Garden News
This video gives a flavour of the gardens
A magnificent new floral arrangement in the undercroft.
Friends Hester Casey and Jane Brownlee have put together a very attractive floral display in the undercroft of the gazebo. It consists of evergreens, silk flowers and frosted leaves and provides a welcome bright note on days of winter gloom.
NEW VIDEO FILMING
The Friends are working with Reading College to produce a series of short videos with audio commentary to display major features of the gardens. The videos will enable visitors to learn more of the garden either before visiting or when on site.
Filming by students on a media studies course began in mid-October 2020 with a gimbal funded by the Friends using money received in memory of long time supporter and committee member Mike Eggleton.
The gimbal is a pivoted support that allows rotation of a camera. The students are directed by their lecturer Adam Goldstein. We are grateful to Amanda Cropper for her part in facilitating this project.
Restrictions imposed during the pandemic have delayed the project which will continue when it is permitted to do so.
GARDEN SKETCHES
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We appreciate these sketches, the first by the late Mary Phelan, local artist and a staunch supporter of the Friends and gardens. It shows vistors relaxing in the gardens The second is a sketch of the Bhutan Pine by our tresurer, Hester Casey.
THE BHUTAN PINE
The Bhutan pine, one of our favourite trees in the gardens, has been showing signs of stress for at least two years. The canopy has become thinner this year with branches showing marked deterioration following prolonged periods of dry weather. It is not the only tree suffering under these conditions, the neighbouring tulip tree on the lawn and the black walnut also show worrying signs of stress as are some of the younger trees nearer the river bank. our concerns have been conveyed to Reading Borough Council. We have proposed that the Bhutan pine should be watered, mulched and the area around it fenced off to prevent further soil compaction due to footfall. In the interim, we appreciate the efforts of Will, our gardener, and several volunteers for watering the worst affected trees in the gardens and hope that we might see significant rainfall to assit this process.
ILLUSTRATED TALKS
Volunteers are able to offer illustrated talks on the history of Caversham Court Gardens and of the families who have lived in houses on the site over the centuries. If you are interested in booking a speaker please contact The Friends on friends@fccg.org.uk