CLUB NEWS Chetnole and Leigh Garden Club The club’s Christmas 2021 meeting was different this year to comply with the current regulations – not too much mixing and mingling, masks for all and plenty of fresh air circulating for the evening. We all wrapped up warmly, donned something festive and only removed our masks to eat a mince pie or two and to toast each other with delicious mulled wine. Then we settled down to watch a most enjoyable seasonal demonstration given by Helen Stickland and her talented team from The Black Shed in Sherborne. They are situated at Blackmarsh Farm, on the A30 just east of Sherborne and are always very welcoming and helpful. They showed us how to make different Christmas displays including a beautiful wreath, a dried flower arrangement (which Helen assured us will last for years) and two different posies which would grace any Christmas table. Helen explained how much of the material used during the evening was grown at The Black Shed.
Many flowers are dried during different stages of their growth with amazing results (try drying foxgloves after the flowers have fallen – the result is lovely) and giving a wonderful mixture of colours and textures to use in different ways. After the demonstrations were over, Helen very generously gave the finished items as raffle prizes. As you can see in the photo the winners were quite delighted with them. Happy New Year to everyone.
First meeting of 2022 We gathered in Chetnole Village Hall to listen to Emily Utgren talk about Remarkable Trees at Stourhead. The doors and windows were open to allow the air to flow and we were all decked out in coats, scarves and face masks. Despite the restrictions there was a healthy turnout and it was good to see fellow members catching up with each other and eagerly awaiting the Speaker to begin her talk. Emily introduced herself with a wide smile, a ready laugh and enthusiasm for her subject brimming over. On the screen behind her was an unusual picture of a firefighter in full kit in front of a raging fire, which she jokingly said was there to warm us up. We soon found out that it was Emily herself in one of her other roles as a firefighter with Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service. Emily came over from Sweden 16 years ago to learn all she could about gardening. After time spent in Rosemoor, Wisley and Bedgebury Pinetum she realised her passion lay in trees and she was fortunate to be given her first job at Stourhead where she spent the next 15 years. 43
