2021 Meeting Reports
November
"The Wild Flowers of East Cheshire"
Mr Jack Swan gave an illustrated talk on many of the wildflowers that can be found in East Cheshire.He began by explaining the importance of sites such as the "Coronation Meadow" at Dane-in-Shaw pasture Congelton, in sustaining the diversity of species and the importance of some of these plants as food sources for bees, butterflies and hoverflies.The site has SSSI status and has been greatly improved by using Yellow Rattle and other hemi-parasites to weaken the grasses and to allow plants such as Common Spotted Orchid and Common Cat's-ear to flourish.
Yellow Rattle
Spotted Orchid
Cat's Ear
October
"The work of Chester Zoo in helping to conserve native plants"
Mr Richard Hewitt, Nursery Manager at Chester Zoo gave a detailed talk on the zoo's role in helping to conserve native plant species. In their work with several other organisations the zoo's nursery staff have propagated and provided trees and shrubs to be re-established in the their natural settings. These have included Black Poplar, Barberry, Llangollen Whitebeam, native Juniper, and Cotoneaster cambricus.
Barberry
Juniper
"Plants don't go to sleep over winter"
For our first meeting in over eighteen months, at our new venue in the Club on Park Lane. Kevin Pratt, from “Village Plants Ltd”, gave a fascinating talk and provided insights into plants for winter in the garden. He showed slides of fifty different plants to illustrate the range of colour and impact that can be gained from carefully chosen specimens and varieties in the right setting. In addition, he gave us interesting background information into the work of a small nursery specialising in rare plants.
For more information go to: -
www.kevinpratt.co.uk Village Plants Ltd 7, Bosden Fold Road, Hazel Grove SK7 4LQ
Cotoneaster
cambricus
