AT the end of June, 49 people joined the group’s five day garden tour, brilliantly organised for the final time by David Pollitt and his family. On the journey to the hotel in Tiverton, we visited three very different private gardens in Wiltshire. Day one in Devon took us to Marwood Hill and RHS Rosemoor - and the coach began to fill with plants. On day two we headed to Exeter and the day began at an excellent nursery - with more plants finding their way onto the coach. A pattern was developing! After Bickham Gardens we headed to Burrow Farm near Axminster with thirteen acres of gardens on the side of a valley. It rained on day three but we stoically plodded around Keith Wiley’s On the Wild Side, and The Garden House. Back at the hotel, began the difficult job of loading plants onto the coach, whilst still leaving enough room for suitcases. There were two stops in Somerset on the way home at stunning Cothay Manor and then East Lambrook Manor, before we arrived home tired but happy. Photographs of all 12 gardens visited can be found at: www.worcs-hardy-plant.org.uk

JAYNE SAVAGE