Pat Cook, the Chair Person, opened the May meeting, and welcomed new members.

Roger Turner was guest for the evening, giving a talk and slide show on ‘Creating a Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show’, which was very topical as this week was indeed the Chelsea Flower Show. Roger was an architect when he submitted a design in 1082/83 to the Sunday Times competition to create a garden for the Chelsea Flower Show, which he then won. His design was ‘A garden that Aims to Fool you’ - an illusion to make the garden look bigger that it actual was. Roger took us through a slide show of some of his own Chelsea Flower Show garden and from other gardens in their stages of putting a garden together, from clearing the site, delivery of plants and ornaments, hard landscaping , through to working towards the final finished gardens. His design won a Silver Gilt and was described as a ‘Quietly Sensitive’ Garden. Whilst it was some 30 years ago, Roger did say that although designs have changed over the years, the process for creating a garden is still the same. . He also did manage to get some further design work as a result of the Chelsea Show.

With his prize money Roger bought himself a split screen VW camper van, which unfortunately he no longer owns, and took it to Italy and across the Alps to Switzerland. We were able to see some of the slides showing Roger and his family enjoying their holiday.

A short question and answer session followed Roger’s talk and he then judged the competition for this month which was ‘A Flower with a girl’s name’. There were a large number of entries for the competition this month. The winner was Brenda Griffiths, with a stunning large deep red Poppy. Second was Angela Riste with yellow Iris and third was Billie Dawson with a collection of flowers with girls’ names.

Our next meeting is on June 18 when the guest will be Dawn Keitley giving a flower arrangement demonstration. The competition will be ‘A flower arrangement in a cup and saucer’.

New members and visitors are welcome.