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Shirley Takes Silver Gilt At Chelsea
During the first two weeks of July, I had the privilege of
being part of a team that had a show garden at Hampton Court
Palace flower show.
I attend Berkshire College of Agriculture, part time to study
for the National Certificate in Horticulture (Garden Design).
My class of 10 students were invited to submit a design, on
behalf of the college, to the Royal Horticultural Society in
the small garden category. Each of us produced a design, but
the idea of the 'Snakes and Ladders' garden was immediately recognised
as an idea that would appeal to the judges, and more importantly,
the public.
The snakes and ladders game represents a story of our own
journey through life. We all have a starting point and we can
make great progress and ascend, but we also have setbacks, and
will descend, eventually we will all reach the finishing line.
The budget for the garden was small, so we had to incorporate
many of the mature plants that had been grown at the college
and purchase the minimum of plug plants to grow on. The ladders
were made from coppiced Poplar and Birch trees from the college
grounds, and the snakes were created using heavy marine rope.
The week before the show the team worked long, hard days cementing
the ladders into holes in the ground, creating the chequer board
from boxes of low growing plants and gravel, tying the climbers
to the snakes and ladders and finally, planting, dead heading
and washing the thousands of plants.
The garden was finished off with a dice water feature, topiary
numbers on the board and a 3m wicker snake. We left on the Sunday
evening exhausted, but full of anticipation for the judge's result
on Tuesday.
I am very proud to say we won a silver gilt medal (no gold's
were awarded) and 'best in show' in our category. All the hard
work was forgotten and we accepted the public's constant praise
with huge smiles on our faces!
The garden was designed by Kevin Scully on 01635 200619.
Shirley Bradburn
Forget-Me-Not Gardening
Tel 01895 622728
Mob. 07941 869363
Email: Shirley@forgetmenott.co.uk
Swakeleys House Opening
Next open day is Sunday 3rd October from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Apologies for not reprinting the 4th July date but it was shown
in the Forthcoming Events section of the March edition.
Breakspear School
Parent's Association
The Association is pleased to announce the
outcome of its Pound Per Square Game, organised from the
Breakspear School Parent's Association stand at Ickenham Festival.
The lucky winner was Diane Farnish.
Parish Pump
Receipt is acknowledged, with grateful
thanks, of the following donations towards the cost of I.C.N.:
Anonymous from Glebe Close via Yvonne Watson,
Laurie Hadley via Ruth Gear, Ickenham Afternoon Townswomen's
Guild, Anonymous from Eleanor Grove, Mr W Harper of Austins Lane
via K. Browning, Festival of Ickenham Committee via David Thorpe,
Mrs Foley of Milton Road, Ruislip Operatic Society, Worker's
Education Association, Anonymous of Halford Road.
Copy for October edition should be
with me by 13th September.
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