As we enter the quiet season for Wymondham Gardeners, the Club looks back on a successful 2023 and forward to the 2024 programme.

The Club held its AGM in October, our secretary of many years, Janice Hancock has been released from duty – allowed to retire! Janice has done a lot of work behind the scenes arranging speakers and keeping the club running smoothly. Everyone at the Club would like to say a big thank you for all Janice’s efforts on behalf of the Club.

Highlights from 2023 include a personal favourite, Guy Barker, back in August with his honest & amusing answers at Gardeners Question Time. Plus the bonus of summer flowers and foliage from the gardens he professionally manages. I’m delighted to reveal he will be back in 2024 with a talk and array of flowers entitled “July Blooms”.

Other highlights included Gabrielle Reid of Gabriel’s Garden in Gissing whose talk prompted many members to visit her garden on “Gissing’s Sunday Best” - Open Gardens and Classic Cars day - on a lovely sunny Sunday in June. Jamie Blake of Bressingham Gardens talk included lots of sage & practical advice to help us gardeners, I should have taken notes!

The entertaining talk with least appealing title belonged to Dr. Ian Bedford (All you might ever need to know about slugs), a popular speaker, he opens the 2024 programme with his January talk “The Trouble with Wasps”. Promises to be a fascinating talk about one of our Gardens best Insect friends who need better publicity agents with the general public!

The full programme for 2024 will be available to members at the December Club Meeting. Membership for 2024 will cost £20 – 12 meetings, free tea and coffee, a bargain price for anyone interested in gardening.