The monthly meeting of the guild was held at the Stourbridge Institute on August 18 at 7.30pm.

The Chairman, John Knight welcomed everyone to the meeting and was especially proud to introduce the speaker, Adam Greathead who would talk on “Duck pools, a garden divided”.

President, Eric Southall, thanked the welfare secretary, Helen Tromans for the 50th wedding anniversary card she sent to Eric and his wife Mary.

The Wisley trip had been most enjoyable, despite the occasional downpour and now is the time to think about spring bulbs.

Secretary Liz Hathaway reminded us that the annual show was on September 6 at St James’ church hall, Wollaston, open to visitors 2.15pm.

The show secretary, Tom Thompson, would appreciate completed lists from exhibitors by September 5.

Head storekeeper Gerald Langley advised advised the store will reopen on September 7.

Assistant social secretary Pat Hassell, is taking names and deposits for the president’s lunch on November 23 at Blakedown Golf Club.

John then handed over to Adam, who began by paying tribute to 92 year old vice president Flo Partridge, his inspiration since he joined the guild, aged only 16.

Adam’s main interest is growing prize winning vegetables on his large allotment.

He showed us an astounding number and variety of vegetables and fruits growing in open ground and large polytunnels. He has won many awards and regularly provides articles for the NVS Simply Veg magazine.

Adam’s home is called Duckpools because his garden only 50m by 30m, began with a small duckpool, a few ducks and Monty’s garden, a play area for the family puppy.

The ducks, plus hens, pullets and geese are now kept on his allotment (their eggs are delicious).

The pool and Monty’s garden are now surrounded by garden rooms, the beach area, made of sand, pebbles, shells, features a tiny, starry white Aranaria Balearica.

The Rockery has miniature, ornamental conifers, including the feathery whote, Athyrium Japonicum Pictum.

The paved patio has many beautiful pot plants and also a mosaic of stones set with fossils from Wren’s Nest, a circle garden with a very unusual echinacea.

The twilight garden has a stone seat on which to enjoy the setting sun and a woodland garden which Monty loves. Adam’s wonderful collection of sculptures, including a tiny Japanese lady, a little fawn and many green men masks, dotted about, adds further interest to the garden.

John thanked Adam for an interesting and amusing talk which shows that a small garden with imagination ad skill can have many surprising facets.

The photograph of Adam, aged three laughing and carrying a watering can in the same garden was a portent to come as his garden, which he will open to the public next year, shows he is a born gardener.

The winners of the monthly show were five standard tomatoes, John Boswell; 5 cherry tomatoes Gerald Langley; salad 3 kinds, John Knight; 7 shallots, John Boswell; 7 shallots, John Boswell; 1 table arrangement, Una Langley; pot fuchsia, Martin Grice; 3 Dahlias, Mary Hodgin; 1 jar jam, Mary Hodgin; 1 carrot cake, Mary Hodgin. The next meeting will be September 15, same time, same venue, went the speaker will be Alan Price with his illustrated talk, “The Barn owl, its plight and its future”, visitors welcome.