WEST OF SCOTLAND ROCK GARDEN GROUP

NEWSLETTER AUGUST’08

Dear Friends,

As I said in last year’s newsletter, I usually rate summer by the number of times I have been able to sit out in the warmth of the evening. Last year the score was 0. This year it is 4. Also, extraordinarily, I feel relieved that the recent heavy rain has restored fresher air and reduced the stifling humidity. It was certainly too hot to garden in the last two weeks.

Firstly, your committee would like to thank all those of you who contributed to the Glasgow show. We run one of the best shows of the calendar, and this is down to the efforts of our group stalwarts who give hours of their time and energy planning the event, manning the plant sales stand, welcoming the visitors, setting up the show tables, stewarding, which is a very exacting job, baking for the tearoom, washing up in that deep sink, lugging piles of crockery and cutlery to and from the venue, painstakingly recording the prize-winners, wearily clearing up, and last but by no means least, counting the money at the end of the day. I always marvel at the way the day runs, and its success, and that is down to you all.

Following last year’s successful Discussion Weekend, we are again organising a further conference at the Beardmore Hotel in Clydebank. This, as you may have heard from last year’s delegates, is an extremely comfortable hotel with its own purpose built Auditorium which last year we all found superb for the talks. There are places available still, so hurry and book up. The dates are: Friday 3^rd – Sunday 5^th October. I am enclosing a programme with this newsletter. The booking deadline is 15^th September. Anne Chambers is the Registration secretary: ‘Suilven’ Drumore Rd, Killearn, Glasgow G63 9NX. The booking forms were sent with the last two Rock Garden Journals.

Here is the new season’s programme of meetings at the Hopkirk Building, The Botanics:

Monday 20^th October: ‘Alpines and Bulbs from Mountain to Market’ - Rob Potterton of Potterton’s Nursery. This is the travelling speaker lecture and the dates for this meeting have been fixed well in advance. Please note the date is the 20^th – the third Monday.

We may clash with the Orchid society meeting, in which case we may be in the Kibble Palace, but there will be folk on hand to point you in the right direction.

Monday 10^th November: ‘The American Rockies’ Bette Ivey from Cupar, Fife. Bette is a former President of the Club and is an excellent speaker.

Monday 8^th December: ‘Introduction to Arisaemas’ – a talk prepared by our own Anne Chambers and delivered by Liz Mills of the Stirling group. This will be a treat, the photography is superb.

Monday 12^th January 2009: ‘Plant Photography’ – Duncan McEwan, Bridge of Weir. Duncan is a nature photographer who has been to many exotic locations but prefers to work in Scotland.

Monday 9^th February 2009: ‘Spanish Daffodils’ – Ian and Carole Bainbridge, Penicuik. Ian and Carole are a great team who have always given a superb talk. This will be a treat in anticipation of the coming spring.

Monday 9^th March 2009: ‘Growing and Showing’ – John Lee, Glasgow. Our group convenor will tell us how to prepare our plants for the showbench. There will be lots of tips and encouraging helpful guidelines on how to win prizes!

April: The second Monday is actually Easter Monday in ’09. The April ’08 meeting clashed with the Orchid group, and, as some of you know, the amount of traffic entering the Gardens on that evening, and parking in the grounds with the general public still on site, rather alarmed the Botanics rangers and management. For safety’s sake we have therefore decided not to have an April meeting in 2009.

We will organise a garden visit again next year. Our visit to Linn Botanic Garden in June was an absolute delight. The gardens there are so magical that you could imagine there are fairies. We will, of course let you know about any visit we arrange.

Other dates for your diary:

3^rd – 5^th October: Discussion Weekend at the Beardmore Hotel, Clydebank. See attached programme.

Saturday 8^th November: AGM and Grand Picnic. This will again be held at Stormont Hall, Perth Airport. Jens Nielsen will be giving the Clark Memorial Lecture.

Saturday 21^st February ‘09: Dunblane Early Bulb Display – this time the speakers will be Julia Corden, Rod Leeds, and David Millward

There will be a further newsletter in late February 2009 with more information.

Looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible, both at the Discussion Weekend, and in the coming season.