EMSWORTH HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER

WINTER 2003/2004

Editor: Dennis Doye,  Tel: 01343 374481                                              Chairman: Margaret Jay, Tel: 01343 430719
 

Those of you who have visited the Hut since Christmas may have noticed the new shelving. There has been a lot of hard work moving stock, demolishing the old, very wood-wormed shelves, erecting the new and arranging all the stock again in time for our first opening in January. Thank you very much to all who helped. Those of you who were not able to help, PLEASE come and view the good work.

This is my last 'bit' for the newsletter as 1 retire as Chairman at the AGM on 19 February. As a parting shot I will be proposing that we raise the annual subscription charge to £3 p.a. to ensure that we cover our costs, and we would like to deliver to all members a mini-schedule for the horticultural show in the summer. This proposed increase will not take place until January 2005.

Please come and vote for or against this proposal.

It has been a privilege to Chair such a friendly and
diverse society. I am most grateful for all the help
given so freely. I have learnt a lot about gardening and
look forward to meeting you all at the wide variety of
society events planned for this year, or perhaps round
at the Hut on a Sunday morning.                        Margaret Jay

'RHS — 200 YEARS OF GARDENING'

From 3 July to 1 August the EHS is mounting an exhibition at the Emsworth Museum entitled 'RHS — 200 Years of Gardening'. The exhibition will aim to celebrate the past history and present activities of the EHS — and we need your help!

If you have any photographs related to any of the activities of the EHS, such as the Show, the competitions, coffee natter mornings, Angela's trips — or pictures of your own gardens or allotments — which you would be willing to lend us for the exhibition, we would be most grateful.

We may also include interesting artefacts from Emsworth gardens, such as ornaments or other (transportable) features — so if you have anything which might fall into this category, we would like to hear from you.

We also hope to include some members' reminiscences about the EHS, so if anyone could write these down for us or wouldn't mind taking part in a brief and informal interview, we would be delighted to hear from you. Finally, we would like to discover which gardener has had the longest membership of the EHS — and also who is the oldest and the youngest member o^f the society so, if you think you may fall into one of these categories and are happy to be included, please get in touch as soon as possible!

Annette Wood, (01243) 378482

 

CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW

With the cost of Chelsea increasing to £38 for two RHS members and to £56 for two non-RHS members, YOU could gain entry for two, for just 25p if you are lucky in our customary Raffle, which will be drawn at our AGM on Thursday 19 February, Don't miss out.

HAMPTON COURT FLOWER SHOW

Having successfully exhibited small gardens at both Chelsea and Hampton Court in recent years, we are changing tack this year and have applied to stage a Hanging Basket at Hampton Court. We await the acceptance of our application, but if successful the basket will be planted up and nurtured by Sue Roylance, the winner of our Hanging Basket competitions in 2002. More next time.

THE EMSWORTH SHOW

Thanks largely to the positive leadership of Daphne Tomsett and her Steering Committee, plus some volunteer new members, a Show Committee has been formed to take our annual Show forward this year and — barring unforeseen circumstances — for the following two years as well. This does of course mean that we will need to seek lots of help again over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Pleasingly, through your assistance last year, over £3000 surplus funds from the Show enabled us to provide (1) a new Wheelchair for the Red Cross to loan out (2) a new Bench Seat alongside the Millpond (3) sponsorship for planting up the Roundabout at the Havant Road/A27 junction (4) donations for the Emsworth Community Centre refurbishment, St James School, Fire Brigade, Police Benevolent Fund, Girl Guides, Cub Scouts, SYRCH Emsworth Youth Club, St John's Ambulance, Celia Cross Trust and the Perennial gardeners' charity. Our thanks to you all.

DISTRIBUTION HUT

We hope that you appreciate the space and light that the new shelving has created at the Hut. Members of the Distribution Committee were of course very busy with all that this involved, but I wish to thank the other Society members who gave so much time and expertise. NOW it is the turn of the Office. A piece of carpet for both sides of the desk is a high priority, especially for the Ladies Team with feet on uninsulated concrete floor. So, if you have a piece of carpet about 14 ft x 10 ft, we would be pleased to come and collect it. Colour and design doesn't matter.

SUBSCRIPTIONS 2004 — these are now due. Tremendous value still at just £2 per household per year. Payable at the Hut, or at the AGM, or direct to John Holliss using the form overleaf

 

 

 

Our supplier, Warwicks, have kept their promise and the shelves are filled with the stock of potatoes. If you have ordered, please come and collect, otherwise the sooner you buy the wider selection you will have. Final Seed Orders will be processed after Sunday 29 February. Thanks to those people who did 'order early', a very good credit will apply.

We have had requests for a second Hut Opening — either a weekday morning or evening. This would have to be on a 'do your own humping' system. There will be a notice in the Hut for your comments. If you have a problem with disposal of red or black plastic pots, consider using Fibre Pots, no need to disturb roots, and Whale Hide Pots which will compost down. Apart from the fact that they are not now made from whale hide, they have several advantages. See for yourself when you come to renew your membership and stock up on your gardening requirements.

Shirley Wenman

THURSDAY EVENING MEETINGS

AGM and Talk. At the Emsworth Centre, South Street, on 19 February, we will see a new Chairman, a new Vice-Chairman, a new Secretary and some new Committee Members elected to the Society. We do already have some nominations for these posts, but if you or anyone you know would like to put their names forward, we always welcome new faces and ideas on the Committee: please give Margaret Jay a call, 430719. Following the brief AGM, Graeme Mitchell, Managing Director of Brightwater Holidays (specialists in gardening tours and with whom Angela Baldry has arranged our holiday to Wales this year) will enlighten us on the 'Trials and Tribulations of being a Tour Operator'. Also adding to the interest of the evening will be the raffle for a pair of Chelsea tickets, as well as two Stansted Garden Show tickets. Do come along.

'All About Cannas'. Our warming climate has vastly increased interest in these exotic plants. Learn all about them on 18 March at the South Street Centre.

Change of Venue. With the problems we have experienced recently at the South Street Centre, and with the new building nearing completion at the Community Centre, the Committee have decided that from 15 APRIL we will commence having our talks at the Community Centre, Church Path. On that day Adrian Hillman, a 'lively and entertaining speaker', will be bringing his One-man Hanging Basket Road show to us. Your views on the change of venue will be welcome.

All talks free to members, 7.30pm start.

OUT AND ABOUT WITH ANGELA

Welcome back, I hope you like this year's trips.

Gardens of South Wales. Friday 18 to Monday 21 June - £245. Visiting the National Botanic Garden of Wales, which has the largest single span greenhouse in the world, and 5 other gorgeous and interesting gardens. Just a few places left. Phone for brochure.

Sherborne and Sherborne Castle. Thursday 22 April - £19. Founded by the Saxons, Sherborne is one of the most beautiful towns in England; mellow stone, medieval buildings and superb Abbey. Sherborne New Castle was built by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1594 and extended by Sir John Digby hi 1617. The gardens were laid out by Capability Brown in 1753. He created a

 

lake which took 2 years to complete. Chiff Chaffs. Snape Cottage and Stourhead. nr Gillingham, Dorset. Friday 14 May - £29 (Nat. Trust members £20). Two private country gardens opposite each other, featured in various garden magazines; open under the Yellow Book scheme.

Stourhead is one of the earliest and greatest landscape gardens in the world, begun in 1⁷44 by Henry Hoare. A 'must see before I die' garden. Details of the other trips will be in future newsletters: St Mary's House.. Bramber & the Parham House Garden Show, Sat 10 July - £23.25

White Windows & Longmead House, Long-parish & Longstock Water Gardens - Stockbridge, Hants, Thurs 19 Aug - no price yet

Blenheim Palace, nr Oxford, Tues 14 Sept -£20.50

To Book: please phone to check availability, then send a cheque payable to EHS for the full amount, post-dated for the date of the trip. Separate cheque for each trip. Do come.

Angela Baldry, 42 Horndean Road, Emsworth, PO10 7PT, (01243) 372253

EMSWORTH GARDENS OPEN DAY

Instead of a garden competition this year, the Society is considering the possibility of opening some Emsworth gardens to the public for charity. To do this we do of course need to have a sufficient number of people willing to open their own gardens. The date suggested is 17 June. If you would like to discuss participating, please call either Sarah Sanderson (373831) or Janet Butler (430926) asap.

SUCCESS

We are in the Semi-Finals! A consistent performance in the preliminary rounds of the Hampshire Federation Quiz has put us in the top four places to qualify for an evening semi-final match against Ferndown on 20 February. This will be contested at a central venue, Totton Hort Assoc, Southampton. Should we manage to win this tie, we will appear in the Final at Sparsholt on Saturday evening 20 March. If you would like to lend your support, please contact Janet Butler (430926) who is co-ordinating the travel arrangements. Congratulations must go to Paddy Naylor, Angela Baldry, Marjorie Jones and Hilary Gifson who have got thus far for the first time. We wish them continued success.

DATES FOR THE DIARY

Thur Feb 19       AGM and Talk, South Street
Fri     Feb 20         Quiz Semi-Final Thur
Mar 18        Talk — Cannas, South Street
Thur Apr 15         Talk — Hanging Baskets, Church Path Community Centre
Thur Apr 22         Coach — Sherborne
Fri     May 14       Coach — Stourhead

AND FINALLY

Once again we are indebted to June Marshall who was out in her garden in the rain in 2003 counting the raindrops! June confirms the Met Office statistics that we had far less rain in 2003 than in 2002 — 33% less in Queen Street it seems (24.9" total) Even more reason for installing more water butts — 'every little helps'!