THE BRADFORD FLOWER CLUB

MINUTES OF THE CLUB MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 18 JUNE 2012

AT HAWORTH ROAD METHODIST CHURCH

 

1      In Attendance – there were 65 members and 5 guests in attendance. 

2      Club Notices

• Trip to Burton Agnes – Chair gave details of the day – cost £17 for the coach and members to pay for entry to the Hall and gardens on the day.  Departure would be 9.30am; car parking is available in the Haworth Road Health Centre car park at owners’ risk.  Expected arrival time at home 7.30pm
• Chelsea – Chair congratulated Eileen Barraclough on her silver-guilt award.  Eileen will bring photos for the Club to view at a future meeting
• National Show Southport – 12-14 July
• 9 August – Photography Day at Strensall Village Hall – cost £15 to include slide show and practical demonstration.
• Harrogate Autumn Show – 14 – 16 September  – schedules are on the notice board
• 7 October – Members’ Day at Joseph Rowntree School – cost £20
• 24^th October is the National AGM in London
• 17^th November is the Area AGM at Queen Elizabeth School in Wakefield.

3      Demonstrators – Chair welcomed our speaker Tony Cleaver.  Tony gave an entertaining and informative slide show of ‘Northern Gardens’ with beautiful pictures of gardens in all seasons.  These were:

• Harlow Carr, Harrogate – an RHS garden.  Tony started the slide show with the winter season with snow covered walks and foliage
• Burton Agnes Hall – an amazing display of snowdrops in the woodland walk
• Renishaw Hall – Italianate garden set out in 1895 by Sir Geroge Sitwell and beautiful woodland bluebell walks. 
• Tatton Park – an Italian Garden, Japanese Garden with watchtower, walled kitchen garden, maze etc
• Levens Hall, Cumbria  – Grade 1 Listed 1694 Topiary Garden – amazing shapes of all sizes and orchard
• Otteringon Hall, Thirsk – 1926 Topiary Garden – also walled garden with fruit trees and rose garden
• Sizergh Castle –  National Trust – formal Dutch garden and limestone rockery
• Washington Old Hall, County Durham National Trust – George Washington’s ancestral home now owned by the National Trust with Jacobean Gardens
• Crook Hall, Durham City – 13^th Century Grade 1 Listed Medieval Hall – themed gardens, walled garden, Shakespeare garden
• Alnwick Castle – lots of fountains and water features, poison garden, ornamental garden – Tony was not impressed at the cost of entry!
• Sledmere House – lovely reminder of spring with the daffodil display – also walled garden, exotic flower border in summer
• Burnby Hall, Pocklington – National collection of hardy water lilies and secret garden
• Middlethorpe Hall – walled garden, rose garden, maze of small gardens.  Tony recommended visiting for a coffee or afternoon tea and then enjoy exploring the garden.

The photos were beautifully presented with a variety of scenes from borders to individual flowers.  

            Helen Reynolds gave the vote of thanks

4      Flower Dip

       The following ladies received flowers in the flower dip

1      Joyce Bonham

2      Norma Dobney

3      A Lockwood

4      Shahid

5      Wendy Elliott

            Vivienne Midgley was thanked for obtaining the lovely flower bouquets.     

5     Next Meeting – 9 July – The demonstrator will be Kathleen Williams not Karen Schofield as advertised on the programme.  It was agreed to hold a Strawberry Supper as last year.

6     The meeting closed at 9.00pm and guests were invited to have some refreshments and wished a safe journey home.