Frome Inner Wheel held its annual Interclub meeting recently, with women from around the south west joining members in Beckington.
Renee Cole reports, “The ladies of Frome Inner Wheel held their annual Interclub at Beckington Village Hall on Thursday 16th March and it was attended by over 80 ladies from as far afield as Weymouth, Crewkerne and Weston-super-Mare.
“The lunch started with a drink on arrival, then a meal of lasagna, followed by an array of 17 delicious desserts which were made by the club’s ladies.
“After a delicious meal and coffee, and a lot of happy chatter, the ladies were treated to an after dinner speech given by the head gardener from Stourhead, Alan Power.
“Alan spoke of his life having grown up in Cork, Ireland, and how he learned to garden under the guidance and supervision of his mother, a world class flower arranger.
“He was hooked on gardening and the outdoor life from a young age. Alan came over to study Horticulture in England until 1995 when he returned to work at Mount Stewart, County Down, before returning to England in 2004.
“Alan said that he was inspired by Capability Brown who was an amazing man with a passion and kindness in his heart. He was very proud to come at work at Stourhead which is a National Trust property which inspires garden and wildlife lovers alike.
“People come, not just from all over this country, but worldwide, to see the beauty that we are so privileged to have on our doorstep. Alan said how he is so conscious of the fact that Stourhead and its gardens and building have been there for 300 years and that we have a duty to preserve and plant for others who will be enjoying them in another 300 years time. To this end he has five full time gardeners, two full time rangers and over 30 volunteers.”
