The Garden Gang was a series of books for children written by Jayne Fisher. They were published by Ladybird Books during the late 1970s and early 1980s as Series 413 and later re-issued as Series 793. [1] Fourteen story books were written, each containing two short stories about a group of characters who were fruit and vegetables living an almost human life, selling over 8 million copies [ citation needed]. In addition to the fourteen story books, there were also three other books - an annual and two colouring books. Fisher's books were not dissimilar to the popular Munch Bunch series, also devised by a young girl, the fourteen-year-old Angela Mitson. [ citation needed]

The introduction of Capability Brown’s rural idyll style occurred in the mid-18th century, leading to vast re-landscaping schemes – local examples being at the Inch in Renfrew and Castle Semple in Lochwinnoch. Castle Semple also boasted a fine walled garden where gardeners manipulated the climate by growing fruit trees along differently facing walls according to their individual needs – south-facing for apricots or north-facing for cherries for example. First is news about two Easter TV programmes that you could tune into. On Friday, which is of course Good Friday, at 1.40pm on BBC 1 you can watch 'Alexander Armstrong's Heavenly Gardens'. This is the first of two programmes over which Armstrong will visit six gardens of reflection and contemplation. The first three can be seen in this show - Sudeley Castle, Pluscarden Abbey and Cambridge University. And on Easter Sunday the second programme will air at 1.50pm and will feature, among others, the garden of the Bishop's Palace at Wells in Somerset. Our first get-together of the New Year will be another indoor meeting in the upstairs room of Fairfull’s café in Paisley High Street, at 11am on the 15th, when Douglas Breingan will give an illustrated talk on the subject of the history of Scottish gardens I thought the art looked like it was drawn by a child, and it turns out that it was -- the Garden Gang series was both written and illustrated by a nine year old. I didn't really enjoy them, as the author/illustrator wasn't *my* nine year old.As gardens are very much a seasonal pastime we hope to tailor our visits to see various gardens at their best and in deepest, darkest winter we will also have some indoor meetings. We also hope to visit gardens of various types – those associated with stately homes, botanical collections, private gardens opened under the Scotland’s Garden Scheme, allotments and community gardens and gardens created with ‘wellness’ in mind.

Written by Jayne Fisher, the Garden Gang series were small books that each featured two stories about a fruit or vegetable like Penelope Strawberry or Roger Radish. Our January indoor meeting was spent in the company of Douglas whose illustrated talk took us through the history of gardens in Scotland from the earliest evidence, through to about 1800. He began by making the point that gardens are fashionable constructions and that they change. But just as some people continue to wear the clothes that they had been comfortable in the young days, so some gardens were so liked by their owners that they didn’t update them. On Wednesday, 11th December the Garden Gang gathered in the upstairs room at Fairfull’s Café for our second ‘proper’ meeting.If any of this has whetted your appetite for visiting a garden or two, then get in touch and give us a go. Garden Gang Leader ] Valerie Reilly, Group Leader for the Garden Gang group, explains what is involved in membership of the Garden Gang group.(Approx 2:18 mins} Online, I have been alerted by Kathy to the virtual tours of Kew Gardens. If we can't physically go and wander around a beautiful garden, we can at least do it virtually. The Garden Gang was established in October 2019, originally under the somewhat longer name of The Garden Appreciation Group. However, on asking the members for a snappier title several were submitted, and in a vote ‘The Garden Gang’ proved to be the favourite. And the good news is that I have been in touch with them, and we will be given an introduction to the gardens by Dougal Philip, the original founder of the business!