Our October lecture featured Keynote Speaker Anne Swithinbank, horticulturist, writer and broadcaster. Keen gardeners will know her from Radio 4’s Gardener Question time, on which Anne has been a regular panelist for 23 years, and for which she travels the length and breadth of the UK.

Anne’s chatty style came over well in the packed Village Hall. She explained the various reasons why she has favourite plants: a) emotional, e.g. inherited plants (how James Wong and his planted furniture came into this is hard to remember, but I cannot get the picture Anne painted of his flat out of my head); b) they do a specific job; c) they taste good; d) fragrance and e) for a laugh, e.g. slut mix (sic) plant, used as a cure for a mare’s ailment!

In addition to a collection of real plants (both Anne’s and her husband John’s favourites), we enjoyed a series of beautiful slides featuring named plants flowering throughout the year, while Anne explained their particular characteristics. The talk was concluded by Anne answering questions from the audience. An evening well worthy of the term Keynote.