The beginning of April saw an entertaining talk by Graham Wagstaffe entitled Small Front Gardens. It centred on Grahams own front garden which he has divided up into several raised beds. In these, over the years and at different seasons, he has created superb displays from annuals and vegetables as well as shrubs. His talk gave many ideas for producing year-round colour and scent from spring bulbs through to summer and autumn annuals and biennials. Every year he grows a different selection of plants from cuttings, seeds and plug plants to startle and amaze his neighbours and passers-by. He likes to coordinate colours but is just as likely to use a dark beetroot for purple shades and a decorative corn for height, as the usual bedding plants. The large audience took away many ideas which surely will be seen around Alcester this year.

Next month, on May 5th the speaker will be Andrew Tolman who will be taking us down the byways with a talk entitled Off The Beaten Track-Hidden Gems.

Alcester Gardening Club always welcomes new members or guests. Membership is still £10 per year. The meetings are mostly on the first Thursday of every month at the Centre in Jubilee Court, St Faiths Road, Alcester. Guests can attend at any meeting for a fee of £2.50. Any enquiries can be made to the secretary on 01789 765105. Join in on the new facebook group Alcester Gardening Club.