Excursions
Sunday 30th March 2008
Fuchsiavale Nursery and Stratford-upon-Avon
Our first trip of the year is to Fuchsiavale Nurseries near Kidderminster to select our fuchsias for the season from a choice of over 200 cultivars. The nursery is the home of award winning fuchsias, with over 30 years’ dedication to growing perfect plants. Their range covers plants suitable for shrubs, baskets, uprights, standards and includes hardies and triphyllas. They also sell pelargoniums (angels, choice and regal) and other plants including penstemons. On our way back we will be calling in at Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, steeped in history and culture on the banks of the river Avon. Stratford is a small town with architecture from the original medieval town grid structure mixed in with the modern. It is a thriving town of fine old buildings and wide streets, and is easily walked round. If you don’t feel energetic then you can relax by the river with your ice cream and watch the swans, boats and people go by until it is time to leave.
Sunday 29th June 2008
Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew.
Kew is a firm favourite with the society and wonderful to visit at any time of year.
It covers over 300 acres with extensive gardens and botanical greenhouses. It is also home to some 1400 trees, including some of the finest specimens in the UK. For the visitor the gardens are divided into three distinct areas, each taking between two to three hours to visit, so there is plenty to see. Other attractions include the Sackley Crossing (the new bridge over the lake); the Great Pagoda (the replica of part of a Japanese Temple); the tallest indoor plant in the world (52 feet in 2004 and still growing!) and the world’s largest compost heap. Scheduled to open in May 2008 is the Rhizotron and Xstrata Treetop Walk in the heart of the garden, again well worth a visit and something new. The garden includes the recently restored and reopened Kew Palace, for which entry is by timed ticket only and bears an extra charge. The Orangery and Victoria Terrace Café are available for main meals or snacks or you could eat alfresco on char grilled meats etc at the White Peaks area, or take your own picnic. To round off the day why not visit the Garden Shop, the Cook Shop, the Book Shop or the Gift Shop?
Sunday 10th August 2008
Royal Horticultural Society Garden, Wisley
Wisley is a very beautiful garden, renowned for its collection of lillies, gentians, Japanese irises, primulas and water plants, with a romantic half-timbered Tudor style building set near the entrance. To provide interest for the visitor it has many features, including a canal designed by Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe, a rock garden, formal gardens and walled gardens. Other things to see and do include lakes, mixed borders, herb gardens, a pinetum, a rose garden, several glasshouses, fruit fields, a country garden designed by Penelope Hobhouse and an arboretum, not forgetting the Alpine gardens and model vegetable gardens.
An added attraction is the recently opened new Bicentenary Glasshouse, covering 3000 square metres housing desert, temperate and tropical plants from all over the world. A restaurant, cafes, coffee shops gift shop and plant sales will add to the pleasure of a good day out.
Sunday 31st August 2008
Gardeners’ Weekend, Kings Heath, Birmingham
Stunning floral displays, prize-winning fruit and vegetables and an array of plants and equipment to look at and to buy make a perfect day out to round off the gardening calendar. Over 100 trade stands offer plenty of bargains and in the floral marquees all the exhibitors are specialist growers and RHS medal winners. Other attractions include an opportunity to meet the experts and quiz them about your gardening problems or to visit the French Market and Craft Fair. There is also plenty of staged entertainment including jazz and nostalgia, display and demonstrations by the West Midlands Woodcarvers and of course a whole range of food and drink outlets to whet your appetite.