The new season is beginning.  The plants are already shooting out shoots.  Community Payback have spent many appreciated hours mulching the beds to protect the collection from frost, weeds and drought.  We have set up our gardening timetable of Tuesday and the 4th Saturday of each month from March to October.  The Open Day is on Sunday, 9th August this year with private tours scheduled between Monday 3rd and Thursday, 6th August.  We have plans to map the collection electronically to make it easier to locate particular plants; some plants are in the wrong place so will be moved; the gates need replacing so we will be looking for funding; new plants are already on order; our Green Flag Community Award application has been submitted; we’re planning a trip to a much larger collection of hydrangeas near Dieppe; the Royal Horticultural Society are using Hydrangea Derby to trial 24 new varieties of macrophylla.  So lots to do and another exciting year for this wonderful asset to the city of Derby.