Cowper and Newton Museum Garden Report The Garden 'income' (from the sales of plants and seeds for 2004) amounted to £675 with only £91 spent on maintenance items. The Cowper and Newton Museum Orchard Side, Market Place, Olney 01234 711516 e-mail cnm@mkheritage.co. Eli beth Knight, Trustee in charge ofthe Museum rdens, at the AGM in Ju A donation was given from the Garden Funds to the Trustees to purchase Dorothy Freeman's cranberry ware glass mug, and postcards were bought for re-sale in the Museum shop. So far this year's income has been £434, but expenditure has been £733, thus using up some of the reserves, but still leaving £840 towards the wrought iron gate for the passageway. A new venture this ye has been the sponsorship of a Town Hanging Basket for the Museum, and in July, on the spur of the moment while on holiday, saw a carved wooden hare for sale in a Garden in Herefordshire, and bought it for the Museum garden. He is to be called Tiney, a er one ofthe poet's hares, even though he stands three feet high! 50 tickets bought in advance (by guests invited for the 'memori sale' of Margaret Spragg's books and paintings) and over 20 members ofthe public came too, including the new County Organiser for the National Gardens Scheme who had travelled from the south of Bucks for the event and was delighted with the gardens. The evening raised just over £200 from the sale of the books and paintings and the ra e, which is for Museum nds and the plant stall raised a rther £40 towards the Garden Fund. The Cowper and Newton Museum is pleased to welcome group visits at anytime. The courtyard was re-laid with blue bricks during the winter closure and though it looks good and the removal of the 'rosemary bed' does give more room for visiting groups and refreshments etc. I felt the sheer expanse of it needed breaking up a bit, so purchased three tμbs and planted them up in colours to enhance the new look in time for this year's Open Gardens. Christmas Past with Marion Maule I am particularly grate l to Alderman Edward Ellis and his wife Caroline, who between them, manned the gate and ran the Plant Stall on both weekends as the Trustees were not able of offer that assistance this year. Caroline had supplied many of the plants on sale and also ran the Plant Stall at the Open Evening. Please contact the Curator on 0 1 234 711516 or visit the website on www. cowperandnewtonmuseum.org.uk Two members of the parish Church ran the teas on the Sunday a ernoon as the Church was not available for use this year, and they managed this out of the new kitchen as the weather was fine and the teas could be served outside. 18 December EVENTS FOR 2005 1 1 October - 10 December In andAround Oln : Oln Camera Club A display of photographs by members of Olney Camera Club ever in numbers of visitors (1 55) and plant sales and weather! The following weekend for the National Gardens Scheme, was not so well attended with barely 1 00 visitors, inclement weather and other local attractions probably detracting from the usual good attendance. Having said that though, we did have one couple who came up especi ly to see the gardens from Pinner, Middlesex. On entrance the husband was moaning about his wife dragging him all this way and he said, "This had better be good," and when he le about an hour and halflater he couldn't stop praising the garden! ORCHARD WllLS The new venture of an Open Garden Evening with wine, was well attended with Noriko has joined the team of Friday a ernoon garden volunteers this year and I very grate l to her for her help and also to Richard, the Museum volunteer on Tuesdays and Fridays, who now spends all Friday helping in the garden. Charles and I were fortunate enough to have a return visit to the Martin family and the John Newton Centre in Pennsylvania this April, for on our last a ernoon there we visited the oldest Botanical Garden in America just outside Philadelphia, planted by PS On our return from our few days in Herefordshire, there was a letter from Bartram's Botanical Garden, inviting us to a special exhibition at Painshill, Cobham, Surrey in which they are collaboratirJ regarding plants which came over fro America in the eighteenth century. This featured in the Gardening Section 'of the Dai Te aph the following weekend. Needless to say we shall attend before the exhibition closes in October. We take any chance that is o ered to publicise the Museum and its Gardens! • for A Safety Audit for Wheelchair Users was conducted throughout the Museum in May and though I was not able to be present I had emailed the organiser beforehand with some queries re the Garden and her report has been very help l and will give us some guidelines for ture work in the garden particularly in relation to the paths. She would like to see more seating as she says we should 'sell' the garden as a peace l place for meditation! A lecture with Marion Maule. Mulled wine and mince pies included. Tickets £5 per persoh from th Cowper & Newton Museum. The Henry Doubleday Research Association weekend this year was the best ThomasBartrumin1727. Therethey so sell their own seeds and I bought two packets which I set as soon as w returned and they are flowering well in the garden. I now know how William Cowper felt as he awaited seeds etc. from the Americas - watching the growth of these new plants has been very exciting! Double Will £65 Single Will £45 Telephone 01234 713938 Join us r a glass o f wine and nibbles Olney Floral Fiesta 6th October Two Brewers 7.30pm Members ofthe Socie of Will Writers AGM PAGE 58 PHO OX