As you will have read several of our members had visited Lodders previously, a fortunate few more of us joined up with Salisbury Bonsai Society who have made this an annual trip for the past few years.Read more>>
It is a long trip by coach but for the true enthusiast one I would not miss, as Sally and Derek have said nothing really prepares you for when you walk into Lodders greenhouses for the shear number and varieties they bring in and prices to suit all. One section holds the main outdoor semi hardy trees which figure in the photo,s, they have another equally large green house for the indoor/tropical trees I did not see any of these this year too busy.
I can and do spend a whole day just wandering up and down the tables looking at the trees, the usual routine is to take your shopping trolley in and put your first selection on the trolley this will vary throughout the day.
We return to the nearby hotel and after a meal in the local Chinese ( where else) we gather in the hotel bar to discuss our selection over drinks, now every year the conversation starts of intent and sensible but by the end of the evening there is a certain amount of blurring of thought I put this down to the Brandy,
We return to Lodders the next day only to find they put new trees out so its back and forth to the trolley again with another selection[oh how not to be on a tight budget].
Eventually we have to make a decision as they want to close and its back to the hotel.
Just some views of the greenhouses.
We also visited another nearby nursery which had some interesting Chinese Elms very reasonable and some Buxus with very short fat trunks lack of space stopped us bringing them back.
Following in our members footsteps we also called into t Veerle and were made most welcome, specialising in Satsukis, Junipers and Pines, they have some of the best material I have seen for some time, I suppose I can dream of unlimited funds.
As we were tight for time only a few photo,s were taken.
An example of the White Pine here
View from the indoor Koi pond
Selection of Junipers
We returned absolutely shattered but what a trip, a special thanks to Leslie for organising this, Paul as second driver and Graham who also organised and drove as well its given us many happy memories.