Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
SRGC Shows and Events => SRGC Shows Questions and Answers => Topic started by: Carol Shaw on January 29, 2015, 12:54:21 PM
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Just to let you all know the bookings are already coming in thick and fast for the final weekend in Grantown and we fully expect it to be a sell out again. If you need lift access to your room, want to stay extra nights or really want to be in the Grant Arms rather than the Garth get your booking in soon ;D
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Details for the 2015 SRGC Discussion Weekend
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Booking form as pdf to download and print out : [attachurl=3]
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As it happens, today is the birthday of DWE speaker Johan Nilson - we wish him many happy returns of the day
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This photo of Johan on a trip to New Zealand is by Dave Toole and appeared elsewhere in the forum.
Also speaking at the DWE is ......
Joanne Everson
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Robert Unwin
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and .......
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Todd Boland
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Apologies for not having a photo of Ian Strachan, of the BSBI (http://bsbi.org.uk/westerness.html) :-[ so here , instead, is a photo he took of the lichen Usnea subfloridana :)
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This photo of or Camille de Jong is by P. Cribb
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Kaj Andersen, the Viking!
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Jānis Rukšāns ( - who describes new Crocus species in the next issue of IRG - online tomorrow!)
and who can be seen in this video of Latvian Personalities :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVIUZAgxdJ4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVIUZAgxdJ4) The film begins with Guna and her paeonias
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How exciting is that for a line-up?? ;D
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Looks great Maggi ! I must admit that I start dreaming .............
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Looks great Maggi ! I must admit that I start dreaming .............
Don't dream for too long Kris if you really want to come :)
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Hi,
Then we have signed us up for the Discussion Weekend 2015. We are coming from Norway, two from the west and one from the north, and we're very excited to travel to Scotland and meet other members and listen to exciting speakers!
See you there ?!
Marit 8)
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I look forward to meeting up with you again Marit, this time in Scotland.
I can assure you will all have a great time
Ian
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Hi Ian!
Stig and I look forward two meeting up with you and Maggi again :D
It was when we visited you last summer that we started thinking of traveling to Discussion Weekend 2015. We're very excited and are absolutely sure that we are going to have a great time in the Highland :)
(Especially when I see that there comes a true Viking)
Marit
I look forward to meeting up with you again Marit, this time in Scotland.
I can assure you will all have a great time
Ian
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Marit, Ian is right, you will have a wonderful time at the Discussion Weekend.
Last year was my first time and it was one of the most enjoyable weekends I've ever had. Already booked again for this year.
See you in October.
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Than you :)
We look forward to meeting you Matt 8)
Marit and Stig
Marit, Ian is right, you will have a wonderful time at the Discussion Weekend.
Last year was my first time and it was one of the most enjoyable weekends I've ever had. Already booked again for this year.
See you in October.
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Hi All as of today there are just ten rooms available for the Discussion Weekend so if you are planning on coming get your booking in fast ;D Most of the still available rooms are at the Garth a two minute walk across the Square, the hotel has lovely large rooms but no lift access.
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NEWS FLASH 24th March 2015
Discussion Weekend: 2nd - 4th October 2015
All places at the 2015 SRGC Discussion Weekend are now taken - if you wish to be placed on a waiting list, in case of a cancellation,
please email to Carol Shaw (findhorncarol@icloud.com)
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All the residential places are taken, we do have space for approx. 6 more people as Day Delegates so let me know soon if you want to reserve a place ;D
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News Flash: : unexpectedly, there are two rooms available at the Garth Hotel for the SRGC Discussion Weekend in Grantown-on-Spey. (double rooms or singles)
Update 29th March : all rooms taken again - still a few day delegate places or you can go on a waiting list for any cancellation.
Contact Carol Shaw (findhorncarol@icloud.com)
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News Flash: : unexpectedly, there are two rooms available at the Garth Hotel for the SRGC Discussion Weekend in Grantown-on-Spey. (double rooms or singles)
Update 29th March : all rooms taken again - still a few day delegate places or you can go on a waiting list for any cancellation.
Contact Carol Shaw (findhorncarol@icloud.com)
Thank you Maggi for yesterdays well timed ad for those two places ...... just printing off the booking form now :)
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We now have a waiting list for residential delegates, there are a few day delegate places available though... :D
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Discussion Weekend Show...
John Owen is unable to come to the Discussion Weekend please send all your Show entries to David Shaw either email him: delftdavid@googlemail.com or phone him on 01309 641405. Please let him have all your entries by mid morning on the Thursday as we will be heading through to the Grant Arms then to set up the Show and ensure everything is ready for your arrival on the Friday.
Thanks Carol
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Discussion Weekend Show...
John Owen is unable to come to the Discussion Weekend please send all your Show entries to David Shaw either email him: delftdavid@googlemail.com or phone him on 01309 641405. Please let him have all your entries by mid morning on the Thursday as we will be heading through to the Grant Arms then to set up the Show and ensure everything is ready for your arrival on the Friday.
Thanks Carol
I wonder how pots of crocuses will fare on the 9 hour train journey .... oh and the bus after that :)
I might give it a try though - will let David know before the deadline.
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Late Opportunity to attend SRGC Discussion Weekend 2-4 October 2015
There are unexpectedly two places available for the Scottish Rock Garden Club discussion weekend at Grantown on Spey from 2-4 th October - contact Carol Shaw as soon as possible if you wish to attend - findhorncarolATicloud.com ( replacing AT with @, of course)
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Many delegates and speakers are already en route to Grantown on Spey forthe SRGC Discussion Weekend - here's hoping all have a trouble-free journey and arrived ready to enjoy themselves!
Looking forward to seeing many friends there!
Maggi
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Have a great weekend. 8)
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Thanks, Anthony! Ian and I are in Grantown now and quite a few of us are around the place already -enjoying the warmth and sunshine. Yes, warmth and sunshine!! Carol and David Shaw are here- with all arrangements in hand.
Todd Boland has arrived with Ian and Ann Christie. Brian Burrow has been out tramping the hills. Ian and Roma Smith are here -their travelling country cottage is outside and they have tales of a good trip to Greece earlier in the year. Rosemary and John Lupton are here. Some Norwegian friends, Marit and Stig, who have another SRGC pal with them, Viggo Ursfjord are here -they've been up Cairngorm in the funicular today. Tony and Gill Lee just got here .... ...... the numbers are rising by the minute!
Weather seems set fair - so all is looking very promising indeed!
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First snap attached of the show organisers understandably delighted with their first Forrest medal award.
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What a fantastic weekend the finest food, friend and lectures will post a few pictures, cheers Ian the Christie kind
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Next set.
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.....some snaps of the other award winners' plants. I again received the Mary Bowe trophy for bringing most plants. I also had the East Lothian trophy (which recalls the days the show was in North Berwick where I grew up so I suppose it has come home ) for class 3: three plants, one of which also received a merit certificate - this Petrocosmea is better shown in Ian's earlier photo. I also received the Mowat conifer trophy for Microcachrys tetragona in (tiny) cones. Anne Wright is best known as a daffodil grower and hybridiser but she can also grow cyclamen and thus won the cup for best plant in section 2 as well as a merit certificate for a C mirabile in the open classes. She is pictured beside her very nice pot of autumn snowdrops.
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Local member and plant stall worker Tina Finch deservedly took the Wellstanlaw cup for an arrangement of rock garden flowers. Matt Topsfield brought a photo of wildflowers on the Western Isles which won the Reivers trophy for a picture of a Scottish native plant.
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Tthe customary tour of the benches.
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...continuing
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and more. The last picture is of some of Jean Wyllie's cyclamen raised from seed with details provided though the photo may not allow them to be read. Jean made a big contribution to the show by bringing most entries to the bulb classes.
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Three specialist nurseries -Aberconwy, Amand & Ardfearn - had many interesting plants and bulbs on offer while Glassford had his very useful labels for sale.
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The competition for a set of holiday photos was particularly good this year with I think 6 entries.
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The first three entries were all of an exceptionally high standard. That talented photo couple the McCaugheys were third with a set taken by Lake Van in eastern Turkey, Peter Maguire second with views of Kirstenbosch in South Africa and Tony Goode first with a set from the Vaud Alps.
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People among the plants
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...more ....
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....not for the first time Mrs Young is the subject of the caption competition
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....not for the first time Mrs Young is the subject of the caption competition
Maggi is delighted - and somewhat overcome - to have managed to switch on her camera successfully......
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For some rather fine photos of the wildlife seen in the area of the recent SRGC discussion Weekend in Grantown-on-Spey, see Tony Goode's blipfoto pages - starting here : https://www.polaroidblipfoto.com/entry/2097034225134863703 (https://www.polaroidblipfoto.com/entry/2097034225134863703)
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Just beginning to settle back into what passes for a normal routine in the Nicholson household after a brilliant weekend at the Discussion Weekend where I was ably accompanied by my mate Mike Quest. Having flown from Bristol to Inverness I ought to say that although a fine companion he's not highly recommended when it comes to looking after boarding passes! Not a single picture on my camera as I was much too busy enjoying myself and so words will have to do.
It was, without any doubt, the friendliest, best organised event we have ever been to. Given our home geographical situation, close to the end of the known World, Mike and I were a bit worried that we might be a bit 'out on a limb' given that neither of us had never met before (in real life) about 99% of the delegates. But, not a bit of it, we were warmly welcomed; we were 'included' and within minutes felt utterly at home and part of the 'gang'.
It was lovely to be able to put faces to so many of the names I have spoken with electronically, or read about over many years of Forum involvement. I had only met Ian Young and Tony Goode once before and the rest of the following never. Carol and David Shaw; Ian and Ann Christie; Cyril Lafong; Roma Fiddes; Sue Gill; Peter Maguire; Arthur Nicholls; Brian Burrow; Matt Topsfield and Patrick Hughes; Angie Townsley; Maureen Wilson; Ann Wright. Although I've spoken to Maggi Young on the phone many times over the years it was so good to be together for the first time. Must be what it's like to find a long-lost sister.
There were other names too that I didn't get a chance to speak to and would have loved to. Stan da Prato, because I spent nearly all weekend try to count how many plants he'd benched and the same goes for Jean Wyllie; Margaret and Henry Taylor to whom genuflection would have been more appropriate than a handshake; Janis Ruksans; Glassford Sprunt and many more.
Three more I wouldn't forget. Megan and Molly who supplied more licky-kisses to last until next time. And last but never the least the Clubs Hon. President Bette Ivey. I had a long chat with Bette sat on a bench, on the grass, in front of the Grant Arms, both of us having a crafty smoke. How old do think I am said Bette. Oh, pushing 25 or thereabouts, I said ever the gentleman. Nearer quadrupled than trebled she replied. Many, many more Bette.
In our Club volunteers are never pressed men (or women) and it takes a whole range of skills, knowledge, dedication and attitude to organise an event of the quality that was amply delivered here and I saw all of those attributes in spades from the time we walked through the door to begin to the time we walked through it again to depart. If you haven't been to one and you get a chance to do so do take it and you might start with Peebles in 2016.
So to the airport. Are you sure you've got the boarding passes Mike? And do you know, he had ;D
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I know exactly what you mean - David - I've never had a brother - but I do feel I have one now.
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Maggi/Ian, you need to add a 'like' buttonto the comments!
Enjoyedf meeting you as well, David. May have more time to chat in Peebles when I am not 'on duty'? :-)))))
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Better than Facebook (both) Davids!!! - but not so accessible from Kent. I would certainly press the 'like' button. Really nice to to see and read about the weekend and Tony has put some wonderful pictures taken at Branklyn on FB. Maybe next year...
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I can only repeat my words to Carol Shaw who was one of the organising team. "A great weekend! Great speakers, great food, great surroundings. Brilliantly organised to ensure everything ran smoothly. Thank you to everyone who worked hard to make it happen. I have been part of a team organising day conferences in Norfolk, I know how much work it takes to make it a success."
I was very fortunate to travel the second half of the 500 miles from Norwich in the company of Peter Maguire. A fellow photographer, we enjoyed prostrating ourselves before the plants in several Scottish Gardens on our travels! I have put an introduction to Branklyn here but will place other pics in a separate thread as I do not want to dilute the messages about this brilliant Discussion Weekend.
The journey home started on a frosty and atmospheric morning.
Link to Garden Visit thread:
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=13650.msg342547#msg342547 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=13650.msg342547#msg342547)
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Many thanks to both Carols and their team for organising another wonderful weekend in Grantown - I'll miss the journey to Speyside next year. Perhaps we may return there some time in the future.....? ::)
Stan has done a great job of giving an overview of the show and since you may have noticed me busy with my camera (I saw him coming and pulled my stomach in!) I thought that I would post some of my pictures, mainly close-ups of plants that caught my eye.
1. Not many bulbs this year, this Colchicum cupanii was shown by Carole and Ian Bainbridge
2. Cyclamen rohlfsianum from Roma Fiddes; not highly placed by the judges, the flowers were lovely, but the foliage a bit sparse
3. Cyclamen x hildebrandii which earned the Forrest Medal for the Carol and David
4. Tina Finch's floral display was much admired and closely examined over the weekend
5. Gentians were also thin on the ground this year, here is a detail from Stan da Prato's Gentiana 'The Caley'
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6. Hyacinthella lingulata was shown by Helen Greenwood. As you can see the bright green table covering caused a few difficulties with photography. :-\
7. Microcachrys tetragona. I took this to prove that the plant for whcih Stan won the award for best conifer was actually a conifer. The larger cones here are about 3mm across.
8. Saxifraga longifolia x paniculata from Carol and David Shaw. Three wonderful rosettes forming a compact triangle.
9. Sempervivum arachnoideum. A detail from one of Stan's plants.
10. Sempervivum Mrs Giuseppi - another plant from the maestro with the most first prize points.
I'll post some photos from the surrounding woodlands later
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Some pix of the trophy presentation etc
Anne Wright - Galanthus 'Blanc de Chine'
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Anne and President Carole Bainbridge
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Tina Finch was not able to attend the evening presentation of the trophies - Tina was successful with several of her entries and won a trophy for her flower arrangement
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"Snapper Stan" with Tina
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Maggi/Ian, you need to add a 'like' buttonto the comments!
Enjoyedf meeting you as well, David. May have more time to chat in Peebles when I am not 'on duty'? :-)))))
We have thought about a like button folks it would be so easy just to click like but it is much nicer to come in and say a few words - that is what makes the difference.
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Matt Topsfield won the Reivers Trophy for his photographic display
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Stan da Prato went home with a carload of trophies....
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High point of the show was the award of the Forrest Medal and Jim Lever Trophy for best Cyclamen to weekend organisers Carol and David Shaw - it is their first Forrest medal!
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We have thought about a like button folks it would be so easy just to click like but it is much nicer to come in and say a few words - that is what makes the difference.
I'll second that point of view :)
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This is just to give you all a heads up that the next weekend will be at the Cardrona in Peebles... somehow I a still the booking secretary however, I fully intend to do nothing but be a delegate over the weekend... Watch out for more info from John Mitchell soon and a huge thank you to all who made the 2015 weekend such a success!
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Sandy Leven's Forrest Medal report for the DWE show :
http://files.srgc.net/Showreports/GrantownDWForrest2015.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/Showreports/GrantownDWForrest2015.pdf)
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Congratulations to Carol and David. Thoroughly well deserved, if the photos are anything to go by.
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Congratulations to Carol and David. Thoroughly well deserved, if the photos are anything to go by.
I don't think the photos, good as they are, quite capture the beauty of the foliage of the winning cyclamen. It was even prettier in real life.
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That I can believe, more so with my pictures. 8)
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One of the pleasures of the DWE in Grantown has been the ability to spend some time exploring the local woodlands whenever one had some free time - admittedly there is not much of that!
Having spent the Saturday morning last year on the optional guided walk in the local Anagach woodland, I decided this year that I would have an early breakfast and head off to the woods before the 'crowds'. Unfortunately the birdlife was somewhat sparse this year, and my only reasonable photos from Saturday morning were of a group of Sulphur-tuft fungi Hypholoma fasciculare) on a tree stump.
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Growing over the same tree stump was Vaccinium vitis-idaea in fruit.
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However on the Sunday, in the late afternoon after the conference had finished, Tony and I returned to Anagach woods and were fortunate to experience some wonderful evening light. The first picture is of the same tree-stump, with the Vaccinium, the fungus and some of the mini-landscape of lichens that were also present.
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The sunlight also illuminated some late flowers of Knautia arvensis, the common Field Scabious.
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Whilst photographing the Scabious, faint scrabbling noises coming from a nearby tree alerted us to the presence of a remarkably tame red squirrel. The longest lens I had with me was a 90mm macro lens, so this photo shows that you don't always need super-long lenses for wildlife photography. ;)
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Super pictures Peter - you did very well with the Squirrel!
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Peter
The shot of the squirrel is excellent. I would have still been looking for the tree :)
Arthur
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The tree is the easy bit - they make a sort of 'thud' sound when you walk into them - just can't miss them!. ;D ;)
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Hi Folks,
Bit late but was dragged down to Leeds with hubby, he was playing golf yet again.
Just want to say had a brilliant time so thanks Carol and David and to everyone else that made the stay a fun time.
Like David has said it was great to meet up with members from far and wide. Never ever thought I would meet David in the flesh as they say, lovely man just as he comes over on the forum. Also was nice to meet Matt , Maggi and I thought he would make a lovely son ;D .
The talks were first class and Grantown-on-Spey was lovely. I had a short walk before breakfast and it was so peaceful. Just the birds were singing and not a soul in sight. The journey home was nice , sun was shinning and the scenery was amazing. Keep forgetting how lovely our scenery is.
Looking forward to the next discussion weekend and meeting more forum members.
Angie :)
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Then we have finally arrived home after a wonderful vacation in lovely Scotland :)
We started with a great weekend in Grantown-on-Spey. Thank you Carol for the help in advance of Discussion Weekend and thanks to all who helped to organize the weekend so we could enjoy exciting lectures, good food and pleasant socializing with known and unknown garden people. For us who came from Norway was the most participants unfamiliar but we felt very included and well received. And when we left Grantown-on-Spey, we felt that we had gotten many new garden friends!
I and my husband Stig then travelled on to Skye and we got to experience great scenery and exciting castle gardens. Thanks to Maggi and Ian for a very nice end to our vacation :)
We already look forward to the next trip to Scotland!
Marit and Stig
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Marit and Stig - It was great to see you both - and Viggo - at Grantown and we were so pleased you could spend a little time with us at home - we'll expect you here again in the Spring.
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Thank you Maggi :)
Then we have a deal 8)
Marit
Marit and Stig - It was great to see you both - and Viggo - at Grantown and we were so pleased you could spend a little time with us at home - we'll expect you here again in the Spring.
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yes, it's a deal
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Having just returned from Ireland I can only echo those comments already posted here. It was another great weekend in Grantown with friends old and new and it was a special treat this year to meet so many friends from this Forum.
Marit - I'm glad to hear you enjoyed your trip to Skye and to crown it all a visit to the Youngs' garden.
David - I hope you avoided excess luggage charges and managed to sneak your new acquisitions past Maureen?! Nice to meet Mike too.
Tony - glad you were able to make the long journey north and to meet you.
Angie - as my Mum is so many hundreds of miles away, I'm happy to be adopted by a Scottish surrogate(s).
Carol and David - well done for organising another excellent weekend and congratulations on gaining a Forrest!
Already looking forward to 2016. In the meantime, a few shots of show plants that caught my eye.
A good showing of Cyclamen made up for the paucity of autumn bulbs, with some fine plants brought along by Jean, Carol & David and some excellent specimens from Anne W.
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Stan presented a nice double-flowered Calluna as well as some fine foliage plants, including this Euonymus alata Compactus and a lovely Cheilanthes wootonii was shown by Roma.
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Hi Matt!
We enjoyed our trip to Skye very much and yes, it crowned the holiday in Skottland to visit Ian and Maggi 8)
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We also followed your recommendation and had a great experience in Attadale Gardens :)
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I've posted some pictures from our trip on my blog 8)
Marit
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Always the best pix, Marit!
Must keep up with your Blog... :)
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Sandy Leven's Show Report : http://files.srgc.net/Showreports/GrantonDW.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/Showreports/GrantonDW.pdf) 8)