With the sun shining on the Blorenge and the Sugarloaf, we were all in good spirits as we gathered, anticipating an enjoyable day visiting nice gardens. With about 18 gardens to explore, there was plenty to see. Following a brief intro, where we agreed a time and place to regroup for lunch, we made our way to the first garden, which set the bar high for the rest of the gardens. All the gardens were of a high standard – lots of work had gone into getting them ready for today! From large expanses to small back gardens, some formal and others more naturalistic, each garden had its own charms. Many made the most of the borrowed landscape – creating a view of the aforementioned nearby hills from their gardens. Two attendees proudly pointed out their hillside home that could be seen from the gardens. What was common to all was the warm greetings from those who lovingly looked after them, and they were happy to talk about what they did and identify plants of interest. There was a carnival atmosphere as we went from garden to garden, greeting fellow visitors along the streets.

Several places had refreshments on offer – from crepes & galettes to delicious cakes and drinks. Galettes were a popular choice and cakes had to be sampled too. Sometimes by design, sometimes unplanned, we regrouped on a number of occasions to rest and enjoy each other’s company. And that was the most important thing – enjoying chatting and sharing our thoughts on what we saw.

As the afternoon progressed, it got warmer and some of us started to flag. It was time to say our goodbyes and head home, some of us carrying bags of plants we had bought. It was a most enjoyable day and I look forward to many more days like it to come.

Thank you to John S for suggesting it and also thanks to those who came along and contributed to making it such an enjoyable day.

Neil