DORSET
Gardener’s Cuttings
Stewarts win top plant
Exbury art show a world-wide draw
retailers award for the
A chance meeting in New Zealand inspired a couple to fly halfway round the world
second year
to visit the acclaimed Four Seasons Art show at Exbury Gardens in the New Forest.
For the second year running Stewarts
Artist Barbara Rousseau, on a painting holiday in New Zealand, told a Taiwanese
GardenLands of Christchurch has
couple on the same train about her work for the annual Exbury exhibition.
won the Ruxley Rose, a national
“We spent plenty of time talking because the train had broken down,” said Barbara, who
competition organised by the Garden
lives at Milford-on-Sea. “They actually flew to England from Taiwan, came to Exbury,
Centre Association for the best plant
and bought a painting which now hangs on the husband’s office wall in Taiwan.”
retailers in the UK. The award goes to
the garden centre which offers the best
The show, in Exbury’s Five Arrows Gallery, from Easter Sunday, 4th April, until the first
plant quality, display and customer
week in June, has been extended because of its huge popularity in previous years.
service and ‘wow factor’ of plants
www.exbury.co.uk
during visits.
The national award follows on from
Guest speakers for Spring
earlier regional successes for the
popular garden centres company
The East Dorset Group of National Council for the Conservation of Plants and
which has outlets at Christchurch and
Gardens which meets in Wimbourne has two key speakers lined up for spring
Broomhill, Wimborne.
lectures. On 20th March Rosie Hardy from Hardy’s Cottage Plants a nursery which
specialises in herbaceous, cottage plants is the guest. The nursery won a gold medal
GardenLands, Christchurch, won the
at Hampton Court for their garden designed to attract bees and butterflies. The
Ruxley Rose Plantarea 2009/2010
talk will be illustrated with a collection of plants and plenty of horticultural advice.
Award for Best Plant Retailer in the
South of England in the category of
Visitors are welcome £2.50 E-mail shelagh.thomas@tiscali.co.uk
large garden centres for the third
year running. The Country Garden
Dorset dairy farmer spots
Centre, Broomhill, won the South
endangered butterflies
Coast heat in the category of small
garden centres.
Dorset dairy farmer Richard Foot
identified five endangered butterflies
The national award was made at the
on his farm last summer in a special
GCA Conference last month.
competition.
Ian Boardman, National Judge, said in
Mr Foot, who farms at Caundle Marsh
his summing up, “The displays in the
near Sherborne, is one of 60 farmers who
plant area were bursting with ideas and
supply Waitrose with milk. All participate
made it a plant hunter’s paradise. The
staff are great and nothing is too much
in the Waitrose WildCare wildlife habitat
trouble.” Martin Stewart, Managing
scheme, which encourages farmers to use
Director of Stewarts, said he was
The endangered White-letter Hairstreak spotted in farming practices that encourage animals,
Dorset
extremely proud to have retained this
plants and insects to live on their farm.
prestigous award as it is judged by our
Sixty-seven species of butterfly spend all or some of their time in the UK countryside.
peers within the industry.
Mr Foot spotted the Dingy Skipper, the White-letter Hairstreak and the Small Heath,
which are regarded as endangered by the UK’s Butterfly Conservation organisation.
Holme for Gardens takes “Butterflies are very sensitive to environmental change, which makes them a very
over Goldy’s farm shop
good indicator of the health of the countryside,” says Waitrose WildCare manager
Goldy’s farm shop located at Holme
Tim Oliver.
for Gardens, West Holme Farm near
Wareham has new owners. Simon
An afternoon with Fergus
and Liz Goldsack, owners of the
Garrett
garden centre have bought the
Fergus Garrett, Head Gardener at Great
business from Jenny Goldsack to run
Dixter will be giving a new talk on ‘Great
alongside their 50,000 sq ft garden
Dixter, the Past, Present and Future’
centre, 15 acre fruit farm.
at 2.30 p.m. at the Allendale Centre,
The Holme Farm Shop will provide an
Wimborne on Saturday 6th March
outlet for fresh local farm produce,
Tickets are £10. Fergus will include
supporting Purbeck growers and
many photographs of great historical
offering customers the opportunity
importance in his presentation, which
of reducing food miles by buying
go back to the very earliest days at
locally grown food.
Dixter with other stunning images taken
If you are interested in becoming a by leading photographers. For tickets
supplier of Holme Farm Shop call call Diana Guy on 01258 840894
Simon on 01929 554716. www.greatdixter.co.uk
Fergus Garrett – due to speak in Wimborne
Country Gardener
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