Horticultural Society

THE bright and sunny spring morning of Sunday, 10 April, was ideal for the first of the Cardiganshire Horticultural Societies’ programme of summer outings, and the participants had a very pleasant coach journey down to Aberglasney. On arrival tea/coffee and scones were enjoyed in Mary Ellen’s Tea Room where we were joined by head gardener Joseph Aitkens who gave a short welcome to the garden, before going on to describe the current plantings and the work which is ongoing to ensure that the garden becomes a garden for visitors to enjoy every day of the year. He then led the party round the garden and proved his point to an enthralled audience. The result was that the organisers had to delay departure by 30 minutes to allow time for a bite of lunch. The second visit of the day was to Gwynfor Growers, near Llangrannog where a delightful couple of hours was enjoyed with Steve Hipkins looking round the nursery and enjoying some retail therapy. The next outing is on Wednesday 18 May to the Cowbridge Physic Garden and the acclaimed National Trust garden in the Vale of Glamorgan – Dyffryn Gardens. This coming Saturday, 23 April sees a good number of members involved with the societies principal fund raising event of the year – the Annual Plant Sale. This is in the Llanfarian Village Hall and starts at 2pm. A good selection of local plants and seedlings raised by CHS members will be on sale and Tea and Home-made cakes will be available. The Spring 2016 edition of Spadework giving details of the remaining five trips of the season will also be out.

Inner Wheel

THE April meeting of Aberystwyth Inner Wheel was held at Waun Fawr Community hall on Monday, 11 April, with president Pat Griffiths in the chair.The speaker was member Pat Sani who talked about her experiences trekking in Nepal. She has visited on six occasions, the latest in May 2015, shortly before the devastating earthquake. She took us through her journey from Kathmandu to Everest base camp with the aid of a series of spectacular photographs.Compared with Hillary and Tensing in 1953 (when they had to walk the 150 miles with 300 porters and supplies), the first part of her journey was easy if a little scary involving a 20-seater plane.Pat’s photographs showed many other differences and similarities in Nepal from the 1950s to the present. They illustrated the current wide paths en route and the tea houses with solar panels but also the traditional yak transport monasteries and prayer flags and chorten (shrines). There were many familiar plants and birdlife along the route, which ended at base camp with views of ice blocks, glaciers and frozen rivers.

As members had sent a donation to support the Nepalese people after the earthquake, it was particularly poignant to see the beauty of Nepal and the resilience of its people.