At our last meeting of the spring season on 28th April, the speaker was Roger Smith. He and his wife studied graphic design and have gardened together for forty years. Talking first about two experts in the field of plant association and colour, Gertrude Jekyll and Vita Sackville-West, who were very modern in their planting schemes, he then introduced the colour spectrum. It was obvious that those colours close to each other made the most harmonious mixtures.

Roger showed us, through the medium of some excellent slides, examples of colour mixing, most of it harmonious but also some occasional mistakes which necessitated moving the offending plants.

Silver leaved plants are particularly restful and can be mixed with many different colours. Two combinations particularly favoured by Rosemary Verey, another expert, were blues and yellow and pink and gray and we saw many slides of this particular mix as well as grey and white, pale purple and pale yellow and even yellow and yellow. There are numerous foliage plants which mix particularly well with each other or with flowers. Purple and yellow berberis is a lovely combination. Bright yellow foliage plants will brighten up a dark area in the garden. Grasses and herbs are also good mixers, particularly stipa gigantean and the green and bronze forms of fennel intermingled with perennials. This was a fascinating demonstration of many hundreds of plant combinations which could not fail to inspire all gardeners.

We will be visiting Tile House Plants near Finmere on 23rd June, and Fiveways Cottage, Shutford on 21st July – both are evening trips. If you are interested in joining us please contact James Sheppy. Our next indoor meeting is at 8.00pm in the Parish Rooms on Monday 22nd September when Howard Drury will be talking about ‘The Fragrant Garden’.