on a more perfect day, and I recommend it to anyone whether you have been to the Abbey before or not. The recent and on-going improvements there make it a splendid way to spend an hour or two.

Diana