Tower and Town, May 2024

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New Plants for the New Season

Spring is in the garden - what is growing, what has survived the winter, what needs to be replaced, what gaps need filling and what needs to be bought afresh? Perhaps a shrub, a perennial or some bedding plants? Should some vegetables or fruit be given a go this year?

With the help of the Marlborough Gardening Association Plant Sale, all these quandaries can be resolved. Every spring, for the last 25 or so years, the Association has run a plant sale. It is held in the middle of May, when hopefully the garden has had its last damaging frost and purchases can be planted out with confidence.

All plants are grown by members, except for bedding plants. In the past, we found it difficult to grow these in sufficient quantities for the sale. So now we welcome Andy, who used to have a stall on the Wednesday market, and he does a great job for us offering plants and pots. All other plants are grown by members which ensures that they are suitable for local soil and climatic conditions.

So what are we likely to have on our stalls? Perennials which grow year after year such as doronicums, euphorbia, hylotelephium, penstemons, brunnera, hellebores are always popular. There'll be Shrubs such as hydrangeas, weigelias, salvias, euonymus and Cottage style plants. Think aquilegia, centurea and geums. And, if you need information about any of the plants, do ask whoever is behind the counter.

There's always Fruit such as strawberries and raspberries and a Vegetable section with tomatoes, courgettes, various beans & peas, maybe a few cucumber plants and more. Also Herbs such as rosemary, sage and mint and all sorts of House plants typically succulents, cactus, spider plants etc.

Unlike a garden centre or nursery, we are more like Lidl - great value and "when it's gone it's gone"! The date for your diary is 18th May at the Town Hall, starting at 9.30 am. Please don't forget to bring your cash, as we have no card facilities, and a bag for your bargains.

Ameila Trevethick

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