Dear Friends

The Garden is now in its third year.  New permanent planting includes an alba plena camellia, snowdrops in-the-green, and two more Mary Rose roses.  Visitors this year included nesting blackbirds, a hummingbird hawkmoth and Alan Titchmarsh, who generously stopped to talk while visiting the Mary Rose Trust and paid a second visit to promote the rose on 11 October 2003.  Sally Hocking, whose title of garden adviser did not begin to describe her contribution, has moved to Canada.  All best wishes to Sally and her family.

In April we completed one of our projects when Peter Clutterbuck installed the second set of gates commissioned from him.  Jean Flack Munday and Fiona Edgley have created a Porter’s Garden logo.  We successfully wove willow wigwams for climbers and we are about to make hazel hurdles to protect the hedges in winter - previously we bought hurdles ready-made.  In October the Greenfingers team will help us plant step-over apples in the centre lawn bed.   Our largest undertaking will be a knot garden to replace the lawn behind the strawberry tree bed.  We have invited designs from those local schools whose pupils are studying the Tudors.  There will be a small prize for the winners, whom we hope will join us for the planting.

The Annual Garden Party for 2003 took the form of a Strawberry Tea held in the Garden, with the Con Brio singers providing the perfect musical accompaniment.    The event brought new people into the Garden and raised a magnificent £516.50.   Sunday afternoon was a popular choice of time so we shall repeat the Tea next summer.  Our garden visits for 2004 are Leonardslee in Spring, and Painshill in June.  The visits are for everyone.  Please join us.  We have written to the Prince of Wales’ Office to arrange a Friends’ visit to Highgrove and await a date.

Help from Friends and supporters this year included willow, hazel, plants for planting and for sale, manure, raffle prizes, our Porter’s Garden sign, greenhouse space, time, advice, encouragement, and vital annual subscriptions.  Thank you all.

Many members say that they would like to help in the garden, but are afraid of letting us down because they cannot do heavy work or make a regular commitment. Please remember that some tasks take only a few minutes and are more important than marathon working sessions.  If you are near the Dockyard you are more than welcome to check on the Garden.   Litter picking cannot be done too often.  Feel free to remove weeds – bin them or leave by the Potting Shed for composting or extermination.  Ditto deadheading any flowers not marked with coloured wool.  Dry plants always appreciate spot watering from one of the watering cans by the Porters’ Lodge and Potting Shed taps.  Little touches make all the difference. Please tell us how you get on.  You can push a note under the Potting Shed door.  Also, we have recently designated the first weekend in the month a working weekend.  If you have any spare time come and join in, core time is between 12.00 noon and 2.00 p.m.  Again there are lots of not very strenuous jobs to be done.

Thank you again for supporting us.

Charlotte Frost