Ashwell's first Well Dressing - Beginnings

Hollyhocks in Ashwell
These will be incorporated into our design
(photo by Margaret Budgen)

The newly founded committee met today for the third time since our plan to create a Well Dressing was hatched at the end of January.  Each time we meet the task appears a little more, not less, daunting, but underneath the apprehension is tummy fluttering excitement.

This morning, Amanda and Peter taped to the wall a scale drawing of the design that has been tweaked and fine-tuned to incorporate all of our brainstorming suggestions from the previous meetings.  To present a final composition that embraces the creative ideas of ten women was, as you can imagine, no mean feat!

St. Mary's church tower & steeple
(photo by Christopher Schwick)

The design includes St. Mary's church with its wonderful clock tower and spire; bright, glorious hollyhocks - the cheerful, statuesque blooms that grace the village every summer; a musical instrument to remind us all that this year, 2013, will be the 60th anniversary of the Ashwell Music Festival; and, of course, the Ash and the flowing waters of the Springs (Well) after which our village is named. 

Chairman, Maureen, who also happens to be the only experienced Well Dresser in Ashwell, brought to the meeting bags of alder cones which were distributed to everyone to sort and grade.  Maureen and Kate had gathered windfall cones earlier in the week at Fowlmere. Unfortunately, they were caught red-handed by the nature reserve warden who gave our trusty chairman and her accomplice a stern ticking-off.  Red faced, with heads bowed, our intrepid duo confessed that their expedition was in aid of materials for the first Well Dressing of Ashwell.  Thankfully, the very kindly and sympathetic warden, who most probably just couldn't cope with two weeping women, relented and gave special permission for the gathering to continue.  So, we now have our first stock of flower material.