AT the last talk Frank Hardy of Webbs of Wychbold gave a talk entitled Preparing your Garden for Summer and gave advice in a very entertaining way.

It was possible to reduce the amount of digging, mowing, weeding and edging and increase productivity.

By using slower growing grass lawns they would only need cutting five times and could benefit from some camomile for scent.

Watering very often was less use than watering evenly for 3-5 hours.

The soil and plants should be fed too when growing fruit and vegetables and he demonstrated how to prune, a skill now in danger of being forgotten.

He made things seem simple and members learned how to drill seeds more effectively and of a plant's key time for irrigation.

He advised caution when buying brand new plants and brought along the kind of plant that gave good cover and saved on weeding.

Flowers and grass arrangements using three contrasting plants were effective, perennials being preferable to annuals.

Peat encourages insects, so gravel bark was better and vegetables grown in a formal pattern were attractive and useful.

Most of all members must pass on skills to youngsters and grandchildren and he outlined some interesting combinations they could sow.

His talk, enlivened with humour was most stimulating and enjoyable.

Geoffrey Stone, an international photographer, will give a talk on Friday, March 7 at 7.30pm at Trinity High School entitled Moon Gods and Moguls, a whistle stop tour of India and Nepal. Visitors welcome.