On Wednesday 14th March 38 of us boarded the coach for a day out to Ashwood Nurseries at Kingswinford in the West Midlands. We arrived in time to have a reviving coffee in their excellent café before meeting our guide for a tour of ‘John’s Garden’. This is a 3 acre private garden which runs alongside the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal and was created by the nursery owner John Massey. As the weather has been so cold the plants were slightly behind but even so there was plenty of colour with a fine display of snowdrops, crocuses and dwarf daffodils. There was a very attractive pond where colour was provided by the alpines and shrubs, a stumpery and very attractive sculptures were placed in various spots around the garden. Especially at this time of year we were able to appreciate John Massey’s transparent pruning which provided the onlooker with views through the trees and into the distance. The silver birch trees were a startling silver colour gained, apparently, by John pressure washing them and hellebores were in abundance in every colour you could imagine. By now we were ready to be let loose in the plant sales area and it did not disappoint with so much to choose from. Needless to say the luggage compartment of the coach was very full for the journey home. An excellent day out.
 |
 |
 |
 |