This month’s Newsletter is a touch later than usual, because I left for the UK the day after our meeting on the 9th of October, for a fleeting visit of only a week. It was a whirlwind tour of friends and family, but we did get the chance to visit Doddington Hall, an Elizabethan building just outside Lincoln and only half an hour’s drive from our cottage.
Doddington Hall and Iris gardens
The gardens at Doddington are better in late spring and summer with a parterre containing plenty of bearded iris and colourful, summer annuals, but at this time of year, the lawns beyond the formal garden were looking lovely, studded with Colchicum autumnalis in pink and white. The kitchen gardens were hosting a pick-your-own pumpkin event for families, and access was along the ‘Spooky Walk’, appropriately adorned with witches and skeletons; we avoided that.
As with so many of our great gardens in the UK – France take note - refreshments were freely available and morning coffee could be enjoyed in several locations, sensitively integrated into the grounds.
As the inspector for Lincolnshire for The Good Gardens Guide, many years ago I was privileged to assess these gardens for inclusion in the publication.
The then owner, Antony Jarvis (the Hall is now owned and managed by his daughter, Claire Birch and her husband) was keen to take me out on to the roof for a better view of the gardens, which necessitated climbing out through the window of one of the belvedere towers which you can see in the photo.
The view was superb, but I was less enthralled by the climbing experience!
We began the meeting on the 9th with a reminder about the remaining meetings. I then passed on a cautionary tale from a member of the group about checking unused spaces – barns and attics for example, for the nests of Asian hornets.
November 13th ~ Jos Mawdsley of Utopia Fleurs, Aubeterre talking on the worldwide movement for smaller ‘cut flower’ nurseries.
December 3rd and 5th ~ Christmas wreath making workshops at the Chateau at Villebois Lavalette with Melanie
December 11th ~ Christmas lunch chez Winnetts.
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GARDENER’S QUESTION TIME
The panel consisted of Lucy, Carolyn, Barbara and myself. The super questions ranged from recommendation for plants for various conditions, how to prune leggy plants, and understanding fertiliser, to storing pelargoniums, growing vegetables in lasagne beds and adding lemon peel to compost! Interesting and varied discussion followed, with members of the audience offering advice based on their own experiences. All questions and responses will find their way onto our website in due course – thank you Jacquie!
THOUGHTS ON AUTUMN​
You are, no doubt, doing what we are at the moment: looking at the garden and trying to decide what to cut back and what to leave. The asters and dahlias are still looking quite nice, and some roses are still giving us a bit of a show. We’ve made some new beds during the last few weeks, and a rose walk – all of which appear to be settling in well.
We’re going to get the pool packed up for winter this week, and no doubt start cutting back, although I shall leave much until the new year so that birds can benefit from seedheads.
Whatever you are doing outside, happy gardening until we see you at the next meeting.
IAN
​Figs were certainly in evidence at the meeting on Thursday 11th September in the Café Pluche!
Then again, so were squashes, courgettes, leeks, tomatoes in variety, jams and chutneys, not to mention some lovely late summer flowers and foliage.
Past meetings this summer
I began the session with a brief review of our picnic in June and our outing in July, giving some feedback on the subsequent Questionnaire which had been completed by members.
Your committee looked carefully at these replies and, although only 21 members had returned responses, some common strands did emerge, as a result of which some changes will be made to the trip plans for next year.
The main change will be that the trip will take place in May.
Consideration will also be given to trip destinations in terms of distance and number.
Meetings for the rest of the year.
I then went on to outline the meetings yet to come this year:
• October 9th: Gardeners’ Question Time.
• November 13th: Jos Mawdsley of Fleurs d’Aubeterre talking on the worldwide movement for smaller ‘cut flower’ nurseries.
• December: Special Wreath Making Workshop with Mel 3rd and 5th.
• December 11th: Christmas Party, venue tbc.
Special reminder
I also reminded members that we still need photos for our ‘Naked Gardeners’ Calendar’ – as only 4 months had so far been covered (or uncovered!). Photos of around 4mb to be sent to Jacquie, please.
September – the ‘Show, Tell, Smell and Taste’ meeting
In spite of a smaller turnout than usual, our ‘Show, Tell, Smell and Taste’ day was certainly a testimony to the talents of our members, despite many having found this summer a difficult growing time. Each member who had brought along something to show, told us about his or her year’s efforts in the garden, including the problems of growing in a hot and increasingly changing climate.
Nevertheless, we were amazed and delighted by the successes demonstrated in the produce brought along. Talks of freezers full of veggies, in all shapes and forms, for the winter months had us hoping for lunch invitations!
Having attended both the Vegetable and Rose Group meetings that same week, I was already aware of the skills of our members, and tasting some of the goodies present sealed my view.
Ian
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JULY NEWSLETTER
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​“It was a lovely day out yesterday we both enjoyed it immensely.”
“What a successful day! Two beautiful and completely contrasting gardens. I loved them and am now full of inspiration.”
“Just to say “thank you” for organising today’s trip and for sharing the invitation. I have come back feeling quite inspired.”
Just some of the feedback we’ve received for the coach trip on Thursday 10th July and they reflect what we all felt about the day.
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Le Jardin d’Eau, which we visited in the morning, was indeed inspiring. There were ponds, etangs and lakes galore, plus a feature I hadn’t seen before, which was the aquatic maze – a maze in the form of a raised walkway, surrounded by water, densely planted with water lilies, lotus in a myriad of colour, and various other aquatic plants, all looking luxurious and exotic.
The cascades, only completed in 2024, were impressive and fun, as you could walk behind them! The gardens, only begun in 1999, were thoughtfully planned and laid out, well signposted and labelled, with usefully placed photos of their creation. The only thing missing was a decent café, we thought, as we queued for the lady to produce our coffees from a dolce gusto type machine, one at a time!
Les Jardins de Marqueyssac offered us several possibilities for lunch and sitting on the café’s misted terrace overlooking Marqueyssac’s own chateau as well as the chateaux of Castelnaud, Beynac and Fayrac, lunch was a hugely enjoyable experience.
The gardens themselves are an interesting combination of formal gardens and natural landscapes with spectacular views, enjoyed on a variety of different walks to suit all ages and mobility. An ice cream plus afternoon tea was a necessity after such a warm afternoon.
Thanks to all who helped to make this outing a success, and especial thanks to Jacquie and Mel who organised the coach, the entries to the gardens and coordinated our efforts to get enough people together to make the trip viable.In the end, we only had 29 people in our 37-seater coach.
Of those, only 15 were IGC members with 14 being guests. This was a disappointing take-up and has resulted in the IGC making a loss of 144.10 euros.
At our first meeting in September, the committee will discuss the outing and look at ways of offering something in 2026 which might be more appealing. I intend to send out a questionnaire to everyone beforehand in order to find out what best would suit your needs for future trips.
I would be grateful if you could keep an eye open for this and do your best to reply.
I do hope that you have been coping with the heat and that you’re not feeling too hopeless about gardening in this climate of ours! We’ll be surprised, as we often are, by how resilient some of our plants are when they return next year.
In the meantime, make time to put your feet up in the garden, IAN
I feel that I must start this newsletter with grateful thanks for the support that Stewart and I received from you for our open day in aid of Open Gardens/ Jardins Ouverts. We had 110 visitors over the course of the day and raised 1055 euros in aid of the charity. This was an excellent achievement, and we were extremely happy with the result.
In spite of earlier worries about the weather, we had a beautiful day for our visit to Les Jardins de Laussagne. Situated in the small village of Vouzan (16410) the garden, originally a field surrounding the house, has been ten years in the making. Influenced by the English style of gardening, it hosts an impressive diversity of perennials, shrubs and trees, and is planned for year-long interest. The owners also enjoy adding quirky touches by adding reclaimed or repurposed objects which lend the garden a touch of whimsy.
THE PICNIC
Ian and Stewarts Garden
Having followed the sinuous pathways and appreciated the planting, we then settled to enjoy another of Gill Winnett’s superb picnics. Each group had previously picked up its beautifully presented and brimming lunch basket, leaving it in a chosen shady spot, and the ensuing hour or so was filled with happy chatter and delicious food. Hats off to Gill!
My thanks also to Jacquie and Mel for organising the day and making it such a success.
Thanks, however, must also go to you, our gardening club members and friends, for coming and sharing this super day.
The committee and I are also hopeful that our coach trip on July 10th, to Les Jardins d’Eau and Les Jardins de Marqueyssac, will be equally well supported.
At the time of writing this newsletter, last night’s storm certainly didn’t bring us the damage we had feared it might, and I so hope that the same is true of your house and garden. Fingers crossed in the vain hope that our summers will be filled with glorious days and rainy nights!
I look forward to seeing you on the 10th of July.
Happy gardening
Ian
Photography~Melanie Chappell
Our well-attended meeting (over 40 and 3 new members) on Thursday 8th May began with recognition of VE day, as we observed a period of silence in memory of those who lost their lives and in recognition of those who contributed to the freedom of Europe, all those years ago.
Bernard from Le Café Pluche committee was there to enrol people who were interested in becoming subscribers to the Café. I’d like to take this opportunity to encourage as many of you as possible to subscribe: the cost is 10 euros per year (€15 for a couple) which allows you to participate in any of the Café’s diverse activities.
He did point out to me that, in theory, anyone attending one of our meetings, who is not a Café Pluche member, should make a €2 contribution in the ‘chapeau’ by the bar. They haven’t insisted on that because we contribute in other ways.
He has shown me how to enrol members or renew existing membership at any of our future meetings, so just ask if you’d like to do that.
HOSTA TALK
This led on to my presentation on Hostas, a plant family which I have admired and varieties of which I have collected for many years.
I’d brought some plants for sale, for IGC funds and also some display plants. The total sales came to €102 for club funds! (Thanks also to those of you who brought other plants to give and swap).
We learned about the history of the hosta, its spread across Asia and Europe and its evolution into a plant family containing thousands of varieties.
We discussed how to grow good plants and, inevitably, how to try to defeat the slug population!
The talk concluded with suggestions of planting companions for hostas, both in the ground and in pots. Members of the audience were given a hand-out containing the names of all the varieties mentioned in the talk, so that they could note any of particular interest.
Lunch was of our usual, high standard and I was gratified by the number of people who helped with clearing away at the end of a delicious meal.
Look out for the emails regarding the picnic, plus the July trip and enjoy being in your garden as much as time and good health allows.
Happy Gardening, Ian
There was a distinct wave of admiration for the remarkable Jeanne Baret, the first woman to circumnavigate the globe in search of botanical specimens, and the subject of the fascinating presentation given by our own Jacquie Strasser at the meeting on Thursday 10th May.
We wondered at Jeanne’s courage and endurance as we listened to the account of her voyages and privations. Thank you, Jacquie, for this excellent topic.
Notices included: a reminder about joining the Facebook Group, which now sees about two thirds of our members subscribing; a request to look at our new website and feedback to us accordingly (www.interestinggardenclub.fr ); notifications of the next meeting for anyone interested in joining either or both of the Rose Group and the Vegetable Group; and brief feedback on my and Tom Winnett’s attendance at the AGM of Le Café Pluche.
Following another super bring and share lunch, it occurred to committee members that the following might be helpful: please think to tape your name onto the bottom of any dish which you bring containing your lunch contribution – in that way we can return any dishes left behind to their owners; there is no need to bring any serving implements, as Le Café Pluche has a great selection and this will avoid any mix up at the end; do remember to tick if you are staying for lunch, so that we can estimate how many tables might be needed – we might try a different arrangement of tables if we have a large number of people participating.
Over 50 members of the IGC arrived at Le Café Pluche on Thursday 13th March to participate in the AGM. It was heartening to see the meeting so well attended.
The business part of the meeting dealt with several aspects of the running of our Association. The AGM Minutes have been sent to the members. Suffice to say that I felt a lot of support and encouragement from the floor, for which I was very grateful.
The proposed programme for 2025 was announced and I hope that many of you will join us for the April meeting on Thursday 10th to find out about the adventurous life and work of Jeanne Baret.
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IGC AGM
Having packed so much in, we were, therefore, slightly late in organising ourselves for another wonderful lunch, where I think we outdid ourselves on the ‘Bring and Share’ buffet. The number staying for lunch required that we bring in several more tables from outside! (I would like to remind everyone who stays for lunch of the importance of clearing away at least your own plates, cutlery and glasses and, for those able to help, to assist in the tidying and cleaning at the end of lunch.
Following the AGM, I gave a short slide presentation entitled ‘Spring Beauties’, in the hope that it might encourage members to be a bit more adventurous in extending what the garden has to offer at this time of the year, by introducing my audience to less common varieties of Celandine, Arums, Winter Aconites, Hacquetia and Hepaticas.
Flowers and thanks to Joy and Carelle for the years of organising the Vegetable and Rose Groups .
Meeting housekeeping request!
We were also left, as often happens, with the remains of food contributions and sometimes the dishes themselves in which they came, at the end of lunch.
It would help enormously if you would write your name on the bottom of any dish which you bring, so that we can ensure that they’re returned to their rightful owners, whether you or the Café Pluche.
In the meantime, fingers crossed that the weather allows us to get outside as spring continues, in order to do some Happy Gardening.
Ian, President
PRESIDENTS FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER
This year’s meeting got off to a great start on Thursday 13th February, when 37 members met at Le Café Pluche. We were also very pleased to welcome six new members.
The session began with a few domestic announcements: I reminded everyone that Carolyn Palmer was available to help members who wished to join our Facebook group, but were having problems. Jacquie brought us up-to-date on the situation regarding our new website, which is that it will soon be piloted on a one-year commitment.
I gave an update from my recent meeting with the ‘Bureau’ of Le Café Pluche who have reminded us that the terms of our usage of their space include that our meetings should be open to the public, not just to members. They have asked us to advise them of the topics of our meetings there, so that they can publish this in the free magazine Totem. Our committee has agreed that any visitors, who are paid-up members of Le Café Pluche, may attend any of our meetings at a cost of 2 euros per meeting. The present situation for guests of members - that is that guests may attend a maximum of 2 meetings per year by paying 2 euros per meeting, will continue.
Le Café Pluche is also keen that as many of our members should belong to the café as possible and I urged IGC members to pay the, very reasonable, 10 euros per year to enjoy the wide and varied programme offered by the Café.
A ‘Charte d’entretien partage du café’, which gives guidance regarding care and cleaning whilst using the space, has been posted and we must respect this when clearing up before leaving.We then moved on to the fun point of the morning, which was to enjoy our.....
Gardeners’ Question Time.
Questions varied from recommendations for plants to grow in a bog garden, through the merit of leaving lichen growing on trees, to pruning fig trees and dividing hellebores. When asked for their favourite gardening quotes, the panel’s replies were numerous and included the proverb “red sky at night, shepherd’s delight” and Kipling’s reminder that “gardens are not made by singing ‘oh how beautiful’ and sitting in the shade.”
Our usual ‘Auberge Espagnol’ followed and we so enjoyed the wonderful lunch at a leisurely pace that we had to rush to clean and clear the space by 2pm!
Our next meeting is the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING on March 13th, when we shall review and report on 2024 as well as look forward to our exciting programme of events for 2025. I hope to see as many of you as possible there. Time permitting, we shall have a slide show, after the business part of the meeting, of less common plants for Winter/Spring colour.
At the time of writing this newsletter, we’re promised a sunny weekend, so I hope that you manage to get outside to do some Happy Gardening.
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Ian, President
