History

Lavenham Gardening Club started its life in the neighbouring village of Preston St Mary. During the mid 1990’s, Mr Albert Jones and his wife, Mrs Elizabeth Jones, retired nurserymen and both passionate about plants, moved to Preston St Mary. Albert became chairman, & Elizabeth became treasurer of the club, with Doreen Goodwin as secretary. With dwindling numbers over time and more members living in Lavenham than in Preston, Albert decided to move the monthly meetings to the Church Rooms in Lavenham. In 1998, he proposed that the name be changed to the Lavenham, Preston & District Gardeners’ Club. This move meant that the Club not only survived but has continued to thrive to the present day.

The Club supported the proposed building of a new Village Hall in Lavenham and undertook to raise funds towards it. Fund raising activities included a village fete (with extensive plant stall! ) and a music evening. This was the origin of the present day plant sale, which moved to Lavenham Market Square when the fete no longer became viable.

Albert and Elizabeth Jones, with the support of one or two volunteers, planted up the ground to the front of the Village Hall, with essentially a Mediterranean theme of herbs and aromatic plants. This is known as the Gardening Club Garden and has been maintained ever since by members, particularly in recent years by Hugh Howlett and his teams of volunteers. In 2021, one of the two huge pampas, donated for the original planting together with a number of laurels for hedging, was removed. New planting, including an Italian cypress, seeks to augment the Mediterranean look of the garden.

On completion of the new Village Hall, the Club was able to move its meetings there, with the new modern conveniences this offered, as well as a great deal more space. Recently, post Covid, meetings have moved to the main hall, to allow for even more space and better ventilation as member numbers have increased.

Albert Jones became President of the Club,  and Elizabeth became Chairman and later, President.  There have been a number of dedicated chairmen and committee members, since those early days, who have worked hard to continue the traditions of the club, notably Hugh Howlett and his wife, Cyrina, Brian and Doreen Lapthorne, Geoff Lindsay- Smith and Michael Warner, to name a few.  Hugh Howlett is now President.