SELF-employed consultant organic horticulturalist, garden designer, writer and speaker, Nicola Hope, brought her world to the Frome Selwood Horticulture Society on a recent monthly talk.
Press officer for the society, Jane Norris reports, “Holder of the prestigious title of RHS Master of Horticulture, Malmesbury-based Nicola brought her mindset of ‘Happy Plants: Happy Minds’, and left her mark on the joy of gardening with a veritable display of photos, many replicated on her Instagram account.
“Yew pyramids in the snow; Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Primavera’ (Witch hazel) flowering on bare stems; Magnolia ‘Star Wars’; and for small gardens Fritillaria meleagris; Tulipa ‘Shirley’ or ‘China Pink’, were just a few of her favourite things.
“Nicola suggested deadheading in June to increase vigour, water spray aphids, avoid ferrous sulphate slug pellets, which can harm songbirds and hedgehogs, and purchasing bare rooted plants. Not only are they cheaper, but they have less potential for soil borne bugs and are often stronger as they have been field grown.
“Nicola enthusiastically lived her talk, saying have fun with structures, plant circular and in crop rotation, make compost, feed the soil, chose suppliers carefully and use pollinator plants. Her parting comment was organic is no different to conventional gardening. We have history to prove for that, when we can all learn from the ways of the past.”
The FSHS meets on the second Tuesday of the month: Critchill School, Nunney Road, BA11 4LD. Talks begin at 7.30pm so please be assembled by 7.20pm. New members and visitors welcome.
For more information, please contact Jane on 0777 620 8531 or email: jane.norris9@gmail.com