Edington & District Gardening Club – First Thursday in the month. 7.30pm Parish Hall
The November meeting welcomed Sally Nex, an excellent speaker talking on ‘Behind the Scenes at Chelsea’ entertaining us with lots of tales.
Sally is a gardener and author, and for the past 12 years has been reporting on the Show, this year reporting live for Radio Somerset. Press tent becomes home for the week together with 2-3000 journalists from all over the world. Did you know in 2006 a bore hole was drilled and has been in use ever since. It takes 3 weeks to put the show up and just one week to dismantle including relaying the lawn. The Pavillion stages very late on the Sunday evening as it is too hot for the plants. Walker bulbs hold the record for staging the latest at 3.00am in the morning on the Monday!
Plants are supplied by specialist nurseries for all the display gardens and costs are very high, a 5m x 7m can be up to £250,000, not including the design! The most expensive was sponsored by a London Jewellers a mere £20 million causing quite a challenge for security! The sponsors use the venue for entertaining in the evening. The brief for the show gardens is effect, so if the original plants are not available another can be substituted as long as it gives the same effect and colour. Despite it being a competition to gain Medals, everyone is very cooperative with each other to overcome any problems.
Foreign Gardens promote their Countries and Hilliers are the most decorated firm, for the past 73 years!
Did you know for example, David Austen Roses can take 7-10 years to launch a rose after over 150,000 crosses.
The December meeting will be our Christmas Social ( ticketed only). As usual there is no January meeting so see you on February 7th when we will have a talk by Lyn Miles on ‘The love of Snowdrops’.
We wish all our members and friends a Very Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year in the Garden.
Jacky Hiscock