Monthly Meeting - "Gardening at the Edge"
Tuesday 10 September 2019
For the first meeting of the season Ruskie’s hall was packed with members & visitors - both familiar faces and new friends! Our “overflow parking” courtesy of Eleanor Muir at Lennieston Farm Road will be well used if we continue to be as busy (thanks to Jimmy for opening the gate!)
Our president Anne Artis began by reminding us of the busy summer of activity we have enjoyed – Gardening Scotland, World textile Day, events stewarding and our visit to the Food Museum at Auchtermuchty … along with the activities which are coming up (Rainbow Whist, Bowling, John Lewis Shopping, Christmas Craft workshop and the November business meeting). Anne also shared the news of our new Honorary Member appointment – Isobel McGuire assured us she felt in esteemed company – from Sheenagh’s mother-in-law Agnes, and the “trio” to Anna Burnett with whom she currently shares the honour (along with knobbly knees and a talent for tattie scones!)
Simon Jones our speaker for the evening challenged and informed us with his experience of managing gardens and designed landscape for the National Trust for Scotland. He shared stories from three of his sites – Inverewe, Brodick and Arduaine – where getting a West Coast gardening team to smile for a photo is tougher than growing non-hardy plants from the southern hemisphere! Simon’s perspective on dealing with changing climates and biological pathogens was something that we all shared an emotional connection to. The fact that many women in history were strong influences on gardening (and more!) is a mere coincidence for an SWI presentation but echoing their voice of “gardening in the spirit of the place” is something we can all aspire to. The challenge of taking down 885 x 125 year old trees at Arduaine is significant – protecting the “second best” rhododendron collection in the UK, and generating income for the Trust from the sale/reuse of 38,000 tons of milled timber truly is gardening on the edge of what we currently know as possible but, as Simon told us, the solution will come in the form of both plants and people and their connection.
A delicious supper was provided by Christine Hamilton, Mary Muirhead and Pamela Deans.
Competitions
Mrs Beaton Memorial Rose Bowl: Garden arrangement in a jam jar 1) Allison McLeod, 2) Christine Hamilton, 3) Sheena Gibson
Favourite watering can – 1) Pamela Deans, 2) Anne Artis, 3) Liz Black
Phew – all of this from our first meeting! Here’s looking forward to October!
