WELCOME

Welcome to our Gardening Club Rhydlewis and District Gardening Club has been around since the time of Adam and Eve. In fact, it is believed that one of our members planted and tended the very apple tree that gave rise to the pair being expelled from the garden!!

Whether this urban myth is true or not, the club is here to encourage, improve and extend the members' knowledge of all branches of horticulture. It is open to everyone and new members are all always welcome to come along.

Our activities during the year include a varied programme of talks and social events, summer garden visits, a plant sale, social gatherings/bbq and an annual open show in August.


Wednesday 3 October 2012

September Meeting

Waun Llan

Jillie Hollins, owner and gardener at Waun Llan in Llandyfriog, gave the Gardening Club a witty and fascinating talk, telling us about her life, and the gardens she has created around the globe, as she moved from country to country with her husband Rear Admiral Hollins.

She told us how she created a garden in desert conditions (put a seed into the sand and water it, and it will grow), and on the slopes of Gibraltar; how she dined with Lord Mountbatten and loved and trained horses for most of her life. She told us that, on returning to Britain, they searched everywhere for the right house for retirement; her husband Hugo wanted a river for the fishing and she wanted several acres that would challenge her landscaping skills. They searched the UK, but when they saw the house in Llandyfriog, knew it was for them. 

Jillie has a way with hostas, geraniums and climbers. She's diverted a small run of the Teifi to create a natural area of brook and wilder plants and she is, in my view, especially creative with her trees. but I was impressed, not only with her understanding and knowledge, but with her humility as a gardener. She said that she was creating this garden not only for her own joy, but for that of the people in this area of Wales...if the family are at home, it's open to the public...and that Waun Llan's beauty will live after her, which is something she works toward.

We had a lot of questions for Jillie, after the talk. My favourite of the tips she gave us...search charity shops for items that can be used as vases, especially if you plan to give your arrangement away...and she'd taken her own advice. She'd brought with her two attractive and original arrangements of herbs and late flowers and kindly donated them to the raffle; one was in a ramekin, the other in an elegant lidless teapot. 

a small section of Jillie's garden

We were delighted to give Jillie a donation for the Pembrokeshire Sea Scouts; an organisation that really helps young people not only learn to love the sea and boats, but also shows them how to value and challenge themselves as they grow.


Thursday 30 August 2012

THE PRODUCE SHOW 2012

We held a very successful Produce Show on Tuesday 28th August, especially when the summer weather is taken into consideration. There were some superb vegetable exhibits  (Dai Jones' onions spring to mind!) and the displays of garden flowers were wonderful. Beth Cook's fantastic chocolate birthday cake, in the form of a blooming garden, was a particular talking point, well done on winning a first prize, Beth, in your first Rhydlewis G C Produce Show.

The winner of the cups are as follows;

Vegetable Cup - Janette Sharman
Rose Shield - Pam Evans
J.T. Davies Shield  - Dia Jones
Floral Cup - Pam Evans
Best Exhibit in Show - Eluned Jones
D&G William Shield for Homecraft - Pam Evans

A huge congratulations to all the winners, and a massive thanks to everyone who exhibited their fruit, flowers and homecraft items...now you can all start planning your bulbs for the Spring Show

Thursday 2 August 2012

On Tuesday 31st July, we held our annual summer party. This year it was at Bryn Collen, Jenny’s house. Jenny and her late husband Jim has maintained this extraordinary garden, with plants from all over the globe, for many years, and we were all praying for a sunny evening so that we could enjoy strolling around. The rain held off for an hour or two and, apart from a couple of muddy areas at the bottom of the valley, everyone managed to stroll most of the garden and enjoy the displays, which, despite the bad weather this year looked good.  
















Bryn Collen is a great house for a party, plenty of room and lots of things to start a conversation. There was an excellent turnout for the party, with three new members arriving that evening; Vicky from Brongest, and Liz and Gary, who are newcomers into Rhydlewis.
Everyone had helped supplied the potluck supper and supplement the joint of cold beef and side of cold ham that club funds had contributed. The puddings were particularly exquisite, with bannofi pies, pavlova and trifle to tempt.  


 So a hearty thanks to Jenny, who organised the event. The next club event is the autumn show. The schedule for entries is now up on this site on its own page; please do enter whatever you can and please do encourage your children and nieghbours to do the same.

Monday 16 July 2012

GARDEN VISIT TO WAUN LLAN


Waun LLan is just outside Llandyfriog, nesting in the curves of the Teifi. There are 30 acres in all. Jillie Hollins, and her husband Hugo, a retired Naval Officer, have worked hard over almost 20 years to cultivate a garden, to quote Jilly, ‘that would be a legacy to this part of Wales’. 


She has an eye tree planting - and her flowers are a picture to behold - the roses, clematis and hostas were particularly amazing. 







































Jilly took us around her gardens on a wet June evening, but our spirits weren’t dampened at all; everyone enjoyed looking and learning as we moved through the  different parts and sensations of the garden.

  



Her tree planting is imaginative and brave; the avenues had real eye-apeal, as did the occasional planting. None of the trees you see were planted before Jilly came to the house.


Jilly has diverted a little of the Teifi to create a water landscape above the water-meadows. Here you can sit in a natural, wooded environment and totally relax.















Jilly kindly had  wine and soft drinks waiting for us after we had spend a magical hour browsing through the gardens. People were more than happy to donate to her favourite charity; the Sea Scouts in Pembrokeshire.  






After the garden visit, we spent an enjoyable 
evening at the Emlyn Arms; the food was very good and the company even better.



THE SPRING SHOW 2012


SPRING SHOW
TUESDAY EVENING 27th MARCH 2012
RHYDLEWIS VILLAGE HALL
OPEN TO ALL EXHIBITORS, PEOPLE BROUGHT ALONG THEIR SPRING PLANTS AND MADE THIS SHOW A COLOURFUL EVENTIN OVER 20 DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, INCLUDING;

  1. Single Daffodil  - 4 blooms, 1 variety Winner Dilys Jones
  2. Large or small-cupped Narcissus  - 4 blooms, one variety winner Diane Walkey
  3. Double Narcissus  - 4 stems, one variety winner Jane Cain
  4. Narcissus - any other (Division 5 - 12 ) - 4 stems, 1 variety Winner Ged Cary
  5. Bowl or pot of bulbs in bloom - any one variety Winner Diane Walkey
  6. Vase of spring flowers - not more than 6 varieties Winner Jenny Archbald
  7. Tulips - 4 stems, one variety  Winner Barbara Phillips
  8. Camellia - 1 bloom Winner  Diane Walkey
  9. Primula (primrose, polyanthus, cowslip etc) in a pot or bowl Winner Barbara Phillips
  10. Flowering plant in a pot  Winner Janette Sharman
  11. A plant grown for its decorative foliage - in a pot Winner Dilys Jones
  12. Flowering tree or shrub - cut spray from one variety Winner Janette Sharman
  13. Vase of cut heathers (Erica or Calluna) 1 or more varieties Winner Barbara Phillips
  14. A decorated plant pot Winner Ffion Jones
  15. A picture of a lamb  Winner Ffion Jones
  16. 4 Easter biscuits Winner Caradog Elias
  17. A Easter card (any medium) Winner Caradog Elias
  18. A model of a scarecrow not to exceed  Winner Caradog Elias
  19.  photograph of daffodils Winner Nina Milton
  20. An arrangement, ‘The Arrival of Spring’ Winner Judith Russill
  21. Pot of Member's Tulips grown from bulbs Winner Chris Pearl

OVERALL WINNERS Joint places;
Janette Sharman and Barabara Phillips 


THE MICHELLE AND CHARLIE BURNETT TROPHY awarded for the best children's exibit Winner Ffion Jones


THE DERRICK AND BARBARA CALOW MEMORIAL CUP awarded for the best exhibit from a Club Member in Classes 1-14 Winner Dilys Jones

THE PAM HUFFERDINE AWARD (Club Members Only) Winner Chris Pearl