ALAN Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock may have made gardening sexy - but in Otley, gardeners have been busy digging their plots for more than 50 years.

Nowadays, members of the Wharfedale Gardeners' Discussion Group have regular meetings, informative speakers, hold plant sales and swap notes.

The sociable group have a Christmas party, free entrance to Harrogate's Harlow Carr Gardens and always book large coaches for trips - in order to bring back all their gardening purchases.

And now the group, which meets in Otley Civic Centre every month, is about to start its 54th year.

Back in the 1939-45 world war, people were encouraged to turn their gardens - and assorted other pieces of ground - into allotments and Dig for Victory.

Then after the war, many gardeners, finding they liked it, carried on and even formed themselves into groups.

Many groups have now disbanded, but in Otley the Wharfedale Gardeners' Discussion Group is thriving and will shortly be putting on a display in one of the town's building societies.

Marion Goodwin, the group's

chairman, said the group had a complete record of all past and present members - thanks to a line of efficient officers.

"The Wharfedale Gardeners' Discussion Group was established on March 10, 1947 with the purpose to

'promote and extend interest in gardening'

"Following on from the Dig for Victory theme through the war, the emphasis was about to be put on the leisure and

pleasure of gardening," she said.

Lucky enough to have the support of member Ronnie Biss - the then editor of the Wharfedale and Airedale Observer, the group received all the publicity it needed.

"The group can also proudly boast having the continued support of a founder member, Hans Wright," said Mrs Goodwin.

In the early days, a popular speaker was Fred Loads from Gardeners' Question Time and recently, gardeners packed the hall to hear an entertaining Roy Lancaster.

During the summer, the group visits many gardens.

Mrs Goodwin said: "Members prefer bigger and bigger coaches on each

visit - not to stretch their legs, but to have more room for the plants they plan to

purchase."

One of the trips this year was to Barnsdale to television gardeners' Geoff Hamilton's garden.

"It was a joy to see Geoff Hamilton's beloved garden, some members have even talked about taking up woodwork to recreate the pergolas, summer houses and follies on display," she said.

Gardening is a truly sociable hobby with gardeners wanting to help each other out.

"Like true gardeners, we all want to share our failures and successes in the garden.

"A real gardener will think

nothing of digging up a root or planting up a cutting for you," she added.

Membership of the club is £5 per year which includes the cost of seven speakers and affiliation to the Northern Horticultural Society giving free entry to Harlow Carr Gardens.

The group meets on the second Tuesday of every month and next

meeting is on Tuesday, September 12 in Otley Civic Centre.

There will be a display all about the group in the window of Otley's Skipton Building Society from Tuesday, August 22.