Blog
Learning to grow food competition 2025 – results and outcomes
This year, our competition was funded by a Community Grant of £300 from Midcounties Coop and compost was provided by Farlow Farm Nursery. Thank you to both. Learning to Grow food has made a huge impact on all the nurseries and schools that enter, which includes almost...
Bonsai For Beginners
Simplicity, elegance and beauty are the foundations of the ancient art of “bonsai”, meaning “planted in a container”. Linda Ridpath has grown bonsai trees for 40 years and brought some of her beautiful trees for us to see at Cleobury Gardeners in July. Bonsai...
Workshop April 2025 – Pruning Hydrangeas
Led by Claire Tatler, Head Gardener at Wollerton Old Hall in Market Drayton on the 12th April 2025 On a beautiful Saturday morning, members of Cleobury Gardeners assembled, secateurs in hand, at one of our gardens in Catherton to take part in a practical session on...
My passion for hostas – exploding the myth
Linda Power Ashman By highlighting some of the problems of growing hostas, the reasons for them and offering solutions, I hope to explode some of the myths and bad press these plants receive. Focus of the talk: (A) DECISIONS AND DIMENSIONS – Location? Where’s...
Composting for beginners – getting the right mix and turning muck into magic!
Our speakers on Monday 17th February were Shropshire Master Composter Rachel Strivens and Bridgnorth-based Paul Pickerell, restating the message on COMPOSTING FOR BEGINNERS. Rachel first visited us in March 2022 when we had our first lesson in turning green garden...
Learning to grow food competition brief 2025 – Wyre Forest School
Sponsored by Midcounties Coop and Farlow Farm Nursery One potato, two potato, three potato, four! There are three main objectives for this year’s competition: to develop the concept of seed varieties for a fruit or vegetable to develop the skills of fair comparison –...
Learning to grow food competition brief 2025 – Pre School and Primary
Sponsored by Midcounties Coop and Farlow Farm Nursery One potato, two potato, three potato, four! There are three main objectives for this year’s competition: to develop vocabulary and mathematical skills. to develop the concept of seed varieties for a fruit or...
The story of Penny Jaeger and the Old Infant School
I awoke to ‘Narnia’ on the day of my visit to Penny and Graham at the imposing Victorian school which has been Penny’s home since 1989. I had hopes of taking some wonderful winter wonderland photographs to illustrate this article, with foliage draped in...
Climate-resilient gardening
This was Claire Tatler’s second visit to us. Previously she recounted her experiences ‘Gardening in Historic Places’ and a report of that presentation can be found on the website - Monday Night Musings. She continues to be in the employ...
John and Daphne Tuck
It was my pleasure to meet John and Daphne Tuck one September morning in their Cleobury garden at The Hurst. John first came to The Hurst in 1952 and lived here intermittently until 1980 when Daphne joined him. Together they tackled the derelict cottage and the...