National AGM, Cambridge

Two Norfolk Gardens Trust members attended the annual conference and AGM weekend of The Gardens Trust, 1st-4th September, 2016 hosted by Cambridgeshire Gardens Trust.  The theme running through the lectures and visits was the Tercentenary of Lancelot Brown’s birth and participants witnessed the unveiling of a stained glass window by Gilly Drummond in Fenstanton Community Centre.  The window had been made by artist Sarah Hunt, who exactly reproduced the designs made by children from Fenstanton and Hilton Primary School – is this the first representation of Capability Brown with glasses?

Other visits over the four days were made to Chippenham Park, Wimpole Hall, Madingley Hall and The Backs in Cambridge.  The New Research Symposium included talks on Botanist Richard Richardson in the early eighteenth century, The Rev. Thomas Birch Freeman – Victorian Botanist and Doneraile Park in County Cork.  Speaking on aspects of Lancelot Brown and his career, were Steffie Shields, Patrick Eyres and Tom Williamson.  The accommodation and food at Robinson College were excellent and there was an opportunity to explore the college garden, originally planted by Cambridgeshire GT Chairman David Brown.

Any member of Norfolk Gardens Trust can attend the annual conference weekend and next year the event takes place in July, hosted by Devonshire Gardens Trust in Plymouth.