The \u2018lockdown\u2019 has given us time to wander more around our gardens.\u00a0 I am sure that I am not alone in stopping by a particular plant and memories come flooding back of the day it was purchased, or when it was given to me by a friend. Here are some of the memories of plants and flowers still living in the minds (and\/or gardens) of the Gardening Club members.<\/p>\n
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My own very special memory is of walking down a long flight of stone steps to the village of Ravello.\u00a0 All the way down on each side were large fragrant white \u2018Angel\u2019s Trumpets\u201d; I knew them as datura<\/em> but I think that the proper name is brugmansia<\/em>.\u00a0 You will have to use your imagination dear reader as a small picture of them would not do justice to this lovely plant – look out for them when you eventually travel again to Italy and the Amalfi coast!<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n For Glen, creating a garden is one of life’s pleasures. She has poignant memories from cuttings and divisions given to her by friends. Her collection contains a low-growing Erigeron<\/em> which produces pink daisy like flowers in early summer; a cutting from a loyal and fun friend in Bishop’s Stortford, about 40 years ago.\u00a0 (Some members will remember these delicate flowers spreading profusely down steps in the garden of Great Dixter, Christopher Lloyd\u2019s home.)\u00a0 A Convolvulus cneorum <\/em>from the same era is a descendent of a cutting given to Glen by a friend – slightly tender but produces lovely white trumpet-like flowers.\u00a0 Glen purchased an origanum \u201cRossenkuppel <\/em>during a visit to Coton Manor in Northamptonshire and Anthemis punctata cupaniana <\/em>from Beth Chatto\u2019s garden in Elmstead Market. Both\u00a0 are good candidates for our dry Thriplow and Fowlmere gardens.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Roses seem to be a favourite flower.\u00a0 Joy wanted to share her special memory of being given a lovely rose called \u2018Mum in a million\u201d on Mother\u2019s Day. Rosemary has two very special plants in her garden commemorating the births of her granddaughters – David Austin roses Charlotte <\/em>and Evel<\/em>y<\/em>n<\/em>. Apparently Evelyn, with pretty pinky\/apricot petals, blooms first as if to say \u201chello everyone I\u2019m here!\u201d. Charlotte is shyer and peeks out more slowly – just as beautiful with paler yellow flowers, it makes Rosemary smile as the roses seem to echo the different personalities of the girls!\u00a0 Jill\u2019s rose – a lovely yellow Rosa Banksia \u2018Lutea\u201d climbs eagerly over her garden arch, framing the path to the stream. This was bought at a Plant Fayre organised at Burwash Manor by Andrew Sankey, a popular speaker at our Club meetings.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Margaret\u2019s memories of living and travelling abroad would fill a book but here are a few of her memories. While living in Hong Kong with her husband and young children she had a small garden in the middle of which was a bauhinia tree <\/em>– the flower of which featured on the new (1977) Hong Kong\u00a0 flag.\u00a0 The wonderful pink flowers dominated the garden and the tree provided much needed shade and space for a swing!\u00a0 Frangipani<\/em> with its gorgeously cream and white scented flowers; yellow trumpet flowers; red hibiscus<\/em>;<\/em> bougainvillea<\/em> on the walls –\u00a0 what a memory!\u00a0 But it doesn\u2019t end there!<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n After 20 years in the tropics, Margaret moved to North Virginia in the USA experiencing life and gardening through the four seasons for the first time. Winter: snow and ice.<\/p>\n In her own words \u201cMy son (then 6) took a frosty leaf into school for \u2018show and tell\u2019! <\/em>In spring, \u00a0the cherry trees <\/em>,all along our road<\/em>, blossomed white and pink<\/em> and the red azaleas bloomed. The dogwood tree at the bottom of the garden danced with white f<\/em>lowers. The maples were a stunning rosy chestnut. In summer we learned how to plant annuals to make our flowerbeds look as neat and colourful as our neighbours\u2019. The lawn work was done by cheerful Mexicans. Autumn<\/em>,<\/em> and the colours of the maples and all the deciduous trees amazed us. We travelled to the Blue Ridge Mountains to be surrounded by all the hues from yellow to red to mahogany. What richness, what change<\/em>!<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Now Margaret is back in her lovely English garden making new memories day after day\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Follow that – sorry but I can\u2019t!<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Keep smiling!\u00a0 Keep gardening!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The \u2018lockdown\u2019 has given us time to wander more around our gardens.\u00a0 I am sure that I am not alone in stopping by a particular plant and memories come flooding back of the day it was purchased, or when it … Continue reading