Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
SRGC Shows and Events => Events => Topic started by: Maggi Young on December 08, 2010, 06:41:36 PM
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Time to let you know more details about the Discussion Weekend for 2011 --
... this is the introduction Ann Sinclair gave at the event in 2010 to whet our appetites for the event.......
"In September 2011 the SRGC will make a long awaited sortie into bandit country.
In times past raiding parties known as Border Reivers criss-crossed the badlands between Scotland and England and 'Shook Loose the Borders '.
Three groups - North Northumberland Rock Garden Group, North
Cumbria Rock Garden Group and Ayrshire Rock Garden Club -
Henceforth known collectively as the Reiver Group- will welcome
Scottish Rockers to a long week-end of wee plants, big gardens,
bonnie scenery, guid craic and perhaps a libation… or six.
Dumfries, with its excellent road and rail links and the ferry not too far away, is our centre and is well placed with one side looking to the Borders and Lakes and the other facing Galloway.
Dumfries folk are known as Doonhamers and Guid Nychburries ; the town itself
is steeped in Burns lore and historic events of a gie tragic nature, but today is a bustling town with some good shopping, theatre, cinema and a state of the art leisure centre.
Many years ago Elizabeth Crichton dreamt of building a
University in the town but she had to be content with other good
Works; building the Crichton estate from 1834. Now her buildings
at last house a University.
The reason given for taking such a long
time is the heavy nature of the air in Galloway- Nae guid fur buik
learnin'.
There’ll be nae zizzzin after lunch at this week-end though - the
Reiver Group as raided through Scotland, England and as far as
the Low Countries to bring you a crackin' range of Speakers to
keep you entertained and AWAKE.
Gracious only knows what this will cost but I am sure Tony
Mitchell and the other Reivers will sort that out - somehow!
Galloway is a stunning area to visit particularly in Autumn - in the
Land of the Mountain and the Flood there are gardens aplenty,
some really good nurseries, coastline, hills, red kites, geese by
the bucketload, red squirrels. . . .
We get to look across the Solway to the high hills of the Lake
District; Carlisle is in easy reach as is Hadrian's Wall and the
fabulous walking in the wilds of Cumbria and Northumberland.
The hotel is the Cairndale, a town centre establishment,
comfortable and with a good range of leisure facilities.
Full details and prices will of course be in the Journal and here in the Forum later…. 8)
We have arranged a visit on the Saturday morning to Charles
Jencks' Garden of Cosmic Speculation at Portrack House at Holywood just outside the town.
So join us, the Reiver Group, on September 23rd. 2011 in Dumfries
and shake the borders loose once again."
A.S.
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Some information about the hotel chosen for the DWE....
The Cairndale Hotel & Leisure Club
English Street, Dumfries, South West Scotland, DG1 2DF
[attach=1]
Tel: 01387 254111 Fax: 01387 240288 Email: info@cairndalehotel.co.uk
The hotel has 91 bedrooms, all with en-suite facilities, colour television and direct dial telephones.
There is a swimming pool and leisure centre at the hotel for those determined to keep up their fitness regimes! Hotel residents enjoy full use of the facilities which include:
14m heated swimming pool, Sauna, Steam Room, Spa Bath, Air Conditioned Gymnasium
.......and a Beauty Salon ;)
http://www.cairndalehotel.co.uk/?gclid=CM-ino2u3aQCFYxH4wodLVwYLA
http://www.cairndalehotel.co.uk/hotelBrochure.pdf - this brochure gives a map and travel directions.
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There are lots of attraction for visitors in the surrounding area....
http://www.dgvisitor.co.uk/ and http://www.visitdumfriesandgalloway.co.uk/
http://www.drumlanrig.com/ for the website of the lovely Drumlanrig Castle.
Some of the nearby attractions....
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Burns' House
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Robert Burns Centre
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Camera obscura
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Gracefield Arts Centre
[attach=5]
Old Bridge House
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To keep you up to date with the date......
(http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/4;10703;413/st/20110923/e/SRGC+Discussion+Weekend/dt/5/k/8588/event.png)
(http://www.TickerFactory.com/)
Maggi please remove this! You may all look at it regularly and it will remind you how many months weeks and days it is until the next enjoyable discussion weekend. For me it is a countdown to my age being increased by one year :(
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Goodness me, Graham, surely it is no problem to you to have this sweet reminder of you turning 24 ? ::) ;D
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Any hints as to the programme yet, Maggi??
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Dunno........ I can't remember where I might have that info.... IF indeed I have that info!
The cold affects the brain cell, y'know!
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Goodness me, Graham, surely it is no problem to you to have this sweet reminder of you turning 24 ? ::) ;D
If only Maggi! if only!
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Sorry to rub it in Graham but from your picture I can see jowls already beginning to form and other 'bits' already heading south. ;D
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Sorry to rub it in Graham but from your picture I can see jowls already beginning to form and other 'bits' already heading south. ;D
Shelagh! How could you mention that? :o I know we can see that, but I'm trying to cheer the lad up! :-X
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Sorry to rub it in Graham but from your picture I can see jowls already beginning to form and other 'bits' already heading south. ;D
Shelagh! How could you mention that? :o I know we can see that, but I'm trying to cheer the lad up! :-X
That's an old photo before the surgery!
Unfortunately couldn't stop the hair leaving.
Much better now don't you think
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Thats one hell of a face lift. :o
Love it Graham ;D ;D ;D
Angie :)
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Thats one hell of a face lift. :o
Love it Graham ;D ;D ;D
Angie :)
Great new face, Graham..... I'd know those eyes anywhere!
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Okay: hot from the Reivers..... the DWE line-up....
The Bulb Group Lecture: Kevin Hughes – Trilliums
Visit: Garden of Cosmic
Rick Lambert - Dianthus
Stan da Prato - Coastal Flowers of Scotland
Ger van den Beuken - Kacker Mountains of Turkey
After Dinner Speaker - Anton Edwards
John Massey – A Garden For All Seasons
Rick Lambert - Slovenia
Ger van den Beuken - Ger’s Way of Growing Tricky Plants
Maggi Young: Joining the Dots... connecting rock gardeners around the world
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Okay: hot from the Reivers..... the DWE line-up....]
I misread that as "hot from the Riviera". I know Dumfries is south of Aberdeen but it's not exactly the Med 8)
Visit: Garden of Cosmic Speculation
Oh yes! is that the one with all the spirals and checkerboards? Always fancied seeing that.
John Massey – A Garden For All Seasons
That one I did know about, a little bird told me (no actually, it was the horse's mouth ;D ).
Maggi Young: Joining the Dots... connecting rock gardeners around the world
Sounds intriguing, I suppose we are the dots, or in some cases the dotty ::)
Thanks Maggi, sounds great, nice to know what to look forward to.
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NEWS from SRGC!!
A Bursary ( grant) for attendance at the Discussion Weekend is being made available by the SRGC Council.
A bursary has set up to offer a member of the SRGC who has never been to a Discussion Weekend the opportunity to do so with the SRGC funding their stay.
The bursary will be awarded annually and covers the actual cost of the Discussion Weekend itself; other expenses such as travel and additional nights at the hotel will need to be covered by the recipient.
Groups will send nominations to the Secretary either by e-mail or by post.
One member will be selected at random from all those put forward.
The deadline date for nominations is 15 May 2011.
An exciting opportunity for someone to experience the fun and information whirlwind that is an SRGC Discussion Weekend. The Border Reivers will be the first group to welcome such a bursary winner.
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Some further information about the Discussion Weekend Bursary..... it seems that individual members are not being asked to nominate for this award.....
"For the DWE bursary, the Council minute says that groups, including the Forum, are to be asked to nominate a person or persons. The intention was that each Group (and the Forum was classified as one Group) could nominate one member. This means that, should there be more than one applicant from a Group, either the Group Convener or the Group Committee would need to select who to put forward."
So Forumists can nominate likely recipients and we'll arrange a ballot for our Forum Nomination for the award. I'll repost all this in the Members' Section.
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News today that all the single rooms for the Discussion Weekend are already booked so, get your booking in now ... with a friend to share with.... or, as Sandy Leven said, some you know.... or perhaps, would like to know! :o ::) ;D ;D
Booking to Gill Lee, please. Details in the recent Journal etc #126.
If you haven't yet received your Journal #126, please drop me an email with your name and address for a replacement.
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The Reivers are looking for your bookings, Friends.... the deadline to make the early bird saving is June 10th.... not so very far away.
Here are two pdfs of info about the weekend from the latest SRGC Journal, The Rock Garden #126:
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
I see that in the pdf the Reivers are Rievers! :-\ :-X
I will attach a booking form as soon as I lay my hands upon it!
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Shelagh! How could you mention that? :o I know we can see that, but I'm trying to cheer the lad up! :-X
[/quote]
That's an old photo before the surgery!
Unfortunately couldn't stop the hair leaving.
Much better now don't you think
[/quote]
Isn't that Marty Feldman?
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Can't be Marty Feldman, Anne... he's dead and his ears were bigger...... and Graham is very much alive ;D
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Here we go, Secretary Carol Shaw to the rescue... here is the Discussion Weekend Booking form....
[attach=1]
I'd print it off and get your booking in asap.
All the single rooms are now taken.....so if you're coming alone it's glorious isolation or find a friend!
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A timely reminder folks, this just in from Madam President.....
This is just a quick reminder to you all that the first deadline for booking for the 2011 Discussion Weekend is 10 June - a bit earlier than usual and because the Hotel requested this. After this date you will incur a late booking fee of £20. The Hotel may also decide to take bookings from other people/organisations, which might limit the number of rooms available. So, if you're planning to go, now would be a good time to book (booking form at the back of the January Secretary's Pages, or download from the post above).
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The Reivers remind us again that the booking date to get the early bird discount is fast approaching.... book now, Friends! ;D
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Dear Maggi,
We like to book for the discussion weekend but I can not open the web links you gave, please can you give me some details or shall I book a room derectly to the hotel?
Wim
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Wim, I shall contact you directly with the information you need!
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For anyone still thinking to attend but not booked yet.... time is running out:
(http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/4;10703;413/st/20110923/e/SRGC+Discussion+Weekend/dt/5/k/8588/event.png)
(http://www.TickerFactory.com/)
:)
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:o
Where did the summer go?!
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What summer :-\
Angie :)
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What summer :-\
Agreed!!!!!!!!!!!!
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It was in April
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It was in April
Yep that's right Roma and that was a long time ago :'(
Ok who's going to the discussion weekend ? I am hoping to meet more forum members.
Angie :)
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I think it's been shipped to New Zealand? Sunny and 19oCelsius today.
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I think it's been shipped to New Zealand? Sunny and 19oCelsius today.
Ok Anthony no need to rub it in ;) nice to hear that the weather is lovely with you, enjoy.
Angie :)
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See you there Angie - and anyone else who is going.
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This week has been fabulous weather over here. I dont normally obviously sweat but today my forehead was soaking
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I dont normally obviously sweat but .....
Not even at a sale?
johnw
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I'll be there Angie.... looking forward to it.
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Looking forward to see you all soon.
Angie :)
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Anyone attending the SRGC Discussion Weekend can place an order with Ger van den Beuken to be delivered to the event .
I attach Ger's order notes and plant list......
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
I would suggest you make your orders as soon as possible since the event is only a couple of weeks away....... 8)
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Maggi, this gave me just the front page and the notes, no list?
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So sorry, it hasn't loaded..... I'll try again for the list......... I had to convert it from an XLs and the final pages have rather disembodied info, but I'm sure you folks can cope! First nine pages are the meat of the sandwich, so to speak! ;D ;)
[attach=1]
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Thanks for letting me know, Christine.... none of the 16 others who have already downloaded the first part have spoken up! :-X
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Got it now, thanks Maggi.
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Thanks Maggi. I just was saying to myself I am NOT buying any more plants this year and then this list appeared. Oh well as they say no point keeping money in the bank, get no interest so I am better of spending a little and there are so many Daphne's on that wonderful list.
See you all soon.
Angie :)
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got my eye on them too Angie....
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Sent off an order but haven't heard back yet. Hope I've got the right email address.
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Sent off an order but haven't heard back yet. Hope I've got the right email address.
Now that's something I should have done tonight instead of watching tv. Better get it done. I really would like some of those dwarf daphnes.
Angie :)
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Very cruel of Maggi to post that list.
Until now, I was keeping fairly well to my 2011 New Year resolution not to buy too many plants this year until I had tidied up the garden. Well the garden is still untidy, but ...........
See you all at the discussion weekend.
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Not long now!!
(http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/4;10703;413/st/20110923/e/SRGC+Discussion+Weekend/dt/5/k/8588/event.png)
(http://www.TickerFactory.com/)
And the good news for us is that there is a promotional rail ticket available to make the train trip good value!
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More money for plants then Maggi ;D
Angie :)
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For all those people who want to order plants for the Discussion Weekend, please do not wait too long, because I'm very busy and several species are in short supply.
I'm really looking forward to see you all in Dumfries I hope.
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For all those people who want to order plants for the Discussion Weekend, please do not wait too long, because I'm very busy and several species are in short supply.
I'm really looking forward to see you all in Dumfries I hope.
I was just about to make a post saying that you would need time to prepare orders and for folks to "hurry up" to make an order, Ger :)
See you in Dumfries...... hope the ferry crossing is a good one ;)
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Darren and I would just like to say what a fantastic time we had this weekend in Dumfries.
It was great to catch up with old friends and to make some new ones.
The visit to the Garden of Cosmic Speculation was out of this world. :D The sheer scale of the garden features made them difficult to photograph with my little point and shoot camera, but hopefully some of them will be good enough to post.
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Here are some photos from the garden of Cosmic Speculation. The garden was designed by Charles Jencks and is open one day per year via the open garden scheme.
http://www.scotlandsgardens.org/garden.aspx?id=e901e1fa-7b6b-4ac9-9053-9f1700c9c8e8#
We started the tour by a lovely woodland walk, throughout the short walk there were many beautiful plants and features, unfortunately due to the narrowness of the path and border area it was difficult to photograph them properly. At the end of the walkway was a black and white wooden sculpture / feature. One side of the triangle was topped with reflective material.
Throughout the garden there were some fascinating fungi. Apologies for the blur to some of the photos of these. Can anyone identify them?
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The Black Hole Terrace.
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The Cascading Universe. Very spectacular. Water is pumped from the pool at the bottom and cascades down again via a series of channels, emerging in three jets aimed at the metal spiral in the pond and causing it to spin. Some of the water is pumped to a higher tank which allows water to cascade down the metal structure and rods before it cascades back down to the pond. Within the cascade structure are a series of decorated steps.
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and then there was more .... sometimes we got the feeling we were being watched ;D
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Very difficult to do these features justice due to the scale.
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nearly finished.
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and finally the DNA garden.
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Whilst we toured the garden Charles Jencks was kind enough to join us and explain the design and its significance to us.
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For those who didn't manage the trip to the garden, there was a very nice sculpture just outside the hotel.
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and finally, for those who asked, proof that not only did I bring my college homework with me to the discussion weekend, I actually did do it! Well some of it anyway. ;D
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some quick pictures of the show ably organised by Jennifer Watson and her fellow reivers. Light was not great so some needed flash; hopefully others will add more pictures and info.
Class A six small pots
Class 1 three pots and a trophy won by Harvey Shepherd's ferns
Two Scottish natives and one Australasian
Autumn foliage
Grey foliage
Plant with berries
Cushions
general view
conifer corner
ferns
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next ten:
bulbous plants
Cyclamen
C cilicium
C graecum
C africanum - Lever trophy for best cyclamen to Sandy Leven
two C mirabile
heathers
gentians
more gentians
two of the shrubs
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next batch:
Gentiana The Caley bred by Ian McNaughton and shown by Beryl took the Forrest
plants not otherwise in the schedule
Australasian pairs
Shrubs - all Coprosmas
more gentians
foliage Cyclamen
three foliage saxes
Asparagacae
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Section 2 did not have many entries but did have some nice plants
best in section-trophy for Audrey Leach
Ann Sinclair's pine was best conifer in show
some other section 2 plants
the photo competition with many excellent pictures -won by Peter Maguire
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Thanks Susan for posting the pictures of the garden. I tried to explain the garden to my husband but it was all to much for me to understand. Try explaining what a black hole in someone's garden looks like :-\
Nice meeting everyone again. Really enjoyed this weekend. Great company, great food and off course fantastic talks. Oh forgot to mention all the lovely plants for sale, managed to buy a few but not as much as Susan and Darren did :o ;) speaking of plants I bought some lovely things from Ger but maybe this was a mistake as Ger gave us a lovely talk about tricky plants and he was very honest telling us how many he has not been able to keep alive, well if he struggles with some what chance have I :'( oh well they might live long enough to give me one or two flowers, can always have hope.
Thanks to the rest of the speakers and thanks to everyone that made it a very enjoyable weekend.
MAGGI I HOPE YOU HAVENT ATE ALL THAT CHOCOLATE ;)
Angie :)
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Great to see your photos Sue, there are some new bits at the Garden of Cosmic Speculation that we had not seen in 2007. It is a magnificent landscape. I'm not surprised that you could not do it justice in description Angie, it's one of those things that you actually have to see.
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Hi Brian,
the area around the Black Hole terrace had changed as the sycamore that shaded the area died. The tree was felled and sliced. These slices were planted black and arranged next to the black hole and a curve of yews (?) planted. The slices are now being colonised by fungi.
There are plans to develop the garden further.
Susan
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Hello Sue,
That explains it, I couldn't quite see what was different to begin with and had to refer to my old photos. One or two nice sculptures added since we were there. Was the lovely kinetic sculpture still by the house? I thought it was so relaxing to watch it's gentle movement, but we all wondered whether it would withstand heavy wind!
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As Susan said, we had a great weekend :)
Angie is quite right, we did indulge in some horticultural retail therapy..... but all those different Daphne at such reasonable prices were just too tempting.
I just shifted all the purchases down to the garden before the builders obstruct the path again. There is also a digger from united utilities arrived to replace our water main. There is nothing like a peaceful day off work. And this is nothing like one ;) ;D
Delighted to report that my Eritrichium is still alive 48 hours after buying it, which must be some sort of record for me....
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Brian that kinetic sculpture was still next to the house. You could watch it for ages. He said it had been welded a couple of times because people just wanted to see if they could make it crash together.
Sorry it wasn't the type of garden that I liked but saying this it was worthwhile seeing and off course is completely different from anything else that I have seen.
Loved the gardener, nothing seemed to scare him. Removing a bit of lawn terrifies me.
Angie :)
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Angie I don't think garden is the correct description for it, I prefer Landscape. I think of it as a modern day Capability Brown construction 8)
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Thanks for the pictures of the Garden of Cosmic Speculation - I've wanted to see that for a long time. How fantastic to have the designer to explain it. The gardener in me, however, wants to know how on earth they manage to mow the grass on the twiddly bits?
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lawn mower on a rope? ::)
Darren did suggest trained rabbits ;) ;D
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I'd pay good money to watch the training of the rabbits!
Thanks for the pics
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Maggi gave us a very entertaining talk about the forum and its inhabitants, laced generously with images of cakes that have been made by forumists over the years. If you are reading this and your ears were burning on Sunday, that is why. It has long been the tradition of the SRGC host to present speakers with a gift of the alcoholic kind, but in the case of Maggi, this was awarded to our beloved moderator instead. Well done Maggi, you covered this forum with your love and inspiration and I'm sure those amongst the crowd are now more curious than ever about what we get up to here, maybe they'll even log on to find out. I sure hope so.
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I'd pay good money to watch the training of the rabbits!
Thanks for the pics
;D ;D
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I note my beloved has changed her avatar back to the bumblebee now that the discussion weekend is over and she no longer feels she needs to be recognisable ;) ;D
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This plant featured in a couple of talks at the DWE....
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
It is the parasitic plant Phelypaea tournefortii: photos by Philip MacDougal, and it's cousins are the subject of Cliff Booker's article in the new IRG #21, online tomorrow!
see more here : http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=7893.0 ;D
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Yesterday I heard from Glassford Sprunt, who, having recently undergone hip-replacement surgery, missed his first SRGC Discussion Weekend in over thirty years. He managed, nevertheless, to get the printing of the programmes, badges and so on done and sent to the Reivers for the event.
Glassford works for the Club in so many ways it is more than remarkable, it is quite wonderful. He compiles the Index for the Journal, the Rock Garden and for the International Rock Gardener, for instance... and where would we all be without those? :-X
Back to Glassford's message to me, which I append below......
"Hello there Maggi!
I hear that all went well at the DWE. I was delighted to receive a "Get Well" card from delegates. I did not expect such a consideration. I understand from Jean that some of the membership had noted my absence. I was thinking of you all over the weekend.
It is now 4 weeks today since my operation and progress has been slow. I feel that I am beginning to make progress at last.
I would like to record my thanks to all the signatories of the card. Perhaps you could find a space somewhere for this to be done, as writing to all is manifestly impossible.
Best wishes,
Glassford"
I do not doubt that many of you reading this would also like to send your best wishes to Glassford for a continued recovery to full health.
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We loved sending you the card Glassford, hope you are fighting fit very soon.xxxxx Christine B.
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I've just seen the recent Discussion Weekend posts and want to say 'thank you' to Susan for posting all the photos of the Garden of Cosmic Speculation. I found the Garden totally mind-blowing and awe-inspiring and felt so privileged to have been allowed to visit it with a small group rather than with the hordes on the only Open Day in the year. I loved best the sweeping curves of the grass banks round the water garden from the little hill (can't remember what Susan called this area) and would love to be able to go back again and just wander and try to understand more of what had been in Charles Jencks' mind when he conceived the various parts of the Garden.
His gardener who showed us much of the garden was also amazing for he deserves much of the credit for bringing to life the ideas in a practical sense. He had been a traditional gardener on the estate providing fruit, vegetables and flowers for the 'big house' and seems to have made the transition to a landscape art gardener with remarkable ease. All the maintenance work ( massive amount of grass cutting and hedge trimming along with other more traditional work) is done by himself with the aid of 3 others.
Lastly, Charles Jencks (an architect by profession I think) is also the co-founder of the Maggies Centres that many of you will know about. His first wife, Maggie, died of cancer in 1995 (I think) and they had discussed the idea of how cancer sufferers would benefit from having access to a beautiful environment. What a fitting memorial he has created to her and what an achievement on his part. A truly remarkable man.
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Hello Glassford we missed you at the DWE and look froward to seeing you hale and healthy soon i will buy you a dram when possible just to kill any germs left after the op. cheers Ian the Christie kind and Ann.
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Just a lovely picture of a lovely couple.
Ger & Mariet.
This was my first SRGC discussion weekend, just thinking I have a long way to catch up to Glassford Sprunt. Over thirty years :o no wonder he was missed. How many years has this been going on ?
Angie :)
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I only took one picture in Dumfries - specially for Maggi. This Westie was guarding the door of the B&B where I was staying.
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Angie, hope you'll be coming to more now you have a taste for them.....
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Chris see you next year. Yes there will be no stopping me now. Really enjoyed meeting you. At least with the forum we get to keep in contact everyday if we want. When I emailed Ger to place a order he replied by saying is this the Angie that is on the forum nearly everyday. There aren't many days that I miss the the forum. Where else can we make friends so easy and all over the world and speak to them anytime, night or day, great isn't it :D ;)
Angie :)
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Chris see you next year. Yes there will be no stopping me now. Really enjoyed meeting you. At least with the forum we get to keep in contact everyday if we want. When I emailed Ger to place a order he replied by saying is this the Angie that is on the forum nearly everyday. There aren't many days that I miss the the forum. Where else can we make friends so easy and all over the world and speak to them anytime, night or day, great isn't it :D ;)
Angie :)
Angie, it was a pleasure to meet you in Dumfries .
Mariet and I promised each other to join the next discussion weekend in Dumfries again.
It's really a fantastic meeting of one big plants family and to see old and new friends.
Many thanks for all!!
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So glad you are going to come back Ger. Was lovely to meet you both. Hope you enjoyed your trip to Holehird Garden, did you enjoy it? I'm plucking up the courage now to repot my precious alstromeria....
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Ger that's great that you are going to be there next year. Will be nice to get some more nice plants and replace the ones that I will kill :-X
Hopefully some of our members from way down south might come up. Would love to meet more forum members next year.
Everyone put it in your diary.
Angie :)
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Those of you intrigued by the SRGC trip to Eastern Turkey mentioned in the recent Journal and at the Discussion Weekend can find out more here : http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=7936.0
The charmingly thornless Thornes, Margaret and David, are organising this trip which will be led by Professor Adil Güner, his daughter Başak and son-in-law, Chris Gardner.
The trip will be from 5th to the 19th May 2012..... you might imagine that strong protestations were raised about this clash with the Aberdeenshire SRGC Show!! :o David tells me this has come about because of the "optimum flowering time" in Turkey..... Harrumph! Seems like just an excuse to me.... albeit a very valid one! 8) 8)
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Found some time to get my meagre amount of photos sorted.....
in no particular order.....
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Forrest Medal from Beryl McNaughton, Gentian 'The Caley' (bred by Ian McNaughton and named for the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society which is known as "the Caley")
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more from the show.......
Benthamiella patagonica and Draba 'JohnSaxton'
Brian-at-work-stewarding
cyclamen-africanum
Peter Maguire -Ron McBeath -Bette Ivey : judges
Jennifer Watson, show secretary -Brian Smethurst
Shelagh Smethurst -at-work: record keeping
mini garden
Judgesinaction
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the next set....
"Sedum shoeiformis"
Sedum debile
Shortia-uniflora-kantonense shown by Audrey Leach
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from the show....
The best conifer in the show was from DWE organising Reiver, Ann Sinclair, shown in Section II .
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On the Friday, we discovered it was Brian Smethurst's birthday.... Judy Humphreys had been in cahoots with Shelagh and a cake was brought in to dinner!
This was good fuel for Shelagh and Brian's work stewarding for show secretary Jennifer Watson at the show the next day.
Other birhdays celebrated at the weekend were Audrey Leach ( the Shortia in the pix above is Audrey's) and Ken East from Edinburgh. There may have been another I've forgotten.... I do know it was Lionel and Diane Barnwell's anniversary on the Monady after the DWE.
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Random photos.....
gathering 2
gatheringfor a talk
Ian the Christie kind and Colin Crosbie from Wisley
Carole Bainbridge - SRGC President "Prezz" Liz Mills -Diane Clement, Midland diarist
Carole B. -IanYoung - Ger van den Beuken
early birds get a seat : Darren Sleep to the left and Helen Donald and Jackie Thomlinson (to the right foreground)
Highlanders : John Owen -David and Carol Shaw - I somehow managed to miss snapping the three of them in their smart Highland RGC polo shirts. :'(
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Oops, discovered this missing hairpiece and photo of Ron and Bette from the show hall.....
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more random shots....
MargaretThorne, wondering if she needs an extra SRGC fleece for the SRGC 2012 Turkey Trip watched by Harley Milne
Ron McBeath-Ben Wilson -David Mowle -Lionel Clarkson
Rick and the Human Advert ( the BD, aka Ian Young)
Rick Lambert and Diane Clement
Susan McBeath -Ian Christie
Tony Lee (Reiver husband of Registrar Gill) -MargaretThorne -Ju and Mike Bramley
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Just a couple left......
Anne Gardner couldn't attend, so her daughter came ... seen here with Susan Sleep ( between Margaret (?) and Susan we can spot Peggy Anderson the SRGC Treasurer and the former Treasurer and constant Treasure, Ann Christie)
and this is the most original, personalised chocolate gift that I was given by the Reivers as a thank you for my talk, which was about the breadth of subjects tackled in the Forum and the value to the future of the SRGC of the strength of the website and forum.
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And what a talk it was! All done at high speed - with a constant whirl of projected pictures from the Forum and other places. The audience were impressed with the statistics, the range of members interests, and their places of origin, and the fact that the Forum is a 24/7 place to talk about plants, and attract new members. Well done Maggi!
PS The slideshow was punctuated with pictures of large sticky chocolate cakes for some reason which I cannot understand???
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PS The slideshow was punctuated with pictures of large sticky chocolate cakes for some reason which I cannot understand???
Do you think that they might have thought that we were obsessed with chocolate and cakes ::) ;D
Angie :)
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PS The slideshow was punctuated with pictures of large sticky chocolate cakes for some reason which I cannot understand???
Do you think that they might have thought that we were obsessed with chocolate and cakes ::) ;D
Angie :)
Surely not, Angela ::) ;) I'm sure the audience realised that the cakes and desserts from around the world were symbolic of our diverse membership and evidence that we forumists are so busy in our gardens or travelling that we work up a good appetite......... 8) ;D
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;D
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PS The slideshow was punctuated with pictures of large sticky chocolate cakes for some reason which I cannot understand???
Do you think that they might have thought that we were obsessed with chocolate and cakes ::) ;D
Angie :)
Surely not, Angela ::) ;) I'm sure the audience realised that the cakes and desserts from around the world were symbolic of our diverse membership and evidence that we forumists are so busy in our gardens or travelling that we work up a good appetite......... 8) ;D
Yes Maggi I think you are right ;D ;D ;)
Angie :)
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ahhh, I thought all the cakes were there to symbolise how friendly everyone was ;D
when friends get together coffee and cake is never far behind, unless of course they are lads, in which case it is usually a different beverage ;)
Susan x
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ahhh, I thought all the cakes were there to symbolise how friendly everyone was ;D
when friends get together coffee and cake is never far behind, unless of course they are lads, in which case it is usually a different beverage ;)
Susan x
That too, Susan, that too..... you are quite right, we meet friends, we have coffee and cake..... it's the perfect analogy!
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Not sure that bitter and cake really gels, maybe mild would be better ;D
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It has taken me a while to translate all this from woman-speak into English, but I think you are all saying that you cannot resist choccy cake.
I am now standing back and taking evasive action to avoid injury !!!!
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Richard, this is so mannish of you.... for a start, not all the cakes were chocolate........
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Perhaps I only noticed the chocolate ones !
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Perhaps I only noticed the chocolate ones !
Funny, Darren only noticed the chocolate ones as well. So maybe it's not just the women who can't resist it? :) :D ;D
Susan
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Yup, Susan, there's often a clue!
Rare birds like Michael Campbell never touch the stuff, but others, well............. ::) ;)
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