Chorleywood WI evening

The Gardener of the Year 2002, Mr Edwin Rye, was the speaker at Chorleywood Evening WI in September.

Mr Rye is an enthusiast who has a very good eye for colourful plant combinations and used specimens and photographs to show just how much can be done with the right plants in his own relatively small garden.

He gave useful advice on conditions for different plants and in many cases advised not cutting plants back for the winter, but instead leaving the old stems to give some frost protection and starting afresh in the spring.

He has a love for David Austin roses and advised that some can be grown in large pots if space is a problem, while others are particularly good over arches as they flower all the way up the stem.

Mr and Mrs Rye had brought along a collection of splendid plants for sale and later Mrs Rye talked about the children's charity in South Africa which they support by these sales and presentations.

They also open their garden in Wendover for the National Gardens Scheme for the same purpose.

Mr Rye has recently been filming for the BBC's Gardeners' World and members can look forward to seeing him in action in the autumn.

President Mrs Jean Miller reported that the tombola at

Chorleywood Village Day had been a success.

The garden party in August, held on a rare fine afternoon, had helped to raise funds for this year's charity, Herts Air Ambulance, and an enjoyable visit had been made to Hampden Bottom Farm.

Mrs Marjorie Shaw had been the recipient of this year's bursary and she proposed sharing it with three members for a special open day at Denman College.

The speaker at the October meeting will be Mr James Twining on The Art of Crime and Thriller Writing.