November guest speaker

Our speaker this month was the ever popular Kevin Thomas, with a talk and demonstration on  winter hanging baskets.

As Kevin worked through the preparation and planting up of a basket, he talked us through every stage in great detail, from lining the basket with moss, choosing which plants to use for the greatest effect and which would also last through the winter and into early spring. Kevin started with trailing plants around the bottom of the basket, then worked up the sides with different plants chosen for texture, winter foliage colour, and winter flowers and berries. The plants at the top of the basket included an upright small conifer in the centre, surrounded by as many plants that Kevin could cram in, with ivy trailing over the sides. Underneath these were Tete a Tete daffodils which will work their way up through the mass of plants to give a shot of colour in February.

Throughout the demonstration, Kevin also related many stories, ranging from how he's moving to a house with a bigger garden and how excited he is to be getting a new greenhouse, to lots of amusing incidents from his time working at Bryncethin Nursery.

At the end of the evening, the finished, beautiful basket was given as the raffle prize. Kevin had also brought lots of plants for us to buy to create our own winter displays.

The talk was very well attended, and enjoyed by all. Kevin is one of our regular speakers and never fails to entertain us, while also educating us on all aspects of gardening.

A big thankyou to Kevin, and to all who attended. Our next speaker is Ivor Mace who will give a talk on carnations and chrysanthemums as the first talk of 2025!