Local Nursery Visit
Some of our members on a visit to the WILGROW NURSERY at Quaking Houses, near Stanley, Co. Durham, at the kind invitation of Mr John Williams, the owner of the nursery.
Our members discussing the facilities and plants during an enjoyable and informative day out, at Quaking Houses.
The National Geranium Collection
In July 2009 some of our members, in conjunction with members from Snods Edge Garden Club visited the home of the National Geranium Collection, at Frosterley House, Frosterley, Co. Durham.
All photographs in this visit by kind permission of Mr David Plumridge.
Frosterley House
The Home of the National Geranium Collection.
The visiting gardening enthusiasts
Members of both Derwentside Gardening Club, and Snods Edge Garden Club were greeted by their host on arrival at Frosterley House, --before strolling around the garden discussing the plants....
And admiring the borders.
Luxuriant plantings everywhere.
And a view across the geranium beds.
And finally, a real rarity!!!
What you see here is a 'Stone Dog Kennel', and believe it or not, it's actually a LISTED BUILDING.
Isn't it a strange world?
A Visit to Alnwick Garden
On June 4th 2011, some of our members paid a most enjoyable visit to the celebrated Alnwick Garden. Here are just a few photographs taken during that visit, starting with the first thing you see on arrival, the Grand Cascade. (A video record of this visit is available
here.
Followed by a reverse view from the top of the Grand Cascade, looking back down toward the reception area and restaurant.
Showing the Cascade water jets in action,
And another of the many exciting water features in the garden.
The Rose Garden
In the Rose Garden, pathways below pergolas swathed in roses, honeysuckles and clematis, lead through tumbling masses of fragrant roses, a mixture of climbing, shrub, old and English varieties. There are more than 3000 David Austin Roses, including the well known 'Just Joey', 'Jude the Obscure', and 'Gertrude Jeckyll', plus the rose specially bred by David Austin to celebrate the creation of the Alnwick Garden, 'The Alnwick Rose'.
There are of course, far too many varieties to name individually, but I've included a few more for your enjoyment.
And a couple of changes of species and colour
This is such an delicate shade, don't you think
Another change
One of the colourful primulas, just coming to the end of their flowering.
One last change.
One of the many colourful hardy geraniums on show.
The Old Keep
One of the ancient keeps, dating back to to the days of the regular skirmishes between the English and the Scots that occurred in this area.
The Deadliest Part of the Garden
The entrance gate to the (im)famous Poison Garden, where each and every plant can kill. Everything in here must be treated with the utmost respect, and visitors are warned NOT to touch any of the plants.
Our final destination was the famous Alnwick Garden Treehouse.
The enormous and beautifully crafted treehouse is built from Canadian Cedar, Scandanavian Redwood, and English and Scots Pine. It's set high in a copse of mature lime trees, and looks as if it's been there forever.