"Fetch more chairs," was the call from the back of Manorbier Parish Hall as more and more Gardening Club members made their way in for the January meeting. Considering the evening's chill factor and this being the season of 'colds and sneezes', the surprise was that all seats were soon taken. Once everyone was seated comfortably, Pat Henderson, the outgoing chair, opened the meeting, the first half hour of which was devoted to the AGM. She began by giving a report of the previous year's activities. The agreed outstanding highlight had been, without question, the visit to Highgrove, the country home of Prince Charles. Grateful thanks went to Margaret McCracken for hostessing the annual BBQ at her house, to Penelope Meyrick who opened her home to her fellow members for a delightful afternoon tea last summer, and to Lorna and Geoff Greasley and the staff at the Castlemead Hotel for a first-rate Christmas Dinner. The after-dinner entertainers at that event had been Laurie Dale and Pauline Allen who had provided a marvellous hour of anecdotes, music, songs and humour. Many members commented that it was one of the best Christmas Do's ever. The business of the AGM continued with the reports from the outgoing treasurer, Paul Curtess, and from the secretary, Eira Needs. The previous committee stepped down and nominations were invited from the floor for a new team for 2006. Patricia Price (previously deputy chair) was elected as chair and Joan Beddoes as treasurer; Eira Needs agreed to continue as secretary and Pearl McCabe as press officer. Thereafter, everyone was thanked by everyone else for everything! Brief, brisk and business-like, the AGM formalities were soon over and then the new chair introduced the evening's speaker, Duncan Hilling, to talk about 'Shrubs in the Garden'. Screen and projector in place, lights off and on a few times, it was now time for what the Manorbier and District Gardening Club does best. Enter a first class speaker with excellent illustrations and a well planned talk delivered, without notes, but with encyclopedic knowledge, enthusiasm, passion and humour. Mr. Hilling began by waving a thick textbook, 'Hillier's Manual of Trees and Shrubs', over the heads of those sitting too close to his actions for comfort. "Over 8,000 trees and shrubs in here," explained Mr. Hilling. "I reckon I know 70 per cent of them." So many of the audience thought "gosh" all at the same time, it was almost audible! Well, it turned out, if you were adept at counting in the dark, that Mr. Hilling was unjustly modest. He recognised, named and talked about trees and shrubs from Chile, New Zealand, the Far East, Argentina, Australia and Zambia. The audience was treated to a veritable world tour of trees and shrubs and they were all growing in South Pembrokeshire - in Mr. Hilling's own garden. Surely we saw and heard about even more examples than there were in the manual. Mr. Hilling knew even more than he reckoned and he was willingly sharing his knowledge with us. Woven into this glorious tour of blossoms, flowers, foliage and colours was Mr. Hilling's own story of his career, grand gardens where he had worked and far-away countries he had visited. Throughout there would be guidance on effective pruning, the secret of avoiding holes in hostas, which plants could be easily grown from seed, how cuttings could be taken (not necessarily surreptitiously) and advice on coping with salty sea breezes. He even shared his list of suppliers with club members. Warm applause, compliments, questions and answers followed. Then the audience departed, after refreshments, out into the cold night air noticeably encouraged in their own horticultural endeavours, well informed on many species from Morning Glory to Evening Primrose, confident in dealing with slugs and sluggish cuttings and with an appetite for spring planting. The next Manorbier and District Gardening Club meeting will be held at 7.30 pm on Wednesday, February 8, in Manorbier Parish Hall, when Lyn Davies will be inviting us all to have 'Fun in the Garden'. If you want to step out into a cold starry night aglow with horticultural knowhow come along to the next meeting. A comfortable chair, a warm welcome, a cup of tea and an interesting evening awaits you.

FUCHSIA PHILLIPS