My first encounter with Betty was a short while after moving to Blagdon...14 & a half years ago.  She ‘popped’ over to see what I had been up too gardening wise since moving into our new house, which was across the road from hers.  I explained that I had always wanted to grow my own produce and, to that end, my husband had built a few raised beds at the back of the property to accommodate this.  So, with my chest puffed out and feeling very proud of my husbands carpentry skills, off we went to look at said beds.  It did not go well!!  To say Betty was dissatisfied with what confronted her would be a gross understatement!!  You see I had installed the beds in the sunniest part of the garden which, according to Betty, should have been reserved solely for the cultivation of a flower garden!  She was, of course, correct and after a couple of seasons of ‘growing my own’ I did indeed turn the area over to a flower border.  That first encounter was the start of a friendship I treasured and even though we moved out of Blagdon four and a half years ago, we went back to visit a couple of times a year and we emailed and spoke often.  We shared a love of gardening and after my father passed away Betty was my ‘go to’ person if I needed advice about anything horticultural or anything else for that matter.  Betty was kind, considerate and was always interested in you.  She was loyal, had a fierce intellect and was incredibly independent.  Her art work graces many a wall, including my own.  She was a force to be reckoned with and I loved that about her! I admired her greatly, the  world is poorer without her.  Betty Silburn was my friend and I loved her dearly.  I shall miss her so very very much. Sleep well dear Betty, till we meet again.


Dee & Andrew x x x