GARDENING CLUB: Members had the opportunity to purchase plants supplied by David Stowe's Nurseries to make a lovely summer show in hanging baskets and tubs. We then heard Betty Houghton's talk 'In a Monastery Garden'. Before monastic times a garden was a magical natural place such as a grove or mead, and was appreciated for its beauty, a veritable home for the gods. The monasteries led the way into cultivation. Monks obtained seeds on their pilgrimages. Their daily life ordered that a third of the day was for manual labour, and this was mainly performed in the garden. Monastery gardens surrounded the chapels and chapter house built around a turfed cloister. The gardens were separate rectangles, the size depending on the importance of the monks' office and the plants cultivated were chosen for the duties of that office. The largest was for the almoner who gave a third of its produce to the poor. Another, conveniently placed next to the cemetery, was for the infirmer who used opiates from the poppy to ease the pains of the sick. The kitchener grew herbs, nasturtiums and marigolds to flavour the pottage that formed the monks' daily meal, the refectorer rushes for the floors; and the precentor flowers to make coloured inks and dyes for the manuscripts. There was also a pleasure garden for orphan boys to play in, a rosary, and a garden called paradise growing scented flowers for the chapel. Between 1536 and 1540, the 800 monasteries suppressed by Henry VIII had disappeared. There was no other group of people who knew so much about husbandry and gardening and the uses of plants, and this skill and knowledge provided a foundation for future generations. Colin Ware thanked the speaker who had tackled every aspect of a Monastery Garden, we had all learnt a lot. Daphne Beadle won the competition for an alpine.

WEDNESDAY CLUB: The chairman Mrs Joan Chaloner, opened the meeting with two sad items of news. The death of Mr N Field and the son of the ex-chairman Mrs Freda Baldwyn and her husband Stephen. On a more cheerful note - on entering the King Georges Hall, members were greeted with a decorative display of fans, provided by a few members, to complement a talk on the History of Fans. Unfortunately though, this talk was cancelled at short notice, but luckily Mrs Joan Brimblecombe of Chipping Camden gave a superb ad-lib talk, in which samplers featured almost as a catalyst, to a series of fascinating experiences, which began with an account of a search for some dark oak furniture polish. Episodes which followed included searches and finds in dusty antique shops, the land army, tracing family trees, treasure trove hidden in a hollow tree and so on. Talk about a busy life with a nose for detection - a fascinating afternoon. The luncheon outing to Bewdley took place on May 9 on a fine sunny day. An admirable meal was taken at the George Hotel and this allowed nearly an hour for diners to explore the river or the town centre. Then onto a visit to Webbs Garden Centre a Wychbold. Many of the 30 strong members loosened their purse strings and returned home burdened with an assortment of plants, cards and two delighted customers with two heavy tubs containing pelleted chicken manure. A bargain at two for the price of one! One can say that this was another successful outing arranged by programme secretary Mairie Phillipson.