North Cyprus Gardening Club

The North Cyprus Gardening club is the brainchild of Alex at the Five Fingers Restaurant in Ozankoy. There was a large gathering of both 'professional' and amateur gardeners all eager to learn. Alex wanted to form the club without being formal without a committee just a group of people who could swap ideas barter or sell plants and enjoy a once a month get together with guest speakers, question and answer forum, trips to local garden centres etc and at the end of the year a flower/vegetable show. You never know the Chelsea Flower Show could branch out in the TRNC.

To become a member you are required to fill in a form obtainable from Alex asking for contact details and any gardening expertise or equipment you are willing to hire out, this will go on a database and if a member wants any help Alex will be able to point them in the right direction if there is a member who can help. Ozzie from Ardic Garden Centre situated behind the Coca Cola factory at Catalkoy is offering a discount on anything purchased from him to any member and Alex is talking to a pot supplier in the region and a centre the other side of Kyrenia.

Patricia Jordan author of several gardening books including 'The Cyprus Garden' gave a talk entitled 'March Wind and April Showers' with beautiful photographs illustrating the blooms you can expect to see this Spring. The first examples were of plants and bushes in general, the second on fruit trees, the third on plants in borders and finally annuals. Even I learnt some useful tips and I haven't started on my garden (builder has not put the boundaries in yet) any volunteers to help me?

We were told to put a wreath of herbs and flowers on the front door on 1st May until 24th June when it has to be burnt, a very old tradition to promote good health and fertility. We learnt that if you put wet kitchen paper in a saucer under a terracotta pot it causes humidity very good for growing African Violets, put a stocking in the bottom of pots before adding soil this will stop ants from nesting in the pots and so it went on. There were questions from the floor and Patricia had answers for most.

It was generally agreed that this would be a popular club and everyone was looking forward to the next meeting date to be advised.

Anyone interested should ring Alex or Libby on 0533 845 8278 for more details.