Our Christmas meeting was very well attended by members, despite the icy pavements and freezing temperatures and it was great fun! One of our members, Sonya Seth Batra and her friend Rashmi Bhatt, both skilled floral artists, demonstrated two floral displays for Christmas. Sonya told us about how, as a child, she got involved in flower arranging, but her career as a Doctor and family commitments got in the way and only in her retirement has she taken up flower arranging again. At the beginning of her demonstration, Sonya explained that the display should follow the shape of the receptacle in which the arrangement is to be displayed. The first arrangement in a florist basket was as wide as the basket and as tall as the handle and filled with evergreen foliage and seasonal cones as well as yellow, orange and red blooms. Sonya explained that blooms of those colours are eye catching and good for floral display. The second circular display had at its centre a white candle, surrounded by variegated holly, pine cones and white and yellow blooms. Sonya explained that variegated foliage is good to use as it lightens the display. After the demonstration members made their own displays and they were all beautifully arranged. In the words of one member – “I didn’t realise how a few leaves so artfully placed could look so impressive”. See our gallery page for pictures of our displays. While members were busy making their arrangements they were served with mulled wine and mince pies by committee members. The best mince pies in Aldersbrook were made by committee member, Janet Hayes. A great time was had by all!!

Before the fun part of the meeting began the AGM took place and the Annual Report and Financial Report were unanimously agreed by members present. The officers and committee were elected unopposed.

A special focus was the addition of two roses to the Apothecary’s Garden.

This area of the garden is planted with plants which have health giving properties: such as sage, rosemary, mint, bay, lavender and now two roses.

*Nye Bevan (Aneurin Bevan 1897 – 1960) The Welsh Labour Party MP who campaigned for a National Health Service. He was Minister of Health 1945 – 1951. The NHS Act was passed in1946 and launched in 1947. Bevan resigned in 1951 when the government voted to bring in charges for dental care, spectacles and prescriptions.

.

.

At our October Meeting we were delighted to welcome Ros Epson to talk to about meadows. Ros is an early adopter of garden meadows having planted one in her garden 20 years ago. Who knew there are so many different types of meadows? Alpine meadows, wet meadows, dry meadows, forest meadows, grass meadows, high meadows, low meadows and even cultivated meadows.

If you would like to plant a meadow in your garden, remove all turf, scarify the soil and then sow your seeds. Watch and wait. When the meadow is established you will need to mow it at the appropriate times, leave the cuttings for two days so the seed falls from the flower heads and then rake up all the cuttings for compost. if this sounds like hard work you could consider buying a sheep or two or a couple of cattle to do the work for you! In summary, a meadow in your garden will make your heart sing with joy, unless you are a garden footballer – in which case stay with grass as a trampled meadow will make you cry.

Judith McCann, Secretary AHS.