We are up to 2014 and the AGM was scheduled for Menton, France, located between the Principality of Monaco and the Italian border. A beautiful area and a nice hotel, the Royal Westminster. (Photo 1)
Some excellent gardens visited, but from a personal point of view the format used was a little disappointing, centred around the fact that participating members were placed into 4 groups for the 2 days. This division inhibited one of the pleasures associated with these gatherings, that of interconnecting with old friends, and making the acquaintance of new ones, except for the short periods of the Welcome Reception and Farewell Dinner.
Day 1 and our Group (D) set off for the Serre de la Madone garden. This was the property of Major Lawrence Johnston, who had contributed to the redesigning of Hidcote Manor in England. (Photos 2 & 3)
At lunch we crossed paths briefly with Group C, before heading for the Hanbury Botanic Gardens at La Mortola. (Photos 4 & 5 show the Moorish Mausoleum where the ashes of Thomas Hanbury and his wife are buried)
On another personal note, that evening while searching for a place to eat we stumbled on a small Moroccan establishment in a back street of Menton. Earlier in the year we had spent a fantastic 10 days in Morocco on a MGS Excursion with Chris and Basak Gardner, so this seemed like a good opportunity to do a bit of comparing, foodwise. In the event it proved to be excellent, and very reasonably priced.
Day 2 and Group D were bound for Monaco, not for the casinos but for the Jardin Exotique de Monaco. This garden specialises in cacti and succulents and has been created on a steeply sloping hillside that overlooks the Bay of Monaco.
I must have been impressed by this garden as I took a lot of photos, starting with the last 5 below. More to follow.