We were unable to hold our annual plant sale in 2020 and on the usual May weekend this year, so we are following the example of the Chelsea Flower Show and will be holding our plant sale at this time of year. It will take place on Saturday 2 October from 1000 in Central Cross Drive opposite the cafe. There will be the usual mixture of stalls with plant nurseries bringing winter bedding and perennials, If you have any spare plants to donate please bring them along on the day at 0945.
Author: Judie Page 1 of 18
The Friends of Pittville website and emails are hosted for free by the company called 34sp.com. This is a service they provide for UK charities for which FoP is very grateful. We have also found them very quick and helpful in responding to any queries so we are very happy to recommend them.
The Pump Room doors are open again and visitors are being welcomed inside. There is a one way covid safe route and a member of staff will be avilaible to answer questions. Opening times can be found on the website www.pittvillepumproom.org.uk with June dates starting on Friday the 4th. The spa water is not available to drink but visitors will get a 10% discount at the Heritage Cafe. The Cheltenham Competitive Performing Arts Festival is taking place there this month.
The Green Space Volunteers hard at work planting the rockery.
There has been a rockery on the north side of the upper lake in Pittville Park since 1890. It was constructed to resemble the Alps with vertical rocks and very few plants. In 1930 Mr Leuchars, the parks and garden superintendent remodelled the rockery with stone from the quarry on Leckhampton Hill in the style we see today. It was reported in the Gloucestershire Echo in 1933 that he planted it out with a considerable number of alpines and other rockery plants to add floral interest in the park.
Adam Reynolds, the CBC parks manager, with the help of green space volunteers from the Friends of Pittville have been working for the last three years (slowed down by covid) to restore the west end of the rockery to close to its original state.
On 6 May a large planting operation with plants purchased by Cheltenham BC from a local nursery, Hoo House, and some from FoP members, was carried out by volunteers from Friends of Pittville and supervised by landscape architect Linda Thomas.
The Heritage cafe at the Pump Room is open again for takeaways and it is hoped to put back the tables and chairs back very soon in line with covid regulations. So we are hoping we can hold a Drop In at the end of April. The Green Space Volunteers will be back at work, socially distancing in groups of 6, from Thursday 1 April.
