WHY NOT JOIN A GARDENING CLUB?

Saturday October 6,2007

By Alan Titchmarsh

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Real hands-on gardeners find it difficult to hang up their boots in winter but it’s the perfect time to catch up on theory, learn something new and compare notes with other enthusiasts.

That’s when membership of a specialist society really pays off and when you have a particular gardening passion – be it cacti, alpines or hardy perennials – there are lots of good reasons why it’s worthwhile belonging to one.

Members receive regular magazines or newsletters that carry a wealth of information from other members and keep you in touch with new developments.

They also carry adverts from small nurseries you’d never hear of otherwise. And some societies have their own seed exchange scheme, allowing you to send off for free home-saved seed or donate some of your own if you want.

Most of the bigger national societies have local groups who hold meetings in winter.

There are also lectures given by experts who can go into far more detail in their specialist area when the audiences are all real enthusiasts, so you have information “straight from the horse’s mouth” that often never even finds its way into books.

Some groups also organise plant sales, where you can buy other members’ surplus plants and take your own along to sell, which can be an excellent way of collecting unusual varieties at bargain-basement prices.

Groups sometimes arrange special events like plant fairs, one-day conferences or open days at members’ gardens.

Others arrange coach trips in summer to remote nurseries, shows or gardens or even short-break holidays, which can be enjoyable since you’re travelling with people who share your particular gardening passion.

Find out about special interest groups such as the Hardy Plant Society, Cottage Garden Society, Saintpaulia and Houseplant Society and the Alpine Garden Society on the internet. Members are automatically sent details of local groups and their meetings.

But you can also find out which societies have local groups meeting in your area by asking at large local libraries, which will keep details of what goes on locally.

Join now, at the start of the subscription year, and enjoy the benefits of membership during the whole winter “meetings season”.

WITH GARDENS THE LIFE BECOME VERY SWEET

27.12.07, 10:41am

The gardens creat fantastic life when you get up with group of flowers , birds and sweet face, the birds sing in the morning talking with breath of flowers . every day listening new song. The nature must be stay for ever without destroying the environment by enemies who hate the beatiful days. my dear friends of gardens who like , come on to join with them and accept the challenges

• Posted by: algalban • Report Comment