HERBOLOGIST Anthony Gardiner (left) brought a sweet smelling bouquet to help the Friends celebrate their tenth Annual General Meeting at Cannizaro House on 15 May. Guest speaker for the evening in the Viscount Melville Room, he entertained members with one tale after another on herbs that are good, bad or indifferent for every ailment and the cooking pot.

Speaking on herbs that can survive drought conditions, he passed around an assortment cut from a 'wilderness' garden that had received no artificial watering. They included prostrate rosemary, santolina viridis (cotton lavender), salad burnet, orange thyme, catmint, purple and green sage, chive, artemisia camphorata, and southernwood. All can be grown easily in Britain.

Anthony related how they were discovered in his journeys through France and among growers in England. He also answered questions on Feverfew, the myth of mint to deter flies, and how to make a herb tissane. He concluded with the discovery of aspirin from the plant Meadowsweet whose complex holistic makeup allows it to stop bleeding in the stomach while eliminating pain.

Also present for the anniversary gathering were original Committee members Eve Hastings and Helen Hall (above centre) and Jennifer Melman (above right), as well as James  Berry (above left), former parks manager and designer of Cannizaro in the 1960s and 70s. Eve was the founding Chair of the Friends, Helen wrote the constitution, and Jennifer masterminded initiatives such as fund-raising for the Azalea Dell restoration and children's events.

Tony Matthews was re-elected Chairman of the Friends, Juliet Willis remained Secretary, and Nick Thomas replaced Alan Gingell as Treasurer. Alan stood down after  six years on the Committee, first as Chairman and later as Treasurer.  With his departure, the Friends will have no stall at this year's Wimbledon Village Fair in June.

Juliet is now taking orders for a special Friends tour of Kew Gardens on 12 September. This follows the successful lecture at Cannizaro House by Kew Director Sir Peter Crane in February. A second tour is planned for next spring.

It was the first time the hotel had hosted a Friends AGM since 1998. In past years they have taken place at Eagle House in Wimbledon Village, at the Royal Wimbledon Golf Club, and at The Study School. However the hotel has always hosted at least one Friends function a year, usually the annual lecture held in winter. Former hotel general manager Ray Slade was another founder of the Friends and last year manager Darren McGhee organised a major fund-raising party for the park which raised £3000 towards planting.