MORE than 75 keen gardeners from across the West Midlands region gathered for a fun day out with a focus on gardening sustainably at the West Midlands Group's (WMG) Garden with the Gurus event recently.
Miling producers Joey and Ian Seymour hosted the event at their cleverly designed homestead garden, which featured flowers in full bloom and long-established trees.
Visitors enjoyed the opportunity to explore the Seymour's garden and the local stalls at the event, which ranged from pure bush honey, to home and garden décor handmade from recycled metals and textiles.
Native plant expert Nancy Scade, Australian Native Nurseries, kicked off the event with a strong case for planting local plant varieties to reap the benefits of greater water efficiency, boosting biodiversity and improved soil health.
Tanvier Fowler, from PermacultureWest, entertained the group with an interactive and informative game that showcased how permaculture principles can be applied in the home garden.
These principles include using renewable resources and producing no waste.
Ms Seymour finished off the day with a tour of the property, coupled with interesting insights into their strategic plant selection and garden design choices.
WMG executive officer Nathan Craig said the garden day was a great chance for locals to enjoy the spring sunshine and to talk all things gardening, with many tips and tricks shared.
The WMG thanked event sponsor Tronox, guest speakers, stallholders and guests for supporting the event, which is an initiative driven by the grower group's Women in Agriculture committee.
The group expressed a special thank you to Mr and Ms Seymour for opening their incredible garden to the community.
