The group staged its first indoor meeting since the pandemic hit in 2020. Social distancing was observed and an impressive number of members and new members supported the return.

The speaker was Jeff Bates, with over 40 years professional gardening experience and East Midlands in Bloom judge who took as his topic ‘Gardens of Wales’. He focussed on four large gardens.

Firstly, Aberglasney with its restored cloister garden and parapet with a view of the old stew pond. There were many different areas including the modern border where gauras and salvias were prevalent, the walled garden with its microclimate housing interesting criss-crossed shaped espalier pear trees, the sunken garden and the old farmyard buildings converted into potting and training centres. Added to this there was an excellent formal garden, rose arbour and fernery.

Secondly, Powis Castle with its well known Italianate terraces and superb herbaceous borders was selected. The excellent yew hedges were a main feature with their cloud pruning which are kept in shape every Autumn with the help of a cherry picker for ten weeks. The box hedges are also a major feature, which take up to six weeks of trimming. It is a high maintenance garden. On the top terrace there is a tropical showpiece contrasting with other natural areas which have been developed.

Thirdly, Bodnant in North Wales with its famous laburnum was chosen. It is home to five national collections and has many champion trees. Azaleas so suited to the acid soil, provide colour and scent early in the year followed later by the roses and summer herbaceous flowers. The stunning feature are the Pin Mill and pond with its superb reflections. This is another garden for wonderful autumn colour with acers and embothriums showing off.

Lastly, National Botanic Garden of Wales, which is the most visited garden in Wales, was featured. It is famous for having the largest single-spanned glasshouse in the world where Mediterranean plants excel and plants from all over the world thrive. The avenue of white trunked birches is another noticeable feature. Large areas have now been given over to naturalistic settings to encourage pollinators and the return of native wild flowers. There are so many diverse gardens to see in this magnificent garden.