CLUB NEWS

Leigh WI – April meeting

The last few years has seen a blossoming interest in where we came from and who our ancestors were. Were they perhaps from royal stock or, more likely, hardworking peasants? It has become easier than ever to research our forebears, since the advent of sites like Ancestry. There is however a danger of unearthing a secret buried in the past that would have been better left undiscovered.

Miranda Pender came to speak to us on the Perils of Family History. It could have been a rather dry subject as one rarely gets more than the bare facts of their lives through births, deaths and marriages, but Miranda made the subject literally sing with interest.

She started looking into her own ancestry at the same time as an American cousin and, between them, they found two brothers, James and Abraham Trewartha who owned a copper mine called Southwheal Frances. These brothers were rough and ready but determined to better themselves and enter society, so married two sisters whose father was a rich banker. Unfortunately, they each chose the wrong sister by tossing a coin but the outcome gave rich pickings to the unfolding story of their lives. As Miranda said, “It would have made dull story indeed if they had all just lived happily ever after.”

There is indeed a secret which they discovered by talking to a modern day relative, of murder and madness which had been passed down by word of mouth through the generations.

Miranda enlivened her story by singing songs which she wrote herself, bringing the history to life and making us all feel we really knew these people and cared about what happened to them.

We all enjoyed the Talk and the Songs and would certainly recommend Miranda to any other WI Group looking for an excellent and highly original evening’s entertainment.

Chetnole & Leigh Garden Club outings 2022

This year, the Chetnole & Leigh Garden Club is organising two outings to local gardens and members and non-members are welcome. For both visits we are asking everyone to make their own way there and suggest car-sharing. If you require a lift, please let us know when you email Shaune Reeves (details below) and we will do our best to match you others who are going.

Tuesday 14 June Holme for Gardens, West Holme, Wareham BH20 6AQ

This is a private garden owned by Simon and Liz Goldsack. Described in the RHS handbook as, ‘a beautiful seven acre garden cleverly designed to link formal with informal sections. Unusual plants grown in harmony with the wildlife and luxuriant colour-themed borders.’

Holme for Gardens is close to Wareham and opens at 10am; there is a cafe, shop and garden centre. By special arrangement there will be a talk by Simon at 2.30 pm, for approximately an hour. Cost: the gardens are £5 per person, members and non-members; for members the talk will be funded by club funds. Should a non-club member wish to come, we will ask for an additional £5 for Simon’s talk. Meeting: at Holme 1.30 pm. Booking: please email Shaune Reeves at shaunereeves@btinternet.com for all the details, including payment

Wednesday 17 August Cranborne Manor Garden, Wimborne BH21 5PP

This is an historic garden laid out by John Tradescant in the C.17th and modernised more recently. The walled garden has been booked for 2.30pm for our club visit. In addition, there is a garden centre, shop and small cafe. However, as the café is so small, the Committee decided to include tea/coffee and cake as part of the Club booking, which will be served in the Garden Room after our visit to the walled garden.

Cost: entry to the walled garden plus refreshments in the Garden Room afterwards is £12.50 per person (£11.50 per person over 60). Should you wish to meet at 2.30pm but not have refreshments afterwards with the club, the entry cost is £6.50 per person (£5.50 per person over 60).

This venue has asked for full payment and confirmation of numbers to be completed in one transaction on the day at Cranborne. Therefore, please pay either by BACS to the Garden Club as above, or to the treasurer Aly Kozowyk by 13 July.

Booking: please email Shaune Reeves at shaunereeves@btinternet.com by 13 July at the latest. Please state whether you will be joining us for refreshments and whether you would prefer tea or coffee with your cake.

Yetminster & Ryme Garden Club

The sun shone for our annual plant sale held on 7May. Newcomers to Yetminster, Matthew and Fiona Shire, opened their garden for the event providing the perfect venue in the middle of the village. Not only were we blessed with good weather, 39

but members had made a huge effort to ensure that we had a very plentiful and varied plant collection, all of which were available at bargain prices. Everyone enjoyed the opportunity to meet and chat in the sunshine, and we also had some very happy customers.

Then, at our May meeting, Dr Francis Burroughes managed to combine surprising information with wit and humour, giving us a fascinating and highly enjoyable presentation.

We had an evening of amazing facts, which came thick and fast. For instance, cucumbers come from Egypt; indeed, there is a biblical reference to Egypt as the land of cucumbers. Pliny, the Roman naturalist, actually suggested that they should be grown in raised beds, heated from the manure that was decomposing beneath. He even came up with the idea of a cold frame, not using glass but very thin sheets of talc which, although not see-through, allowed through the light.

The Romans brought us so many

things such as us the globe artichoke, broccoli, cauliflower and virtually all our culinary herbs and roses. And asparagus – apparently the crop in Ravenna could produce three spears to the pound. Pretty impressive. Even more surprising, they took asparagus to the Alps to freeze so that they could eat it in the winter.

On the other hand, broad beans have been with us from prehistoric times and were for centuries a staple food crop. It seems that every area in the country had a bean suited to its climate and conditions and the Martock bean is still grown locally, despite the EU’s best efforts!

So many of these interesting plants had uncertain beginnings. The potato, originally grown for its flowers, only became a dietary staple in the early C.20th. Apparently, Elizabeth 1 was made seriously ill by being given a salad of potato leaves. Then there are camelias, a plant whose flowers were highly valued, and were for many years considered tender and grown in green houses. When gardeners returned from the first world war to find their green houses in disrepair, the bonus was that the camelias were flourishing and have since been grown in open air conditions. Here Dr Burroughes added a little gardening tip: always plant your

camelias facing west because if the flowers are frosted, the early morning sun from the east will scorch them and turn them brown. Facing west, any ice will have melted by the time the sun reaches them.

There was so much novel information that it is difficult to pick out the big surprises. But how about this, it cost £70 million to clear the 70 acre site of the London 2012 Olympics of Japanese knotweed.

Carol Debell

The Countrymen’s Club Rylands farm, Dorset

10th Anniversary celebrations, Thursday 28 July

We are organising a fun packed day to celebrate 10 years of the Countrymen’s Club here at Rylands farm. Do come along and help us celebrate. In the evening, Symonds & Sampson will be running an auction of promises.

Auction of promises.

On behalf of the Countrymen’s club and Future Roots. Thursday July 28th

Auction starts 6pm Buyers can arrive from 5pm. Lots of wonderful gifts, unique experiences and vouchers for you to bid on! The Countrymen’s club, Ryland’s farm, Boyshill, near Sherborne. DT9 5PS.

Ph: 01963 210789 for details.