A rather grey and cloudy Saturday, May 7 and off to Northiam. First stop, Great Dixter House, to help guide 49 people round, before they see the glories of the garden. Next stop, Northiam Horticultural Show and a queue that had to be seen to be believed and finally on to the Blue Cross Tea Party with quite the most delicious cakes. Things certainly happen in this village.
Great Dixter House was looking its best as 49 people from all over the UK were welcomed by the two guides who explained the interesting features of this part of the house, built in the 15th century and purchased by Nathaniel and Daisy Lloyd in 1910. Together with their architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens , it was decided to remove all the Tudor and later alterations and return it to the original mediaeval structure. “Thank you,” said one gentleman, “I really enjoyed learning about the house from knowledgeable people.” Job well done?
Next stop, after helping with the tour because the guide for the day had had to wash over 1,000, yes, 1,000 plant pots for the Horticultural Society Show. A modest sign “Plant Sale Open 2pm” gave little idea of the wonders to follow. The queue at 1.40pm snaked across the car park, with more folk coming in as the minutes ticked by.
At precisely 2pm, the doors opened. Well, the sale at that great Knightsbridge store had nothing on this! Trays, boxes and bags at the ready, in they all went to find tables loaded with excellent quality plants. One lady parted the crowd by carrying an enormous mesh covered tray to her favoured spot and cramming it with plants. By about 2:30pm it was practically over, empty tables, tired stall holders.
Finally, and just in time, to the Northiam Blue Cross Tea Party in aid of the animal charity. We were made very welcome by the volunteers and given a much-needed cup of tea and a delicious piece of cake – the Tea Party had gone well. Information was available including the magazine “Pawprint”. This included articles on animals needing homes and asked us to “Step for Pets”. More Information can be found on their website.
All in all, a very enjoyable day in the country!
Photo: Gillian Roder