THE first quarter of the Black Pear Gardening Club’s first year has been very successful.

We meet on the third Saturday of each month from 2.30pm, and our venue for 2013 will be Callow End Village Hall.

We have, to date, more than 80 members, who have paid their annual fee of £5 per person.

There is a meeting entrance fee of £1.50 per member or £3 per visitor, this includes refreshments.

Our first meeting in October 2012 was an informative and amusing talk by Mark Moir from Newent Plant Centre advising us on Plants for Autumn and Winter Scent.

He also brought along a good selection of the plants mentioned, for sale.

November is our annual meeting month and this was followed by our local plant hunter and expert nurseryman Bob Brown, who advised us on Good Varieties of New Plants in his usual forthright and knowledgeable manner.

He showed us excellent illustrations of the plants and also answered many questions from members.

The Worcestershire Golf Club at Boughton Hall was the venue for our first Christmas lunch in December. We all enjoyed a merry and festive lunch with one lucky member winning the Christmas hamper raffle provided by members of the committee.

Our January meeting is at Callow End Village Hall on Saturday, January 19, at 2.30pm where our speaker is local garden designer and member, Geraldine Williams, giving us tips on a Design for a Winter Garden.

More details can be found on blackpeargc.org.uk.

BRIAN SKEYS