Since finding this website, I've found some really friendly gardeners/allotment holders so I plucked up the courage to join a local gardening group last night,
Went along to my first meeting and to my double horror first my mum-in-law phoned me on the mobile(I forgot to switch it off) in the middle of a slide show,
AND just to really make an impression when the lights went up, I noticed that I was the only one in denims and a rugby top( not a dirty or cheap one) but boy did I feel underdressed.
Undeterred, I've signed up for a trip to Galloway Garden Festival taking in Logan Botanics Garden,
Things can only get better ;D
Does anyone know anything about these places?
thanks all. :)
Hi Scotch-Mist,
I visited Logan a few years back in July, it was fantastic, the place is so exotic, I could smell it in the air. I bought some Dierama seed in the shop, and it has been spread all over in gardens I work in. You will really enjoy it.
Brian
Hi Gardenantics, I'll be going at the end of May, really looking forward to it , It will be nice to here people talking normal again(they all talk funny here ;D)
Glad you mentioned the Dierma seed , I thought they were saying Demerrera last night and couldn't figure out why they wanted to go all that way to buy sugar when the shop in the nearest town sells it ;D ;D ;D
Seriously though, I don't know anything about Dierma but intend to buy some seeds , plant then and surprise myself .
Dierama is such a beautiful graceful plant, commonly known as angels
fishing rods. I grew some from seed and they were so slow that I
gave up seeing them in flower. But last year they were in flower for the first time
and were beautiful.
Debs
I'd Just like to ask. Who here belongs to a gardening club? Other than A4All of course!
If you do, do you find it worthwhile? What sort of activities do you do as a group? Most importantly how do you get on with your fellow members?
Its just i am thinking about joining a local club and would like to hear other peoples experiences.
Thanks.
Garden Cadet, My experience on Tuesday night can only be compaired to when I was a wean and the park-keeper used to chase us out of the park for kicking and rolling in the newly swept up leaves,
I understand NOW what the crime was but back then I thought he was just a cranky old man (he was about 30 and I was about 7).
HOWEVER, I might have been the youngest one there , and been totally intimidated, but I didn't show it, and I will be going back.
Hopefully, everyone will realize I love gardening and only want to learn from their vast wealth of knowledge, and not pick their flowers.
I would say GO FOR IT , what have you got to lose?
Keep me posted how you get on and I'll let you know how the next time goes.
Some day I would like to think that someone could learn from me.
One of the nextdoor neighbours says we should all join the gardening club down our street because everyone puts out hanging baskets in summer.It is not a competiition, but we all look at each others. I might do it to learn more.
I do. Mostly lottie stuff, but keen flower growers too. Meet once a month & aim to get to most of them.Monthly talks, guest speakers, how-to-do demonstrations, etc. Monthly newsletter.Informal library (I've currently got Bob Flowerdew's 'bible'), seed/plants for sale (minimal cost, like 20p..goes to general fund) great new friends (and that's how come I knew loads of the peeps on the GW Lottie programme.) Discount for King's Seeds. Low annual sub + £1 per meeting for guests. Great people. Great fun. Give it a go, Richard. Nothing to lose and hey! committees are always looking for more active members. Let us know how you get on, and best of luck.
My problem is starting something like that and going for the first time. I lack confidence when meeting new people. Once 'in' and started i am fine. I'd really like to join a club. I need something do do of an evening, having recently had to give up a two night a week activity i had done for years.
I agree Garden Cadet,
My hardest night was probably my first as I too lack confidence meeting new people.
Hi there
Ok I admit ......I belong to the Cottage Garden Society Dorset and the national branch. I also attend (as a visitor) the NCCPG in Wimborne once a month and I am also the youngest member there (and I'm not that young) but I do enjoy their talks/slide shows. I also manage to bag a nice plant or two at £1 most times which is an added bonus. I also try and look brave but I keep my mouth very much closed. I have just recently offered to the the Organiser of the Dorset Country Cottage Gardeners so that should throw me into the centre of things.
I enjoy it though and it keeps me out of trouble. ;D
I belong to the local Horticultural Society -they only have one or two meetings a year amd the odd trip out, so we don't really have to get on with them :)
The main benefit is the shows, one of these days I really will enter something, especially the summer one which is more of a big summmer fete with a horticultural show attached, it's the main event in the village. Come to think of it I have entered something and won prizes -my daughter in the running race (first time she was wearing duck wellies and still came 3rd).
derbex: That seems a strange set up. How does the society get any thing done or organise anything with only 2 meetings a year? Surely it would be better once a month, which seems the norm for most clubs and societies.