If you were at our meeting when Becky Groves was the speaker, you may not be surprised to hear that Groves Nursery has done well in the Greatest Garden Centre Awards.
This is from their latest newsletter:
"Thank You
You may remember in previous newsletters that we were asking for votes if you thought that Groves was the greatest garden centre. Well, we are delighted to announce that Groves Nurseries won two catagories in the Greatest Garden Centre Awards for 2011. The judges came out and met us late in May, had a chat with our plant area sales team and took loads for photos and as a result we won the prize of the Greatest Plant Area Sales Team in the South West. But even better than that, the votes that all of our loyal customers cast ment that we were voted the Greatest Garden Centre Team in the UK. So I would just like to take this oppertunity to thank everybody who took the time to vote for us during May and also for all of the kind comments that were written on the voting slips."
More here - Groves July Newsletter
Friday, July 29, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Trip to Ourganics, Litton Cheney
Surprise, surprise, after the days and days of rain, one of the first things Pat Bowcock described to us as we started the tour was how, 12 years ago the water table was but a spade depth below the surface, it is now (and remember this is a managed water meadow) about 5 spits down. Someone asked if that was just this year after the dry spring, but apparently not, it's been for at least 3 years.
Pat guided us through the forest garden, where trees and vegetable production complement one another. Then on to the pit dug for a Hugel bed which she is going to experiment with. Ian, one of our members (Rosemary's) brother-in-law, traded tips, advice and information with Pat on this form of cultivation which uses buried woody material as a source of both nutrients and moisture retention, whilst at the same time creating a raised, easy access bed. (Here is someone else's illustration of the method).
Then on through the raised vegetable beds, with sides made from old scaffold boards, and where the gravel paths double as water courses. Near them is a solar powered water pump for controlled watering in the 18 metre polytunnel, which was our next stop. There, Pat produces much of her salad crop, a significant contributor to her income. Beside the polytunnel were dry-method comfry bins, quietly dripping comfry juice fertiliser for use all round Ourganics.
Beyond, we found the two caravans for visiting helpers and near them, the very free range hens.
Passing the hives, we could see that Pat also keeps bees, but she lingered longer at her straw loos - the finest (and double berth too) in the country she told us.
Back outside her cabin we gathered to ask yet more questions about her life and the permaculture method. Warming in the background at Pat's campfire were our baked potatoes, with Kate laying out the food which she, Pat, Rosemary (S) and Trish had prepared.
After washing up, with sun-heated water, and just as the last of the days light faded, we headed back to Drimpton, over two dozen of us, not necessarily inspired to exactly follow in Pat's footsteps, but certainly wiser about a significantly more sustainable lifestyle and methods of cultivation.
Now we just await the book Pat!
There is more information on Ourganics here and also on Permaculture.
Pat guided us through the forest garden, where trees and vegetable production complement one another. Then on to the pit dug for a Hugel bed which she is going to experiment with. Ian, one of our members (Rosemary's) brother-in-law, traded tips, advice and information with Pat on this form of cultivation which uses buried woody material as a source of both nutrients and moisture retention, whilst at the same time creating a raised, easy access bed. (Here is someone else's illustration of the method).
Then on through the raised vegetable beds, with sides made from old scaffold boards, and where the gravel paths double as water courses. Near them is a solar powered water pump for controlled watering in the 18 metre polytunnel, which was our next stop. There, Pat produces much of her salad crop, a significant contributor to her income. Beside the polytunnel were dry-method comfry bins, quietly dripping comfry juice fertiliser for use all round Ourganics.
Beyond, we found the two caravans for visiting helpers and near them, the very free range hens.
Passing the hives, we could see that Pat also keeps bees, but she lingered longer at her straw loos - the finest (and double berth too) in the country she told us.
Back outside her cabin we gathered to ask yet more questions about her life and the permaculture method. Warming in the background at Pat's campfire were our baked potatoes, with Kate laying out the food which she, Pat, Rosemary (S) and Trish had prepared.
After washing up, with sun-heated water, and just as the last of the days light faded, we headed back to Drimpton, over two dozen of us, not necessarily inspired to exactly follow in Pat's footsteps, but certainly wiser about a significantly more sustainable lifestyle and methods of cultivation.
Now we just await the book Pat!
There is more information on Ourganics here and also on Permaculture.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
RHS Hampton Court Flower Show - 5th to 10th July
Update from the RHS with details of winners:
"The I am, because of who we are Garden," designed by Caroline Comber with Petra Horackova, won Best in Show; the best Small Garden goes to the "Heathers in Harmony Garden," designed by Will Quarmby; "Landscape Obscured," designed by Dan Lobb, won best Conceptual Garden; and the winner of best Poet’s Garden was awarded to "On the Sea" by Barry Chambers.
For more information visit: Hampton Court Flower Show
"The I am, because of who we are Garden," designed by Caroline Comber with Petra Horackova, won Best in Show; the best Small Garden goes to the "Heathers in Harmony Garden," designed by Will Quarmby; "Landscape Obscured," designed by Dan Lobb, won best Conceptual Garden; and the winner of best Poet’s Garden was awarded to "On the Sea" by Barry Chambers.
For more information visit: Hampton Court Flower Show
Monday, July 4, 2011
Highgrove coach
Monday 11th July - Highgrove
Coach departs
Drimpton Village Hall 09:30
Clapton Village Hall 09:45
Crewkerne town hall at 10:00
Don't forget passports or other photo ID and lunch to have en route. The Highgrove website is here
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