HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY: The speaker at the April meeting of BVHS was Mrs Angela Tandy of Fibrex Nurseries at Pebworth. This is a family run nursery founded by Mrs Tandy's parents and specialising in hardy ferns and ivies. Mrs Tandy gave hints on propagating and growing and said that some ferns like dry conditions and some like boggy conditions; some are evergreen and some are deciduous but all like shade. If growing from spores make sure they are true spores and not husks. They are generally slow to generate and grow but some can be layered. The nursery holds the National Collection of Ivies - new varieties are developed from spores and ivies are easy to grow. They like dry conditions but if they get too hot they are subject to red spider and vine weevil can be a problem. Mrs Tandy brought a good selection of ferns and ivies with her many of which she sold to her audience at the end of her talk. She also has samples of imaginative ways to use them in the garden including a planted plastic trough with about six ivies which were trained over a wire frame to make a portable screen for example for a dustbin. There were 12 entries for the monthly competition - five cut narcissi - which Mrs Tandy judged - Mrs C Northing 1st; Mrs J Harwod 2nd; Mrs M Sloggett 3rd. The speaker at the May meeting will be Mr Jones who will be talking on chrysanthemum growing around the World and the competition will be a vase of garden flowers. Garden Centre on June 28 and to Barnsley House on July 11. Anyone interested should get in touch with J M Bint as soon as possible.