A large gathering of 63 gardeners met under the shade of a grove of gum trees within the spacious and rambling country garden of Judy and Keith Caldwell last Wednesday for Gloucester Garden Club’s October meeting.
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There were 55 members and eight visitors present and one new member, Eve Pawson from Wards River presented with her membership badge.
Judy Caldwell gave a history of their garden, “Makeny,’ in Bowman Farm, prior to other items of interest, including reports on the Waukivory spring fair, a walkabout through Gloucester District Park as part of National Garden Week, and membership convener Bruce Barnes reported that the club presently has a membership of 101.
A visit to Karamea Homestead has been arranged through National Parks and Wildlife Service for the April 18, 2018 meeting. One organised bus trip next year has been planned to visit the Plant Lovers Fair at Kariong in September.
The club’s Christmas party will be held on Wednesday, November 22 at Bev and Peter Jackson’s property, Fairbairns Road.
Margaret Blamires presented what to do in the garden over the next summer months, and also demonstrated how to prune a kalanchoe plant after its finishes flowering.
A sago palm was identified for Diana Rosenbaum, Sharon Blanch showed a cutting of the Gloucester Pine (which has various other names), Kerry Marston explained her bush or dwarf beans, and Shirley Hazell showed her poppy plants, and an arrangement in which the silver-backed poplar cuttings were growing.
There was a very large range of plants in the flower competition, with Frank Beggs winning with his Louisiana iris, Peter Hazell with a phalaenosis orchid second and Merlene Curby’s cymbidium orchid third. In the much smaller vegie section, Peter Hazell’s onion was first, Terry Curby’s beetroot second and Merlene Curby third. Helen Evans won both the lucky door and membership draws, and raffle winners were Helen Thomson, two wins for our newest member Eve Pawson, Elaine Maslen and Nessie Young.
Members enjoyed a stroll around the extensive gardens and then morning tea in the lovely new covered area.