Budleigh Past and Present

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Are you...  Bored with begonias... Crowded out with cotoneasters… Dividing dahlias... Sowing seeds... Splitting salvias... Overflowing with fuchsias…? Have you thought of offering them to Fairlynch for our Grand Easter Fair on Saturday 4 April? Do you have any gardening books we could sell?  Any vases or planters?  Or any other garden/gardening related items?  Are you over-run with bamboo that could be cut and sold as plant support?  Do you need to re-home crocus or snowdrop bulbs?   Would you plant a tray of seeds (flowers or veg), prepare a tray of cuttings, split plants etc to be ready for sale on the great day?   If you can help, please phone Chris on   01395 488297 to arrange collection Or email: chris.h.bailey@me.com Also welcome are any unwanted items to stock our Tombola table

Above: an unusual image of Fairlynch Museum with agapanthus in the foreground Anne Hurt, pictured below, writes: For 17 years I have been working as a volunteer at Fairlynch, and by now I do believe I know every single plant, tree or shrub that grows there. Sometimes there used to be up to nine of us, all under the supervision and guidance of Mrs Jenefer Slater. It was she who is responsible for the design and structural planting which is so excellent in framing the Regency cottage. Only indigenous plants or plants introduced to this country before 1812 were allowed. We still try to adhere to this plan. Jenefer had to be strict with us volunteers, as we all came with our own ideas of how gardening should be done, and we all thought we knew the best. The garden is meant to be a cottage garden, in style with the building, and not a municipal run of the mill garden full of bedding plants. Since the soil is very poor free-draining sandstone and needs constant re...