Meeting Details
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Time |
10.00 am on the third Friday of the month |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Location | Members’ Gardens |
| Coordinator |
Martin & Margaret Evans |
What we do
Our group comprises members with an interest in plants, gardens and gardening. We meet at each others homes over the winter months with visits to gardens of interest in the spring / summer. We learn from each other, discuss topics of interest and swap plants / seeds / produce etc.
With 20 members the group is currently full.
Reports
July 2010
We enjoyed three very interesting and enjoyable outings over the summer. In April we met in Gressingham to learn about biodynamic gardening. In May, the owners of Windy Hall near Windermere showed us around their stunning four acre garden. In June we visited a very different, but equally impressive garden at Lower Rowell Farm near Milnthorpe.
Our group has expanded to 22 members. The next meetings are:
- Friday 17 September: Sue and Ian Aikman’s garden in Kendal and their next door neighbour’s Denis and Joan Fox who are members of the Monday garden group.
- Friday 15 October: Jill Humphris’s garden in High Casterton, and Margaret Clarke’s garden in Kirkby Lonsdale.
- Friday 19 November: To be arranged.
- Friday 17 December: (12 noon) Christmas Jacob’s Join. Venue to follow.
Margaret Evans
March 2010
Our winter meetings were held jointly with the other two garden groups and were well attended (although unfortunately January had to be cancelled due to the weather.) We have now moved our monthly meetings to the third Friday in the month to avoid all the garden groups being bunched together at the start of the month. Our summer programme is as follows. Members of the Monday and Thursday groups are welcome to attend our May and June outings.
- Friday 21 May: 10am Visit to Windy Hall, Crook Road, Windermere. A conducted tour of this four acre owner designed and maintained garden. Rhododendrons, camellias, magnolias and lots more. Featured in ‘Gardens of the Lake District’ book. Cost £5.00 inc refreshments + normal 50p U3A charge.
- Friday June 18: 10am Visit to Lower Rowell Farm, Milnthorpe. Featured in ‘Amateur Gardening’ and ‘Cumbria Life’. Cost £4.00 inc refreshments + normal 50p U3A charge.
- Friday July 16: 10am Margaret and Martin’s garden at High Park Barn, Oxenholme, Kendal.
- Friday August 20: 10am Gill Griffin’s garden at Eskrigge Farm, Gressingham.
Margaret Evans
November 2009
In September we enjoyed a guided tour of the gardens at the Castle Green Hotel with the gardener, Kevin Preston. In October and November we visited members’ gardens, learnt how to make flower arrangements for Christmas and swapped plants and produce. Our December meeting will be a Christmas Jacobs Join and quiz.
In January, February and March 2010 we have arranged three indoor meeting jointly with the Monday and Thursday groups. Members of the Monday and Thursday groups are also very welcome to attend our April meeting in Gressingham.
We increased our membership from 15 to 20 at the coffee morning in September and are currently full.
Please note that from April our meeting date will change from the 1st to the 3rd Friday of the month.
Our programme for next term is:
- Thursday 7 January: 2pm Abbot Hall Social Centre. Garden Design by David Redmore.
- Monday 8 February: 10am Jennifer Armitage, Preston Patrick Hall, Crooklands. Perennials by Kevin Preston.
- Friday 5 March: 10am Cumbria Wildlife Trust Conference Room, Plumgarths, Crook Road, Kendal. Wildlife Gardening by Simon Harlow and walk around the garden at Plumgarths.
- Friday 16 April: 10am The Old School Room, Gressingham. Biodynamics in the Garden by Lib Cottam and garden visit.
Margaret Evans
