Caths Garden Plants Newsletter, Spring 2008.
Our New Year's resolution is to try to produce more than one newsletter this year, hence calling this the Spring newsletter! Ideally we would like to produce four, one for each season, but we'll be happy if we actually manage to upgrade from one to two this year. This seems to be an ideal time to mention that I (Cath with some help from Kate) have spent the autumn and winter months building a new website. This time we have access to it and so should be able to keep it updated more easily. That's the theory anyway, but whether it actually happens once the season starts and we get busier on the nursery we will only be able to tell at the end of the year. The web site addresses will be the same - www.cathsgardenplants.co.uk orwww.cathsgardenplants.com and our e-mail address/telephone and fax numbers will also be unchanged - cath@cathsgardenplants.co.uk and Tel/fax:- 015395 61126.
The new website is now live and will not only give information about the plants we have available, 900+ varieties (25,000 - 30,000 plants being grown this year) but also suitable growing conditions and hopefully photos. We did not want to wait until all the photos have been added before we made the site available as our previous site is extremely dated. We hope to increase our mail order facility and so the site will eventually offer a secure facility to order and pay for your order purely online which should make it easier both for yourselves and us.
We hope to make the site really interesting with lots of ideas that were not on our previous site so please keep logging in. We will be running some special offers, various events run by ourselves and not advertised through the RHS (as well as two events associated with the RHS - more to follow later), show dates and our successes at the shows we will be attending this year. The site will have a facility for you to sign in for future newsletters to be sent to you electronically. This would help us keep our costs down and also fulfil our aim to be as eco-friendly as possible by reducing our paper and envelope use. We are pleased to be able to report that we have been awarded a Bronze award from Cumbria Business Environment Network for our green policies and will hopefully achieve Silver and Gold in the future, as time allows, as there is more paperwork involved! We would also be pleased if you bring your own bags, boxes, boot liners etc. We noticed many of you were already doing this last year.
Don't be worried if you do not have access to a computer or the internet. we will still send your newsletter through the post so that you can keep up to date with all our events. Don't forget that during the autumn and winter months Bob is available to give talks to any group, society or club you may belong to and he now has a repertoire of about twelve different subjects, with a couple more to be added this year. Check the website or call the nursery for further details. We are also happy if you have a party that would like to visit the nursery at anytime during the year (except when we are attending a Flower Show). Again more details can be obtained from the nursery or website.
NURSERY EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RHS.
BOTH RHS EVENTS ARE BOOKED THROUGH CATHS GARDEN PLANTS NOT THE RHS THIS TIME. Please either ring :- 015395 61126, e-mail -
- Wednesday, 9 April, 2008 - 10 am to approx. 12-30 - 1pm. RHS members £7.95 & non-members £9.95 includes tea/coffee & a biscuit. Bar meals, sandwiches etc. for lunch available at the hotel on the day if required. TITLE - 30 PLANTS YOU NEVER KNEW YOU NEEDED UNTIL NOW. Using his own knowledge and experience as a grower and landscaper of many years, Bob will suggest varieties of shrubs, perennials' climbers and grasses that he feels are extremely garden worthy. Features such as long flowering season, attractive ti insects, disease resistance, features for interest at other times of year or easily grown plants will be some of the criteria used. The talk will be illustrated by slides, live plants and a handout provided.
- WEDNESDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER, 2008 - 10AM - APPROX. 12.30 -1PM. RHS MEMBERS £7.95 & NON-MEMBERS £9.95 INCLUDES TEA/COFFEE & A BISCUIT. Lunch available from hotel-details as previously. BUTTERFLIES, BEES AND BIRDS - GARDENING FOR WILDLIFE. Bob will cover a wide variety of herbaceous perennials, shrubs, grasses and herbs that can be planted to encourage wildlife into the garden. Your garden doesn't have to be completely 'wild' to encourage nature. You can enhance both your life and that of the wildlife around you by considering 'what' and 'where' you might plant in future. Live plants and slides will be used and a handout given.
Whilst we appreciate that some people may have to leave quite promptly to fit in other arrangements, Bob, Cath and the nursery staff will be available later in the afternoon to follow up any questions and to advise on plant choices. Equally, we are happy for people to take away the information and return at a later stage with questions and for advice. We pride ourselves on helping you to make the most of your garden and hope to give you both help and encouragement.
We will be holding other events throughout the year. Some of these events will be of a more practical nature, as through discussions with you this is what we discovered you would like more of in the future. These events will obviously be available to a much smaller number. I would suggest therefore that you apply as soon as you see an event advertised. If we have enough interest then we will try to offer the event more than once to accommodate as many of you as possible. We would also welcome your feedback on this new venture.
SHOWS AND PLANT FAIRS WE ARE ATTENDING THIS YEAR.
BBC Gardeners' World, NEC Birmingham - Wednesday, 11 June - Sunday, 15 June
RHS Tatton Park Flower Show, Tatton Park, Cheshire - Wednesday, 23 July - Sunday, 27 July
Harrogate Autumn Flower Show, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate - Friday, 12 September - Sunday, 14 September