ANNUAL SHOW 8 AUGUST 2015

The programme ahead - June, July, August, September

Wednesday 17th June. 7:15 for 7:30pm

Summer Hanging Baskets - a Gold Club speaker

The Gold Club and their Gardens Group speakers are always top notch.

Wednesday 15th July. 7:15 for 7:30pm

The Somerset Wetlands - Mr D Briggs

After the troubles the levels and wetlands have faced in recent years, a brilliant topic.

Saturday 8th August 

70th Annual Show 

Now that really is an achievement- 70! Don't miss your entries and visitors are always welcome, it opens to the public at 2:15, with of course famous Drimpton food and hospitality.

Wednesday 16th September. 7:15 for 7:30pm

Bees and The Gardener - Mr Gerald Fisher

There can be few insects as crucial to successful gardening and indeed our food supply as bees, this should be a thoroughly interesting meeting.

Summer Show, 2014 - Drimpton Village Hall

Swap Share and Schedules

Swap, Share and Schedules

The next meeting of the Garden Club will be at Drimpton Village Hall, on Wednesday 15th April, 7:15 for 7:30pm. Open to all to bring along any garden bits and pieces from string to seeds and books to  begonias.

After the swapping frenzy, collect a schedule for the Summer Show and get feedback and advice from the Show Secretary - useful if you have exhibited before, or even if you are just wondering what it's all about (it's not all plants, there's crafts, cooking, flower arranging, vegetables ...)
(There's a small entry fee for non-members - or you could non on the night).

8th Annual Potato Day

Last Saturday Drimpton Village Hall and an enthusiastic team of helpers welcomed nearly 200 people to the annual Potato Day, run by the Clapton, Wayford, Drimpton and District Horticultural Society and Pennard Plants. It is a chance for gardeners, near and far, to select seed potatoes for growing from nearly 100 varieties on offer, with plenty of information and advice on hand. There were also plants, fruit bushes, onion sets, rhubarb  (you name it, it seemed to be available).

Setting out the tables

Plants and Potatoes all ready

Kitchen calm before the storm

Potato Day in Drimpton is far more than just potatoes. There is time for family fun, which this year saw the stage (rather more used to hosting the village pantomime, of which more in PANTO: The MANUAL) turned over to the creation of Valentine cards using potato prints under the guidance and inspiration of Jenny Beck and helpers. Food always plays a big part in a village which does seem to have bagged more than its fair share of brilliant cooks, coordinated by Rosemary Shepherd and Kate Hesketh. In addition to all day breakfasts and baked potatoes there we loads of cakes and bakes, nearly all of which went.

Mike and Chris hunting a signal

John and Mick on traffic duty

Visitors arriving

Chatting to Chris Smith from Pennard Plants, as we were packing up, he said that they had found much more interest in the Heritage & Heirloom Vegetable Seeds. I know many gardeners like to use some of the modern varieties, but I notice both in Garden Organic magazine and The Garden, from the RHS, that plenty of gardeners are renewing acquaintance with some older varieties and trying some less familiar ones. Certainly I had great success with two different varieties of tomato seeds in the last couple of years: Cosmonaut Volcov and Black Prince, both bought at Potato Day.

We had no hesitation in booking for next year - Saturday 6th February 2016.

If you missed our Potato Day, you may be in time to catch another, here is a list of Potato Days

I've also posted this on my gardening blog - Soggydaygardener

This Saturday - Potato Day

Saturday 7th February, 10:30 to 2:30

Our 8th Annual Potato Day 

Spuds and more …good food and family activities

“There will be a complete array of products to meet your fruit and veggie growing needs for the new year and we hope to help you kick start your Gardening Season.
There will be 60+ varieties of seed potatoes, all for sale by the single tuber, plus onion sets, shallots, garlic, a range of heritage seeds, fruit trees, soft fruit, kitchen garden plants and so much more.” (Chris Smith, Pennard Plants).

Potato Growing competition, 

(for young people and adults – weigh-in on Show Day, Saturday 8th August)

Enjoy the renowned Drimpton food, with all day brunches, lunches and cakes, as well as warming drinks. The popular family activities will be here, fun for everyone. Please join us, whether you are an experienced grower or just starting out on veggies, you will find this a friendly and useful event.

There is no need to book, there is a small entry fee of 50p, which includes a tea or coffee.
We are on Chard Road (B3162), Drimpton, between Chard and Beaminster.
For SatNav: DT8 3RF

Programme for the New Year

Here are the first meetings and events
coming up at the start of 2015,
the year of our 70th Summer Show!

Wednesday 21st January.
7:00pm for 7:15pm - (please note the slightly earlier than usual start time.)

Quiz and Foods! Savoury tasters and your favourite puds, oh yes, and questions too.

Saturday 7th February, 10:30 to 2:30

Our 8th Annual Potato Day 

Spuds and more …good food and family activities

“There will be a complete array of products to meet your fruit and veggie growing needs for the new year and we hope to help you kick start your Gardening Season.

There will be 60+ varieties of seed potatoes, all for sale by the single tuber, plus onion sets, shallots, garlic, a range of heritage seeds, fruit trees, soft fruit, kitchen garden plants and so much more.” (Chris Smith, Pennard Plants).

Potato Growing competition, (for young people and adults – weigh-in on Show Day, Saturday 8th August)

Enjoy the renowned Drimpton food, with all day brunches, lunches and cakes, as well

as warming drinks. The popular family activities will be here, fun for everyone. Please join us, whether you are an experienced grower or just starting out on veggies, you will find this a friendly and useful event.

There is no need to book, there is a small entry fee of 50p, which includes a tea or coffee.

We are on Chard Road (B3162), Drimpton, between Chard and Beaminster. For SatNav: DT8 3RF

Wednesday 18th February

AGM and Social, bring and share food and drinks

Wednesday 18th March.

Preparing for the Show Bench ---- how to present your cookery, cakes and preserves.

With Mrs J Osment.

Annual Flower Show, Drimpton Village Hall. August 2014

RECORD NUMBER OF ENTRIES
AT THE 69th ANNUAL SHOW

On Saturday 9th August, Clapton, Wayford, Drimpton & District Horticultural Society’s 69th Annual Show attracted almost 80 exhibitors, in 100 classes – everything from Flowers, Vegetables, Flower Arranging, Baking, Handicraft to Art, Photography and Family sections. Somehow over 600 exhibits were fitted into Drimpton Village Hall.

One of the highlights of the day was the potato weighing (with competitors having been given a seed potato at the February Potato Day).   

A fitting winner of the Diana Sprent Trophy for the best Art exhibit was a thought-provoking collage, created by Mary Stack, on the theme of the First World War.

The trophies this year were presented by Penny Old of the Gold Club, Gardens Group, of which our Society is a member.

Each year we donate the proceeds of any exhibits which entrants are willing to sell as well as the takings from the produce stall  to a garden-related charity. This year it is Gardening Leave which tends to the invisible wounds of conflict, through gardening therapy.

The Cup and Trophy winners are listed below the photographs and below that you will find the results for each class.

Andrew arranging grasses

Roger puts finishing touches to miniature tomato exhibit

John delicately placing his soft fruit exhibit

Ann looking after the preserves section of Homecrafts

Jane Rudkin judging the Homecraft baking exhibits

The Vegetables judge, Susan Davidson

Ian Hallett examining Flower entries

Steward Anne assisting the Flower Arranging judge, Angie Blackwell

The Flowers Section

Lunch for the judges in the new marquee

Poppy picture from Potato Day and our charity this year "Gardening Leave"

Oops - flat tyre in the car park - but John was on hand to sort it out

Even the chairman won a trophy

Proud Trophy Winners, 2014
With Penny Old, our guest Presenter in the background (right)

Cup and Trophy Prize winners

THE SOCIETY'S PERPETUAL CHALLENGE TROPHY
Most prize money in the Flower and Vegetable sections:
Vic Chubb, Winsham

THE MARTINEAU CUP
Most prize money in the Flower section:
Barbara Wright, Drimpton

THE CRAVEN CUP
Best Flower Exhibit:
Barbara Wright, Drimpton

THE GREENHAM ROSE BOWL
Rose with the best scent:
Joyce Tyas, Drimpton

THE STRAWBRIDGE CUP
Most prize money in the Vegetable section:
Vic Chubb, Winsham

THE MANOR CUP
For the best Vegetable Exhibit:
Brian Hesketh, Drimpton

THE JUBILEE CUP
For the best Organic Vegetable Collection:
Michael Vickery, Wayford

THE CAPEWELL CUP
Best Floral Arrangement:
Barbara Wright, Drimpton

THE BAKER CUP
Most prize money in the Homecraft section:
Christabel Pilz, Drimpton


DRIMPTON SALVER
Best exhibit in the baking section:
Kate Hesketh, Drimpton

THE KNORR CUP
Best exhibit in the Preserves section
Trush Harding, Drimpton

THE COLLARD CUP
Best exhibit in the Handicraft section:
Julie Rowan-Robinson, Netherhay

THE DIANA SPRENT TROPHY
Best exhibit in the Art Section:
Mary Stack, Netherhay

THE LYMINSTER CUP
Best exhibit in the Photographic section:
Martin Rowan-Robinson, Netherhay

THE SOCIETY'S CUP
Most prize money - young people up to 9 years:
Floë Brown, Drimpton

THE CLAPTON CUP
Most prize money - young people under 15 years:
Georgia Hedditch, Broadwindsor

THE DUMMETT CUP
Young person's Heaviest Potato Crop:
Matthew Medley, Drimpton

THE SHEPHERD CUP
Adult's Heaviest Potato Crop:
Cilin Gray, Crewkerne

Geranium and Fuchsia growing competition, sponsored by the Garden's Group:
BEST FUCHSIA: Roger Smith, Drimpton
BEST GERANIUM: Rosemary Shepherd, Greenham

First Second and Third Plavers for each of the 100 classes

(Any transcription errors - hopefully none - are mine and not those of the judges, stewards, nor Margaret and John who do such an amazing job collating all the results)

Results of Flowers Section 2014

Results of Vegetable Classes 2014

Results of Flower Arranging and Homecraft Classes 2014

Results of Handicraft, Art and Photography Classes 2014

Results of Young People, Family and Group Clases 2014