HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY: The speaker at the April meeting was Mr Peter Dodd a gardener and nurseryman from Longborough, who spoke about Perennial Solutions. Mr Dodd had brought a large selection of plants all of which he had grown, mostly from seed.

He talked about each of the different plants - the conditions it needed for successful growth and the ways in which the different plants could be grouped to give the best overall result in the garden.

Mr Dodd was thanked by Mr Everest and warmly applauded by his audience who also showed their appreciation by descending like a swarm of locusts so that Mr Dodd took home a much smaller selection of plants than he had set out with. Bookings were also taken for the day outing to the RHS garden at Wisley on June 5 and there is just one place still available for this visit.

Bookings will be taken at the May meeting for the evening outing on July 11 to the Old Vicarage Garden at Bledington.

The monthly competition for five cut narcissi attracted 15 entries. Mr Dodd awarded first prize to Mrs Joan Mustoe, second to Mrs Ruth Darbon and third to Mrs Ruth Manning. The speaker in May will be Rachel Salisbury who will be talking about The Plant Hunters and the monthly competition will be A Vase of Garden Flowers.