The Schedules for the Show are on their way

Last night was a lively and busy Swap, Share Schedules meeting with lots of people bringing along everything from seeds to eggs, including an Easter Egg and naturally, plenty of plants and seedlings.

The Show Schedules have now been given to volunteers to go through doors and letter-boxes - so, look out for yours.

Many thanks to The Gardens Group - Gold Club, who donated Geranium and Fuchsia plug plants for our new growing competition. It will be exciting to see the plants coming back to the July meeting for judging.

Swaps and Plants and more ...

Swap Share and Schedules

Wednesday 16th April - 7:15 for 7:30 pm, in the Village Hall 

(Visitors are always welcome)

Time to bring along anything garden-related to swap (from seed packets to pruning sheers). If you don't have swaps you may still take stuff away for a donation. Rabbit trouble? We've had lots of rabbit guards given to us.
This is also the evening when you can get your hands on a Schedule for the Summer Show, which is on 9th August) and ask questions and get advice from the Show Secretary and stewards.
There's more: we will have plug plants, given to us by the Gardens Group Gold Club, to give to members to take away and nurture, to be returned for judging at the meeting in July.

Bedding Plants

Coffee Morning, in the Village Hall on 18th May, 10:30 to 12:00

Remember the plant sale we did a couple of years ago? We are doing it again, at the Coffee Morning, in the Village Hall on 18th May. There will be a selection of bedding plants, including geraniums and fuchsias to brighten up your garden, all at very good prices and cared for by Society members.

Pictures of a couple of the types which we'll have available.

Bedding Plants, Silver Blue Trailing

Geranium, trailing

Marking the Commencement of the First World War

Finally, you may see some beds in and around our villages, apparently with nothing growing in them. We are seeding them with poppies to help remember the start of the First World War. Passing or pausing, we hope that they will be appropriate places for reflection.

Field Poppy, from the Johnson's seed packet

Potato Day between the Showers

On the morning of Potato Day, I went round and checked the temporary signs I had put up to help with directions to Drimpton Village Hall, thankfully none had blown away through the stormy night. I decided to tie up a couple of extra ones and suddenly had to run for shelter as a huge rain shower swept across, followed within minutes by blue sky and sunshine - and so it was all day, alternating rain and sun greeting visitors to our Potato Day.

Chris with his Pennard team readying the displays of potatoes, plants, bulbs, seeds

Because of the weather and concerns about travelling we worried that no one would come, but gardeners are a hardy lot and, though we were a few people down on last year, it was still a busy, fun and worthwhile day, with Pennard bringing more potatoes than I'd ever seen - Chris and his team really work hard.

Just a few potatoes

There were plenty of people signing up for the Potato Growing Competition, so it should be fun on Show Day in August seeing how everyone got on.

Taking a breather with tea and cake

The ladies (and yes I think it was exclusively ladies) worked really hard in the kitchen serving lunches, brunches, cake and drinks, especially keeping John and his team on car parking duty topped up with regular warming cuppas.

The busy kitchen team with tea and cakes

The hall stage was set, not for performance, but with Jenny and her helpers "Getting Creative" with potato prints and brushes to create lots of poppies - the creation will be up on Show Day in August as part of the Horticultural Society's contribution to help us pause and think about the commencement of the First World War and all that followed. In addition we are helping with a plan to have little plots of poppies grown in our villages.

Getting Creative

Poppy making

So, the village hall is cleared, the crowds have ebbed away and now there will be lots of potatoes, sitting chitting, hopefully to produce some heavy and tasty crops later in the year.

Thank you to everyone who braved the elements and helped make it a great day, 

despite the weather.

Potato Day - This Saturday

Potato Day

Saturday 8^th February 2014

10:30 to 2:30

Drimpton Village Hall  - For Sat Nav - DT8 3RF

Great Food and Children's activities

All Day brunches and refreshments


... and of course, loads of varieties of Potatoes, seeds, plants and more, plus advice and the company of fellow gardeners.

Road Works

If you are coming from the west of Drimpton, particularly the north west, which would bring you in along the B3162, you may see Wessex Water "Road Closed" signs. They are re-laying our water mains, and could be finished by the end of this week. Usually they have left the road passable for us, so you shouldn't have a problem; I will check with them on Friday - in any case the road is fully clear in and around Drimpton Village Hall (they are currently busy in Greenham).

As usual there will be signs up to guide you to Drimpton Village Hall (and if necessary around any road works) - just look out for signs like these:

Sample sign

Latest from the RHS

Spring is in sight Kick-start your gardening year with the RHS London Plant and Design Show (please note the dates have changed to 21 - 22 February). You can book all 2014 flower show tickets now, with early bird discounts for certain shows until 28 February. Put a spring in your step with our podcast, February jobs and grow your own jobs. Plus courses at RHS Gardens can be booked now. The RHS Photographer of the Year 2013 is Heather Buckley; see winning images here. That's just the highlights, for more visit the RHS page here

Welcome Snowdrops

Under the hedge in the flower garden, the snowdrops are in flower and the daffodils are pushing through, the birds seem noisier and definitely we are closing the curtains later in the evening, all good signs that we are well past the shortest day, though not of course yet ready to say goodbye to winter. 

I came across a useful article in the paper this morning dealing with just this time of year in the garden. You can find it here "Gardens, The February Checklist"

Don't forget to measure up and count how many potatoes to want buy on 

Potato Day

Saturday 8th February 2014

10:30 to 2:30

Drimpton Village Hall

Winter 2013/14 Grass Roots

Grass Roots – the magazine for all RHS community groups, including RHS Affiliated Societies, all RHS “in Bloom” and It’s Your Neighbourhood participants.

Here is the Winter copy of Grass roots.

Just follow the link for this and earlier editions.

The Link to RHS Grass Roots

RHS Grass Roots Magazine Cover