Meetings are usually held on the second Saturday of the month. There is a programme of insightful talks and lectures and garden meetings during the summer months.
£2
Hon. Secretary: Mrs Jenny Clarke, Pentlow Mill, Cavendish,
Suffolk CO10 7SP Tel: 01787 281072
Programme Secretary: Dr. Lynne Joyce
01371 810524, douglynne46-sablehomestead@yahoo.co.uk
Hon.Chairman: Mr.Rod Leeds
01787247627, rodandjane1@btinternet.com
Hon.Treasurer: Mrs.Val Keeble
01440 820468
Saturday January 12th 2019 2.30pm
Bill Haldane ”Orchid Hunting in Northern Cyprus”
Bill not only joined our Committee in November 2018 at the AGM
but also volunteered to give us a talk. Bill has grown orchids for 40 years and is an accredited British Orchid Council Judge, past Chairman of Devon Orchid Society and current Chairman of Suffolk Orchid Society. He joined a specialist tour group to Northern Cyprus that searched for all the local spring flowering plants.
Although orchids are the focus of his presentation, space is given to other plants, wildlife, landscapes and local history to give a more all round view of beautiful Northern Cyprus. This will be an exciting talk to start the year and brighten up January.
Plant stall and raffle. Please continue to bring plants for the sales table and raffle. Don’t forget to bring that interesting plant and/or plant material, cut flowers, foliage or twigs for the display table.
We also have the boards to display any images you might like to share or notices of events of interest to our group.
Saturday February 9th 2019 2.30pm
Julian Reed “A Fascination with Ferns”
Julian would love to have a question and answer session after his talk-so get thinking about those questions-or perhaps they will occur during his talk. Julian holds the National Collection of Hardy Polypodiums-evergreen ferns with a fascinating history. He first started growing ferns as a horticultural student in the late ‘70’s and his interest in Polypodiums developed in the late’80’s. They were hard to find but when Martin Rickard considered giving up his collection he offered them to Julian. Since then he has added to the collection by rescuing plants and producing cultivars from spores. The genus thrives in shade, semi-shade or sun and prefers well-drained soil.
One of their most garden worthy features is that they are winter green with lush fronds displayed through the coldest and darkest months. Hopefully he will bring plants for sale.
Plant stall, raffle and display table and boards. Please bring contributions.
Sunday March 3rd 2019 2.30pm
David Haselgrove “Western Australia with the AGS in 2016”
Remember the snow at this time last year? Well this is the talk that unfortunately had to be cancelled. Let’s hope for kinder weather this year! David is well known to us at Mid-Anglia. He has finished his long stint as AGS President allowing him even more time to travel! He is currently Chair of Joint Rock and also involved in the expansion and development of the gardens and the new visitor with learning centre at Hyde Hall, He has travelled widely for many years to numerous countries to see plants growing in the wild. One of his more recent trips was on an AGS tour to Western Australia in September 2016. Western Australia is home to one of the most diverse floras in the world with over 12,500 plant species which makes it a particularly fascinating place. Springtime is the perfect time to study and enjoy this incredibly rich and spectacular flora – particularly the early spring flowers and especially the orchids. Be prepared to enjoy some amazing plants and scenery.
Plant stall, raffle and display table and boards. Please bring contributions.
Saturday April 13th 2019 2.30pm
Carl Wright “Let’s go Latin – it’s All Greek to me”
Carl last spoke to us in 2012 about his garden – Caher Bridge, which he had created and continues to develop in the heart of the Burren. A few of us were lucky enough to visit the garden the year after. If you visit the Burren you must go.
This time we welcome him back to give a talk which takes a light- hearted look at the scientific naming system we use for plants. The origins, history, reasoning etc. with easy to understand examples and why as gardeners we should use them. It is rather an unusual but very relevant subject from which we can all learn. Carl will not disappoint!
Plant stall, raffle and display table and boards. Please bring contributions.
Saturday May 4th 2019 East Anglia Show
Wymondham High School, Folly Road,
Wymondham NR18 0QT
Exhibitors: 8am Plant sales from 10am Show open: 11am
This is your local AGS Show. It’s attracting many more exhibitors and plants than ever. Please come along and support it. As usual there will be an excellent range of nurseries tempting us with lots of plants to purchase as well as many exhibitors’ plants to admire on the show bench. There is plenty of parking and a wealth of refreshments for lunch and afternoon tea. A very friendly atmosphere-you will be made most welcome.
There will be a members’ plant stall so if you have any surplus plants please take them along either on a 50/50 basis or as a donation to help offset the costs of running the show. There are always some interesting plants on this plant stall to purchase.
Wednesday May 29th 2019 6.30pm Mid- Anglia AGS Members only
A visit to the garden of Sarah Cook and Jim Marshall at
Hull Wood Barn, Bolton Lane, Shelley, Ipswich IP7 5RE
Sarah holds the National Collection of Iris introduced by Sir Cedric Morris. They hopefully will be in full flower so we can enjoy them along with the rest of their delightful garden treasures.
Some of you will have seen the wonderful display that Sarah did in conjunction with Howards Nursery which won a gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2015. In 2018 Plant Heritage awarded Sarah with the prestigious Brickell Award in recognition of the work she has done as a Collection Holder to secure plants in cultivation through their rediscovery and propagation. As a keen plantsman Sir Cedric cultivated many striking forms of bearded iris, naming 90 varieties which he bred at Benton End. Sarah has succeeded in tracing 25 of them and worked with Howard’s Nursery to bring them back to the market.
Wine, cheese and biscuits will be served. Non- alcohol drinks and tea and coffee will also be available.
Saturday June 22rd 2019 2.30pm
Garden visit (just for us) to Elwy Lodge, West Bowers Road,
Woodham Walter CM9 6RZ – David and Laura Cox
This garden has been recommended by a number of our members and has been featured in the Saturday Telegraph as an Essex garden that must be seen.
David will give us a talk on arrival about the development of the garden. Tucked away in the gentle Essex countryside the garden has been developed over the last 18 years – flowing lawns, herbaceous borders, roses, clematis, trees, wildlife pond and small meadow area. A secluded chamomile scented lower garden with raised veg beds and fruit trees leads to a summer house with amazing views. There are plenty of seats throughout the garden so you can sit and enjoy.
The cost of admission, tea and cakes will be met by the group but we will need to know approx. numbers for this visit please.
Saturday July 13th 2019 6.30pm Mid-Anglia AGS Members only
Rod and Jane Leeds, Chestnuts, Whelp Street,
Preston St. Mary, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 9NL
We must thank Rod and Jane for inviting us to their garden for strawberries and cream. Members know that this is a very special garden with lots of different plants for everyday of the year. I think we all know how privileged we are to have this plant lovers’ garden to visit on a regular basis. See how the garden has developed at this time of the year—we last had strawberries here in 2012. There is just so much to see. The area around the extension is now maturing, the garden across the road has had further plantings; we should see orchids in the meadow and lots of summer bulbs and unusual perennials. Hopefully the weather will be kind to us so we can enjoy a lovely summer’s evening together.
Look out for signs as to where to park.
Wine, strawberries & cream will be provided. Non-alcoholic drinks
Saturday August 17th 2019 from 2pm
Annual Bulb Sale
Fullers Mill Garden, West Stow, Bury St Edmunds IP28 6HD
Courtesy of “Perennial”
Fullers Mill Garden is an enchanting 7 acre creation on the banks of the river Lark.
It is a plantsman’s collection of uncommon and unusual shrubs, perennials, lilies and marginal plants. Bernard Tickner (sadly no longer with us) spent over 50 years designing and making a garden of truly year-round interest. As well as an enjoyable social event, there is the opportunity to purchase bulbs not readily available elsewhere. This event keeps the Mid-Anglia group financially afloat and allows us to invite speakers from far and wide.
Please come along and bring bulbs to sell (50/50) if you have a few to spare. Doug is always looking for “the rare”, “the desirable” and ”the unusual” to auction.
We will have 2 guest nurseries: Edrom Nursery, Terry and Cath Hunt who offer an extensive range of unusual shade loving woodland plants and unusual alpines and “the Belgians”,Wim Boens, Ruben Billiet and Eddy Tijtgat with their very special bulbs and bulbous plantsfor all seasons and all garden conditions.
Friends and family welcome.
There is plenty of parking and free refreshments.
Saturday September 7th 2019
Coach Trip to East Ruston Old Vicarage Gardens
We haven’t run a coach trip for a while so Ruth Jones is organising one for us. This fine modern garden is unique in the huge range of plants that grow there from desert cacti to prehistoric tree ferns. This is possible primarily because of its location close to the North sea where severe frosts are a rarity and because the shelter belts surrounding the garden further improve the micro climate. The 32 acres contain many gardens from exotic to Mediterranean to desert.
The National Colchicum collection is held here.
There is a nursery, plant sales and tea room.
The plan is to pick up the coach in Lavenham car park.
See leaflet available at the meetings for info and booking forms.
Saturday October 19th 2019 2.30pm
Razvan Chisu “Romanian Mountain Plants
Born in Transylvania, Raz grew up in a town surrounded by vast woodlands and wild flower meadows. After graduating, he worked for 2 years in the herbarium at his local Botanical Gardens before becoming a self employed plantsman in Romania and now the UK. A self confessed “plantaholic” – his interests range from alpines and bulbs, succulents, fruit, heirloom vegetables, ferns and orchids to perennials and shrubs.
He is involved with many Plant Societies eg. HPS, Plant Heritage, Saxifrage Society, East Cheshire AGS.
He is also leading some tours and is involved in designing plant displays including Chelsea for the AGS.
He will be bringing plants for sale.
Plant stall, raffle, display table and boards. Please bring contributions.
Saturday November 9th 2019 2.30pm
AGM and Members’ contributions
After the main formalities of the AGM have been completed we can enjoy members’ contributions – we are looking for 3 or 4 volunteers. If you have some interesting images (or slides-we can still accommodate those!) of plants in the wild or in cultivation please volunteer.
If you would prefer to bring plant material to talk about that would be welcome too. It is very informal and enjoyable so please contribute!
Plant stall, raffle and display table and boards. Please bring contributions.
Saturday December 14th 2019 2.30pm
Martin Fish “Creating our North Yorkshire Garden”
We are extremely fortunate to have Martin to talk to us at our Christmas meeting. For 5 years he ran the award winning Harrogate Flower Shows. He is a writer, broadcaster, lecturer, gardening consultant and RHS judge. With over 35 years of experience he is passionate about all things gardening and has a wealth of practical knowledge and expertise to share with us.
Please bring festive goodies to eat – the drinks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic will be provided.
Plant stall, raffle and display table and boards. Please bring contributions.
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