Gardening Talks Sunday 4th September

11am - Fabrizio Boccha "Wildlife Gardening"

12 noon - Georgie Newberry "Growing Cut Flowers in the Garden"

Common Farm is a smallholding in Somerset where Georgie Newbery & her husband, artist Fabrizio Boccha, grow flowers to be cut and transformed into gorgeous bespoke bouquets. From roses, to sweet peas, from dahlias to pussy willow, they strive to use their skill, imagination and great sense of style to create unique bouquets all year round.

Flowers from Common Farm are cut to order from their own flowerbeds, conditioned to order and arranged to order. Everything they offer is grown in season. They won't use chemicals. Their cut flower gardens are especially designed to benefit wildlife. They edge their flower fields with native hedgerows. They grow wildflowers from seed in order to increase the butterfly populations (and cut for bouquets). They keep honey bees for their sakes as well as their own larder's. Fabrizio says that if we look after the invertebrates, the rest of the food chain will look after itself...and so they mow insect motorways through the long grass, dig dew ponds for the dragonflies and leave heaps of horticultural debris about the place where the grass snakes can over-winter.

1.30pm - Armando Raish "Treebox"

Armando Raish, a trained architect, is the founder of Treebox, which is dedicated to creating innovative growing solutions both in and outside the home. Driven by the Armando Raishdesire to generate increasing sustainability within the urban community, Armando has developed the concept of passive building in his Easiwall system to provide vertical gardening solutions for small and tall spaces. The materials used are not only sustainably sourced and mostly produced in the UK but are also 100% recyclable. The Green Walls range from vertical allotments and ornamental planting installations, which transform brick and concrete walls, to working height gardens for the less able – all of which Armando will bring to life in a specially designed four-walled garden, with each wall reflecting a different theme to demonstrate the exciting versatility and scope of vertical planting.

3pm - Anne and Michael Blandford “Winning Gold in Britain in Bloom”  

In the last three years Wedmore in Bloom has won three Gold awards in the RHS South West in Bloom competition. Following this success, Wedmore was invited to represent the South West Region in the national Britain in Bloom Competition and was awarded Gold in 2009 and 2010.

This illustrated talk will highlight Wedmore’s experience and give pointers to success. It will show how a successful “in Bloom” entry can be made by any community. The present Wedmore in Bloom committee was formed in 2006 by two enthusiastic gardeners and one of them, Anne, will lead the session. Anne is a keen amateur gardener and has opened her garden to the public. Michael looks after the public face of Wedmore in Bloom. Michael gives talks on a wide range of subjects and is a published photographer.