CGS Snowdrop Day Cottered and Benington Lordship

[David King]

Just returned from the CGS day at Cottered and the garden of Benington Lordship.  Excellent day, good talks and the garden looked good with wonderful drifts of snowdrops.  Lots of pictures but four to start.

1.  When we arrived for coffee Arthur already in full flight
2.  Jo Hynes and Alan_B
3.  Queue for the sale - the long, the short and the very tall
4.  Matt Bishop one of the speakers

More to follow later

[mark smyth]

Anything exciting on Matts table?

[emma T]

Hope you all had fun ?

[Brian Ellis]

Yes it was lovely Emma, well done to the organizers.  Richard Hobbs gave an interesting talk covering several galanthophiles and their discoveries with some good anecdotes and Matt showed us some eccentric 'drops (some very much so).  The snowdrops at Benington were looking particularly good and I hope Richard Webb is pleased with how it all went.  It was so nice to meet up with forumists and have a good chinwag with various people, and then of course we had snowdrops.  What more could you want - oh yes, the cake was good too

[RichardW]

Glad you enjoyed it, wanted to stay for the talks etc but had too much to do, then drop some plants off after and get to Reading in the evening so a very busy day. As always was great to catch up with people & meet many more to get contacts for future swapping & visits.

Was also very nice to meet up with some old friends of my dad, the collection here & my interest was sparked by the handful of Mighty Atom & Merlin bulbs he gave me 20+ years ago, much of the bank in the walled garden is planted with his plants moved when the house was sold a few years ago.

Big relief the weather behaved and the garden had started to dry out a little! Very tired, need whisky & sleep 

[David King]

Starting to work through some of the pictures so here are a few more.

1.  Richard Bashford and Valerie Bexley of Woodchippings
2.  Brian Ellis with Richard and Valerie
3.  Rod and Jane Leeds (3rd and 4th left) and the sales tables
4.  How to get an advantage over the front row.  Paul Barney, far left, and Arthur in red
5.  Sue Staines surrounded by buyers - or is the door bolted so they can't get out?

[David King]

Another group.

1.  Wol Staines looking for a snowdrop
2.  General view.  Richard Webb from Benington far left in red.  Can spot a few other forumists if you look closely
3.  More of the sales
4.  Glen Chantry stall. 

[David King]

Now for a few of the sellers.

1.  Jane Leeds (selling) and to right Jo Hynes buying.  Richard Bashford in background
2.  Rod Leeds
3.  Mike Broadhurst......surely not having a nap
4.  Anne Broadhurst
5.  Wol Staines

[Alan_b]

Anything exciting on Matts table?

Thus far, Matt has tended to sell from a limited selection of snowdrops but in good quantities.  This is great because it means you don't have to fight at his sales table. 

[RichardW]

Thanks again for the drop Alan, hope the swap does well.

[David King]

Some more of the people and sale.

1. & 2.  Gnome from home.  Val Bourne modelling her snowdrop pixie hat
3. & 4.  Monksilver nursery, Rob Scudamore selling
5.         Jane Ann Walton (Mrs Swanton)

[Alan_b]

That's Julie (third from left) from Spring Platt in Kent in picture 4.  By the way, I'm not sure the ones of me are terribly flattering, David.

[David King]

Final lot from the hall.

1.  Sales. Matt Bishop (left) and Lionel Ponder (far right)
2.  Richard Webb (Benington Lordship)
3.  From left:  Margaret MacLennan, Janet LeCore, John LeCore and Brian Ellis
4.  Ann Borrill (G Penelope Ann) and Richard Hobbs
5.  Finishing as we started.... Arthur still in full flight.

Hopefully will post some from Benington later.

[David King]

By the way, I'm not sure the ones of me are terribly flattering, David.

I don't do flattering.  My camera never lies.

[David King]

Now some from the gardens of Benington Lordship.

1.  The entrance and tower
2.  The moat
3.  By the house
4.  Looking at specials - Ann Borril to left (red coat), Richard Webb (red coat) and Jo Hynes (red legs) others unknown
5.  A very nice clump of G. Diggory