Thursday 1 November 2007

Garden Club Meeting

On Sunday last, The Garden Club of Trinidad launched its 2008 calendar. Following the same format as the 2007 one, its an ideal way to get a glimpse at some of the beautiful gardens that can be found in Trinidad. This is Chancy Moll, our President, who makes everything look effortless and easy. Don't underestimate the brainpower here. Chancy constantly amazes us with her ability to remember the complicated names and extraordinary connections that make up the tropical plant world. On any given day she can be found working in her magnificent rain forest garden.
Chancy with Janice Potter, our Vice-President. These ladies make managing a garden club look like a casual past time but we all know how much work goes into making the club run so smoothly.

Joanne de Gannes and Simone Taylor are both known for their expertise in the horticultural arenas. Both grow tropicals and supply the Horticultural Society of Trinidad and Tobago with many of the cut blooms that go up to represent Trinidad and Tobago at internationally renowned Flower Shows such as the RSH Chelsea Flower Show. Trinidad and Tobago was once again the recipient of a gold medal at this highly respected show. Joanne now runs a successful landscaping business and Simone Taylor is well known for her beautiful work in doing large tropical arrangements.
Committee member Ruth Hale kindly offered her home as the venue and it was a pleasure to walk around and see what she has done with the space. Ruth is also a successful landscaper whose home could not be a better advertisement! Above is the rock garden that flows just outside of her dining room. Below the golden berries of the purple duranta.
A bromeliad. Which one? I would be happy for a post to identify it.


One of the exquisite little Antillean Oncidiums. Once again, no name. Peter or Chancy, if you see this post , can you let me know what it is?Another beauty. I love these Oncidiums. They are so petite and pretty but so cheerful at the same time.This cattleya is the national flower of Costa Rica.


Blue bells. Not the real name,
Look at the red piping on this shampoo ginger.And the yellow on this upright heliconia.



This torch lily looks almost surreal. Nature's sense of form and order never fails to amaze me. For some reason, evolution has decided that this is the way that this plant should develop to ensure survival. Each colour will mean something to its wellbeing.

9 comments:

Tira said...

Its great you've started posting on the Garden Club meetings. Ruth is a friend of my good Trini friend here, Fiona. OMG that red piping on the shampoo ginger is unbelievable.

My Chutney Garden said...

Hi Nicole,
I don't usually post on them because I don't get to them very often. I'm terrible on weekends and it's been a particularly hectic year. But I've worked on the calendar for two years now so it is very close to my heart. :)
Are you friendly with Fiona Curtis? She might remember me as Sharon Stone (no joke!!) but I married Ross Millar. I know Donald was friendly with Ross and he was a little older than me. It's a small, small world. I haven't seen either of them in YEARS.
I'm going to try and start going to more Garden Club meetings this year because you really forget how good they are. We really have to get together when you come and go up and visit Chancy.
Sharonxxx

Tira said...

Yes, Fiona is my good friend, we meet for lunch almost every week. She says yes, she remembers Sharon Stone!

Anonymous said...

I just see, that my comment I made some days ago didn't arrive. So here again : Lafcadio Hearn I know from a book I once read, called "My Japanes Garden". I suppose it is the same writer as you mentioned in my post about ivy. We also have some "garden societies", as for instance the Rose society, then the Perennial Society and a society for garden culture and history. I think there are even more. They all organize meetings, speeches, open garden doors or excursions. Mostly they also organized according to the different Swiss regions.
At the moment our days here are grey and rainy. We had a lovely period until last Sunday. So it is a special pleasure to see all your wonderful, brilliant colour pictures of all the exotic flowers.

Anonymous said...

are the calenders for sale?

Unknown said...

Sharon, Interesting post as usual. Did you get a close-up shot of Simone and Katy's fantastic arrangement on the dining table? Or Chris's huge urn arrangements? They would be lovely to add!!! Now to the ID The heliconia is Iris, the ginger is Neglectum, the little blue smiling faces are torenia, the two equitants are Jairak Rainbow hybrids (too lazy to look for varietal names right now), the bromeliad is a Guzmania, I do not know what variety. Chancy

My Chutney Garden said...

Thanks Chancy for identifying the names.
Yes, Anonymous, they are for sale at $100TT. If you are a local, they are available at PopIn, Rainy Days and most RIK branches. They will also be available at the Garden Club Annual Plant Sale which takes place this Saturday from 8.00am- 1.00pm at the Scout's Grounds in St Anns.
Call me on 678-1743 for more info.

Teresa said...

Oh my! Tropical gardening! I would be in 7th heaven to have flowers like this right outside my door.

Janine said...

In Guadeloupe, the blue bells (torenia is the real name) is called Ring of the Virgin because there is a ring inside, you can see it