Jeremy was a keen gardener: living in Longcroft he had extended the managed areas of his garden to include a superb kitchen garden, greenhouse, vegetable patch, flower beds, pots, baskets, front border and more. In the spirit of true, keen gardeners, there was not a square inch that was not put to some useful or decorative purpose, and the sweet peas that climbed the front of the house from pots each summer were both a joy to the eye and a wonderful scent.

Jeremy joined the Gardeners’ Club in 2005 and left in 2010. He and Ellie moved permanently to Hunstanton a couple of months afterwards. Whilst in the Club, Jeremy created and produced some wonderful work which will remain in the village for years to come. As is the way, from a little acorn grew an oak, and if I recall correctly, this adventure started with the need for an A-Board to advertise our events. Jeremy offered to make one and a fine (and extremely weighty) product followed with wood varnished edge, black-board panels and sturdy hinges and clip. We were delighted. This was not going to blow away in any breeze!

Next came the need to replace the old tubs at the front of the Village Hall for which Jeremy made two large, lined troughs. These are still working very well today and making a lovely display under the building’s sign-board. This was followed by our adventure into refurbishing the flower beds at the entrance of the church. Here Jeremy and others energetically cleared the area, turned the soil and weeded to make good new beds. To give the beds a central focal point with some height, Jeremy’s son Patrick produced two black metal obelisks, installed by Jeremy, and we have grown beautiful climbing and rambling roses up these since. The beds were finished off with scroll-top brick retaining tiles.

The next project was to create a backdrop for the newly refurbished War Memorial where hedging could be grown to give a formal backdrop to the area. As this was on a severe slope, Jeremy and Sean McCarthy bravely installed stakes, wire and stones to create a supporting framework and then boarded around the bed at the top for a pleasing finish to the planting area. If contractors had done this work it would have been extremely expensive as it was a small, difficult area in which to operate.

Having created smart, new flower beds at the church entrance it had become noticeable that the 3m square patch of uneven ground in front of the porch could really do with being paved for cleaner, safer access. This time Jeremy and his eldest son Richard teamed up and laid a lovely herringbone design of brickwork that complements the old wooden porch.

As you can see, we have a wonderful, visible legacy from Jeremy’s time in the Gardeners’ Club in Hempstead and we will long cherish his fine work from which we all benefit.

Diana Frost