Friend's News
A PLEA FOR INFORMATION PLEASE
We are asking all the Friends of the Physic Garden to provide us with their email address. There are a number of events going on in the Garden we would like to make you aware of them so you don't miss out. Rules re Data Protection will be scrupulously applied, of course. Address can be sent to: ContactUs@petersfieldphysicgarden.org.uk
Volunteers Christmas Lunch
In the beautifully decorated exhibition hall volunteers of the Garden joined together to enjoy a festive lunch and celebrate Christmas together. Here pictures show the colourful decorations, the delicious spread and the visitors arriving.
Autumn Newsletter
The Friends' Autumn Newsletter (Number 67) has now been published and is on its way to all members. An ntroduction by Jenny Hill records 'an extraordinary mixture of achievement and loss' over the last six months. She writes of the sad death of Chairman, Lewis Kent and also mentions the lost area of Garden which has been cordonned off because of the unstable state of one of the walls. On the positive side the Garden has recieved a considerable amount of praise and publicity.
In addition a garden report by Paul Barton and Michael Wadey is included together with other articles and the continuing misadventures of Nellie Badgerson.
Lewis Kent
It is with sadness that we record the death of our past chairman, Lewis Kent on Thursday 28th July. His death was not unexpected as he had been suffereing from cancer for some time. Lewis will be much missed for his many contributions to the Garden in his time as chairman. It is a mark of his commitment that he only retired from this position at the recent AGM where in spite of ill health he presented his report and thanked many of the volunteers. Lewis had also worked as a warden for many years, a role which will be continued by his widow Beverley.
Lewis's funeral took place at Porchester crematorium on Tuesday 23rd of August.
Petersfield Physic Garden Annual General Meeting and Summer Party 21st June 2022
Attendees at the AGM
Friends enjoying the Midsummer Evening Party
After a three year break Friends were able to hold this year's AGM in the exhibition hall. The meeting was chaired by Lewis Kent, the retiring chairman and also attended by President Rupert Bowen. After Lewis gave the Chairman's report, in which he thanked by name the many helpers for all their contributions in maintaining the Garden so well, Daphne Clark presented the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022. Jenny Hill was approved as new chairman, with Joan Shepley remaining as secretary and Daphne Clark as treasurer all standing with the rest of the committee for the next three years.
As has now become customary after the AGM Friends gathered in the Garden on the lovely summer evening to enjoy refreshments and chat.
Spring Newsletter
All Friends of the Garden should now have recieved their copy of the Spring Newsletter, Number 66. Edited by Brian Robinson and with a delightful cover illustration by Pauline Elkins it contains articles by the Garden manager Jenny Hill, plans for a new look Garden entrance from Melanie Oxley and more tales from the adventurous Nellie Badgerson
Birthday Celebration
Pauline Matthews celebrated her 90th birthday on January 5th. Amongst others calling on the Day with good wishes, cards, presents and flowers were representatives from The Physic Garden. Pauline has been involved with the Garden since its inauguration and is still a trustee and member of the committee.
Pauline is seen here with the cake provided by the Physic Garden which was baked by the Chairman's wife Beverley Kent
Autumn Newsletter - September 2021
The front cover of this edition of the newsletter, fittingly for a 17th century garden, bears the chairman's report in a traditional scroll. Have no fear the remainder of the publication though is in 21st century style. It carries the head gardener, Jenny Hill thoughts on 'What has Covid ever done for us' and also has an article by Tarquin Hogg-Badgerson, Nellie's Grandson, as she is self isolatng in Morocco.
All Friends should now have recieved their copy of the newsletter but if not spare copies are available from the office
Torla Mackarness
Perhaps our oldest Friend of the Garden died at home on Christmas Day, 2020, after a short illness. She was 100 years old. Torla loved the Garden and was very much involved with it for many years. Newsletter 43, Autumn 2010 contains an article concerning the Friends outing to Wales in June of that year written by Torla. After successful visits to the National Botanic Garden of Wales and Aberglasney the trip culminated in a visit to the Physic Garden at Cowbridge which is a few miles west of Cardiff. Torla's fondness for our own Garden is reflected in an extract from her report on that visit which follows :
"Their Physic Garden, in the creation of which some of our members were slightly involved, is rather larger and grander than our own, but it is less mature and perhaps for that reason has not yet reached the level of warmth, intimacy and friendliness which makes ours so precious!"