Monthly talk: John Yeo – Growing for gold

The guest speaker at our October meeting was John Yeo who has had a long career working in the Torbay Parks Department.  His love is for creating extraordinary displays of planting which are more akin to engineering and sculpture rather than most people’s ideas of ‘gardening’.  He is an experienced judge, including for South West in Bloom and Gardeners World show at the NEC.

Many of us have fond memories of elaborate planting displays in our municipal parks and public spaces, to delight holiday makers and local people during the summer season.  Most of us have given little thought to how these are created and maintained, but marvel at the wit and ingenuity which goes into their design.

John showed us slides of exhibits that he and his colleagues have created, on a wonderful range of subjects: a Devon cottage, London guardsmen in their bearskins, the Pied Piper, Alice in Wonderland, Riding for the Disabled, Stephenson’s Rocket, a Welsh Dragon and many more.  There is immense attention to detail in the designs, but obviously great care over how the plants can be maintained and thriving throughout a long summer season.

Many of these designs involve a great deal of heavy metal structure which has to support a considerable weight of compost and plants.  They can weigh up to one and a half tons, and be up to 16 feet tall.  They have to be robust to stand the weather and a long time of display.  Some have also been made with a view to being transported across the country to London shows, or to Wales for the Garden Festival in Merthyr Tydfil which some may remember from c1990.  This logistical challenge has to be taken into account in the design, engineering and planting.

Sadly, the cost of work like this is considerable, and as we all know, the municipal parks departments which were in the forefront of these challenges have been severely reduced.  They can cost up to £1.5 million pounds, much of which will be labour costs.

Locally, one of the most loved examples of this highly skilful work can be found on Riviera Way as you approach Torquay.  As you pass by, you might like to give some thought to the skill and dedication of the gardeners who create these areas which give so much pleasure.

At our next monthly meeting, Clare Densley will talk to us about Beekeeping at Buckfast Abbey.  If you would like to know something about this before coming to hear her talk, you might like to visit this website: Bees – Buckfast Abbey

John Vick