Index Friends

Informal meetings in the Palm Court Café
On the first Tuesday of each month, (excluding January), members are invited to meet in the Palm Court Café, Ventnor Botanic Garden, for an informal get-together at 11am. Just a leisurely time to get to know one another and get more insight into what is happening in the garden, and in good weather perhaps to take a stroll and appreciate the changing seasons. Don't forget your Membership card for your discount in the Café.
RHS Lecture
The RHS Lecture in March, which was previously run by the Isle of Wight Botanic Garden Society, is now being hosted by the Friends. For our first meeting we are privileged to welcome Jekka Mcvicar, who will be presenting an illustrated lecture on Native Herbs of the UK - Fact and Fiction. Jekka established an organic herb farm with her husband at Alverston, near Bristol, in 1987. She now has 600 species of culinary, medicinal and aromatic plants, writes books on herb gardening and cookery, designs gardens and is seen regularly on television. She has also won 62 RHS Gold Medals, including 14 at Chelsea. This meeting will be held at the Riverside Centre, Newport, on Friday, March 12th at 7.30pm. Tickets will be available from Sally Peake, tel: 01983 731403, or on the door. RHS members £5.00 and non-members £6.50.
Planting for Bees and their Benefits

Following the Annual General Meeting of the Friends on Thursday 15th. April, a talk stressing our dependence on bees, Planting for Bees and their Benefits, will be given in by Mary Case of the Isle of Wight Beekeepers Association. Mary is a fourth generation beekeeper living at Limerstone Farm. Most of her nine apiaries are in the West Wight, each giving its own distinctive flavour. From these she produces clear and set honey, beeswax candles and furniture polish — some of which she will be bringing to the meeting. Mary can regularly be seen at the Farmers' Weekly Market. The markets are held at Newport and Ryde.
An Evening with Brian Kidd
An Evening with Brian Kidd will be a chance to hear our popular President present in his own inimitable way his experience with bedding plants. Brian was Portsmouth Parks Environmental Officer for 50 years and also a lecturer and radio personality. With Andy Mcindoe he is currently a panellist on BBC Radio Solent's 'The Good Life' every Sunday lunchtime, advising on all things horticultural. Tickets will be required for this meeting as places are restricted. Contact Sally Peake, tel: 01983731403
Hop Trail

A newly developed area of meadow is under development for growing hops. Head Gardener Chris Kidd explains: "After nearly ten years of trying, in the summer of 2008 it was finally decided that the wildflower meadow at Ventnor Botanic Garden was simply unsustainable, due to the effects of rabbits and the encroachment of pernicious weeds. Instead of simply grassing the area over, it was decided to develop a commercial hop yard. Hop growing was once an important part of the Island's economy and in 1852 the Isle of Wight was the fifth largest hop-producing county in the UK. Due to economic pressures, and changes in the brewing industry, there is not a single hop yard or oast house left. Growing hops has been a learning experience for us; there is a dearth of printed literature on the subject. We were greatly helped by Peter Davies, a retired hop grower from Hereford, whose family has been growing hops for generations. One of his early revelations was that we needed a licence to grow them! Hop growing will be a useful educational subject for visitors to the garden and there are many ways we can link this to the Island's heritage." Regrettably, the Hop Festival planned to celebrate our first harvest of hops has now been postponed following the closure of the Ventnor Brewery. Fortunately, however, Anthony Goddard from Goddard's Brewery at Bullen Farm, Ryde has agreed to be involved in the development of the hop crop.