WHETHER you are an avid allotment gardener or a content armchair dreamer who enjoys the beauty of the earth by others labours, the Frome Selwood Horticutural Society has talks to suit everyone, with good social company every month.
The latter part of the year saw a welcome to Stephen Griffiths, who spoke on ‘Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Past, Present and Future’.
This 20 acre garden is filled with rare and exotic plants from around the world, but is very much a “borrowed landscape”, receiving the full range of weather that has shaped the Jurassic coastline for millennia. If viewing is believing then a visit is recommended to this award winning garden.
Pippa Rosen from Horningsham gave a talk on ‘Organic Seed Business’ in November. Working from the old kitchen garden of Longleat, she and her family have amassed a huge collection, and knowledge, of seeds, some heritage some new, but all with authenticity assured.
The society’s own David Moon gave the much anticipated December digital show of ‘The Garden’. Dave and Pru, whose own garden features in the National Garden Scheme Yellow Book, support the NGS whose remit over the past 85 years is “Gardening and Giving”, with many charities benefiting from the generosity of garden visitors. With wonderful pictures and suitable sound, Dave whetted the appetite to the joys of gardening in the UK, in any weather!
Getting back to basics in the New Year, David Usher from Taunton engaged the 58 strong membership with a talk on ‘The Answer Lies in the Soil’. His enthusiasm for all things geological and botanical was infectious, and has set the scene for the year ahead, with all that the seasons may bring.
As seasons turn, it was with great sadness that the FSHS marked the life of Derek Aldred, expert gardener, shower and judge who passed away suddenly in December. Derek brought to the society a quality of horticulture that will be hard to ever match.
Devoted to his subject, and equally his family, Derek’s legacy will be in the FSHS Frome Cheese Show stands that he took great pride in overseeing for over 25 years. In his memory, may his giant leeks, carrots and celery forever raise a smile.
The FSHS has its AGM on Tuesday 11th February at 7.30pm at Trinity Church Hall, Frome when a new committee will be elected. All welcome.
For more information visit www.fshs.pwp.blue yonder.co.uk or phone 01373 455277.
Jane Norris, press officer
