Gardeners Group Planning Committee
After a highly successful first gathering of the Gardeners Group, a meeting was held on Monday 6 August to form a steering committee; clarify the Terms of Reference of the group; and plan the way forward.
The following were present: Merrilee Berrisford, Gwen Coetzee, Andrea Benn, Rea Borcherds, Barbara Jenman, Ingrid Buchan, Sharon Coleridge, Galia Manicom.
Objectives of the Gardeners Group :
The aim is to arrange informal and convivial gatherings, centred around garden visits and botanical activities, which will be opportunities to share knowledge, learn something useful, be inspired and encouraged, and obtain answers to questions regarding plant identification, etc.
To add to the interest of each garden visit, it would be helpful for the host/hostess to briefly introduce their garden, giving a bit of its background, and describing the initial challenges they faced.
Topics
The following were suggested as sample topics for future events:
- Different types of gardens – large or small; landscaped or managed veld; flat wetland or rocky mountainside; etc. and how to overcome the challenges presented by each.
- Identifying the different terrains and soil types, and how to plant them and protect the soil from wind or water erosion.
- How to select and plant your fynbos to avoid losses.
- Budget conscious gardening, and where best to purchase plants for this area
- How to garden and co-exist with wildlife of various kinds, spurfowl, porcupine, baboons.
- Gardening for newcomers and beginners, and when a plot is totally devoid of existing vegetation.
- Transplanting and pruning – which plants, and when and how to do it successfully.
- Aliens,and undesirable plants; how to identify and remove them
Next Meeting of Gardeners Group
Monday, 20 August 2018
We will visit three gardens – those of Carrol Farlam, Arabelle Stuart, and Ingrid.
As these gardens are at the Pringle Bay end of Betty’s Bay, we will meet at Die Stoor at 9 am.
If coming from Pringle Bay, immediately after the cutting take the right-hand exit at the Penguins sign. Die Stoor is the first turn on the left-hand side.
