In September 2004, members of Frome Selwood Horticultural Society met Kathleen Crouch, who spoke about winning the BBC Gardener of the Year, with her design for a small garden, complete with washing line.

Six years later, and now living in Ilminster, Kathleen returned to give a talk as BBC Gardener of the Decade, a title she had won under the gaze of RHS judges at the Eden Project, when five of the past BBC winners were pitted against each other in a variety of tasks.

Kathleen gave a lighthearted resume of the four days, revealing that the camera edited out cut fingers, truculent behaviour and arguments about spelling.

However, she won the title with her final task, where she designed and planted A Garden in 40 Years, with consideration to climate change and the fact she will then be in her eighties.

The evening closed with appreciative applause and Kathleen presenting Pam Secker with her prize as winner of the in-house competition for her sweet peas.

The August meeting had a return visit from another accomplished speaker, Hamish Batten, who this time shared his expertise on Hostas. He enthused about the sculptured, elegant leaves with their spikes of tubular, flared lily-like flowers, demonstrating with slides how they can be equally attractive planted in drifts or as a foil to hard features.

Hybridising around the world has produced more than 1,000 cultivars, some with sear sucker buckling of leaves, others with artistic vein structures in greens, yellows and whites.

Although slug and pest control was a problem, as damaging, he considered, was the decay of fallen flowers on the leaves. Holidays have been delayed or flowers cut off so as to reduce this problem. Members were grateful that he had brought along such a wonderful selection of healthy specimens. Hope can live eternal that the slugs will leave them alone.

The next meeting will be on Tuesday, September 14, at 7.30pm at Trinity Church Hall in Frome, with the subject Bees and the Gardener.

For more information call 01373 455277 or visit www.fshs.blueyonder.co.uk.