.... In September of last year, Victor Scott visited the Club and gave a talk on plant hunting in the former Soviet Union. One of the areas he described was Kazakhstan in the south of the country where specie tulips grow wild in the mountains. I was interested to see the area for myself so in April I flew with three other adventurers and a tour leader to Almaty, the former capital. Bounded by China to the east and Siberia to the north, you might be forgiven for thinking this would be a poor country, languishing after its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. But you would be wrong; this is the wealthiest and most progressive of the countries in the area. Its prosperity is based on the large oil reserves found there (although it is all shipped to Russ ia for refining). But the money generated from it is financing a new capital city further north in the country, massive redevelopment of Almaty and enough left over to disappear into the deep pockets of the country’s president. In contrast, the rural areas show little investment and life can be hard. Being on the outer fringes of the old Soviet empire, there was limited industrialisation so many old villages have remained almost unchanged for at least one hundred years. From our hotel base, we made day excursions into the nearby mountains for the first three days and found some familiar plant families such as geranium, euphorbia, anemone and corydalis as well as three different tulips. There were also eremurus (foxtail lilies) and leontice, a strange member of the berberis family making small mounds covered in yellow flowers. We then took an overnight train west to the Tien Shan Mountains where temperatures ranged from -5oC during the first night to 25oC just two days later! Iris, voilas, alliums and more tulips grew among wild pear and apricot trees. We also saw malus servicea, believed to be the apple from which all domestic varieties have been bred, and rosa persica which was the first yellow rose found by plant explorers from Europe. Our local plant guide became very excited when she found a plant of korokolia, a relative of the fritillary. Over the next few days, we found several of these in flower and could understand her excitement as the colours ranged from yellow through purple to almost black. We also saw wild rhubarb starting to through up its tall flower spikes and heard the local frogs which, instead of croaking, kept up a belching chatter. On a trip to a desert we found wild tortoises and on another day, I got a picture of a water rat swimming across a village pond. For the bird-watchers in the group, we had a magnificent fly-past of over a thousand cranes one evening as we were returning to our base. After a week, we returned to Almaty again by overnight train and then drove up a steep track to an almost abandoned observatory where rooms were let out to provide a meagre income for renovation work. Along with one in the Pyrenees and another in Chile, this was one of the foremost observatories in the world in its heyday due to the large number of days and nights with clear skies. Plant highlights from the last couple of days included more tulips, Juno iris, wonderful primulas (sadly not in cultivation) and a carpet of crocus on the side of the mountain beside the observatory. Finally it was time to fly home to find spring just arriving in Britain and everything looking green after spending time near the snowline in Kazakhstan. I have five hundred photographs to sort out and you may find some Kazakh plants in my garden next year. Andrew .

.... On Saturday 7th June, as arranged some of us took ourselves off to Kew Gardens for a day of garden delights. Using two fare savers options and one pensioners railcard we managed the train journey economically, ecologically and very easily…. Kew station being just a few minutes walk from the gardens. Libby, our guide showed us highlights of the planting schemes, encompassing history, glasshouse construction, new innovations, trees and foreign species. We were particularly impressed with the structure and preservation of the site which over its 300 year history has faced threats such as being ploughed up and used for a Royal Vegetable Plot, or kept entirely for the enjoyment of the Royal Family, who, during Georgian times resided for many years at Kew Palace. After they moved residence to Buckingham Palace the grounds were joined to an adjacent botanical site, started by one of the patrons of the great plant hunting eras of the eighteenth century. Today, this huge garden on the outskirts of Central London owes its survival to being nationalised in early Victorian times. It remains the most important international centre for botanical research in the world. Unlike the Royal Horticultural Society who promote all aspects of gardening interest, the Royal Botanical Society at Kew and Wakehurst Place is devoted to preservation of species and identification of new plants found anywhere in the world. After our guided tour we had several hours to explore the garden. The new Ariel walkway, high in the treetops although a popular attraction, swayed precariously in the breeze. Its seemingly flimsy construction was outweighed by the amount of people who could easily amble around its lofty perimeter. Palm, Water Lily, Exotic, Evolution and Temperate glasshouses were as spectacular as ever. Although it was a little early for herbaceous borders, the rock garden and ‘Gardeners Garden’ made colourful alternatives. Observing Loggeries complete with Stag Beetles, walking through the shrubberies and looking at the Japanese Gate completed the visit. We had a great day out, thanks to all who joined us. I would be happy to organise a trip in 2009. Please suggest some gardens and suitable times to visit.

Gill Cheetham 10th June 2008 .

... Unfortunately due to a lack of entries we have had to abandon this year's competition

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For those of you who missed it those present at the AGM resolved that the club's name be changed to "Bracknell Forest Garden Club"