The Frome Selwood Horticulture Society opened its March meeting with a tribute to Denis Edwards, past treasurer, who had died recently aged 91.
Society President Pam Secker recalled how Denis and his wife Joyce had joined the Society soon after moving to Frome in 1986.
Joyce was very much the gardener, although Denis did Grow and Show as well. Jane Norris recalls how Denis gave up dahlias when he lost his dahlia tubers to damping off and could no longer compete with stalwart growers, Ken Secker and Neville Baily. He later found out they had also lost their stock but had bought more!
Denis served a total of 22 years as Treasurer, and saw an opening to raising more funds by introducing a Potting Shed sale at the annual plant sale. Joyce put up with the fact that he had more in his shed after the sale than before!
Denis was a considerable presence in Frome, and as his like are passing on, so the gardening fraternity acknowledge with gratitude how life is about passing on stories, skills and experiences. (Full obituary to follow).
Speaker for the night, Jon Mason from Highfield Garden World in Whitminster, followed the President’s address and lifted the spirits with his talk on pruning; not any old pruning, but pruning of everything from hard wood to soft shoots and all the plants in between. Proper tools were the key and also not to follow the rules to the letter.
This sentiment tallied with the January speaker, organic gardener, writer and chef Stephanie Hafferty, from Bruton, who add libbed with her talk on ‘Making Garden Potions’ when her trusted assistant, the lap top, failed. The sixty or so gathered, got the drift however, and were regaled with some intoxicating suggestions for drinks, food and medicinal remedies.
The committee were re-elected en-bloc at the AGM; Chairman Ray Carver will be pleased that he has a hard working team as the Society progresses into its 50th year.
The next meeting will be on Tuesday 19th April at 7.15pm at Critchill School, with a talk on Foliage and Stem Interest.
Please see the website at www.fshs.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk for more details or call Jane on 01373 462162 / 0777 620 8531.
Jane Norris Press Officer FSHS
