IT was confirmed at the November meeting that the Group has been chosen to fly the flag for the Society at next year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The theme of our stand will be 60 plants for 60 years to mark the anniversary of the Society nationally with the emphasis on strong colours, and preparations are now well underway.

Neil Cook, Head Gardener at Hanbury Hall, then gave a brief history of the National Trust property and described how work had been carried out to return the gardens to George London’s original formal design, based on a map from 1732. Brightly coloured plants appropriate to the period have been used such as cannas, and the planting spaced out to reflect the 18th Century desire to see soil. Very different from the dense planting favoured today.

We next meet on Saturday, 10 December at Crowle Parish Hall, WR7 4AZ. Christmas lunch at 1pm – please bring a plate of food to share – followed at approximately 2pm by ‘Flowers in the City’ presented by Michael Warren: photographer, writer, and judge for the London Gardens Society and the Worshipful Company of Gardeners. Visitors welcome at £3. www.worcs-hardy-plant.org.uk

JAYNE SAVAGE