THERE was a full house of members and visitors for October's meeting, which reflected the popularity of the evening's subject - Private Gardens for Public Pleasure.

Mrs J Barrow, Worcestershire organiser for the National Gardens Scheme, gave a beautifully illustrated talk on those gardens which are easy accessible from Alcester and made everyone long for next spring and summer when visits could be made as a follow-up to her talk.

Responsible for the opening of more than 60 gardens, as well as being a keen gardener herself, Mrs Barrow was obviously a very busy and committed lady.

Indeed, she had only returned from a holiday in America in the middle of the afternoon of her visit, had come straight to the meeting and had not slept for 48 hours.

She showed slides of some wonderful gardens from snowdrop time until late summer.

She then traced the history of the scheme and its involvement with the beginnings of district nursing through to the Macmillan Nurses of today and to whom 70 per cent of the money raised is pledged.

The first gardens were opened for charity in 1926 and now more than 3,500 are visited and these also include allotments.

A rose lover herself, Mrs Barrow recommended that if there was only space for one rose in a garden, it should be Celestial because of its lovely perfume.

The competition for an amusing holiday photograph was won by Mrs Pauline Vining.

Members were attending the group meeting this week to hear one of The Calendar Girls speak and are also going to have a stall at the planned town December market.

The next meeting, which is the AGM, will also incorporate the harvest supper.