Widcombe Life

Our sociable summer

In May, the garden club enjoyed a private tour of Stoberry House garden near Wells. The beauty of the sixacre garden was surpassed only by the magnificent borrowed view of the cathedral and Glastonbury Tor.

June’s flagship event, cream tea at Crowe Hall, was a rapid sell-out. The hot sunny afternoon was finished off with indulgent prosecco and scones. June also saw the annual Art Trail with its fabulous collection of artisan traders.

In July, the WA hosted Bath Opera’s Tosca. The weather wasn’t kind, but we were all wowed by the superb voice of Ghiulnara Raileanu. The garden club also completed the tour of Hartley Farm originally scheduled for summer 2020.

Summer festivities were rounded off with jazz and a picnic in a stunning garden in Prospect Road on a perfect August afternoon. A fitting end to Beverley Wallis’ chairmanship of the events committee. Widcombe had a strong presence in the Bath in Bloom awards. A silver gilt award for horticultural achievement by a group to the Widcombe Association (collected by Beverley), Best Small Garden gold award for Trudy Healey, and a silver-gilt award for Denise Coughlan in the Large Garden category.

In addition, the Widcombe Association was awarded level 5 Outstanding in the RHS ‘It’s your Neighbourhood’ scheme. Commenting on the WA’s award, Bath in Bloom honorary president Barry Cruse wrote: ‘this is the highest level of achievement, so a huge well done and many congratulations.’

Finally, in September, we supported the Claverton Flower and Produce Show and attended the Friends of Lyncombe Hill Harvest Festival organised as a thank you for volunteers.

■ Clare Furlonger, Events Committee Chair