Build Your Own Greenhouse

Nichola, who usually looks after our publicity has been busy with Adam, building a greenhouse and all to his design; I haven't heard if he takes commissions.

In the first of what may be the last, or perhaps the pathfinder to more, posting of members' gardens and projects here some some pictures as the greenhouse work progressed.

Footings

Frame Growing

Frame and footings

Glazed and ready 

Nichola has her tomato plants in

Adam at work

Getting there

Peonies & Irises

Sue Applegate

Last evening we were fortunate to welcome, as our guest Speaker, Sue Applegate, once a farmer, then of Kelways and now an independent grower of beautiful peonies and irises. With illustrations, enthusiastic and informative talk and hands-on demonstration she guided us skilfully through the details of raising these beautiful blooms.
Hearing that peony seeds (the dark ones which the birds are more likely to ignore) only have about a 10% germination rate and that can even take up to 3 years, I realised why these can be amongst our dearer plants to buy.
Thank you Sue.

The New Greenhouse

Next post will be some pictures from Nichola, who is usually in charge of our publicity, who has been busy with Adam building their own greenhouse from an original design!

Gold Club Newsletter

We now have both printed and online copies of the latest Newsletter from the Gold Club (the printed one will be circulated at the next meeting) but just in case you can't wait till then, here it is ...

The Gold Club Newsletter Spring 2014

The Gold Club Newsletter Spring 2014, p1

The Gold Club Newsletter Spring 2014, p2

Plant Sale and Community Coffee Morning

Saturday 10th May
10:30 to 12:00
Drimpton Village Hall

A good selection of plants to brighten your borders and hanging baskets, brought to you by Society members all at very good prices. Fuchsia, Geranium, Verbena, to name but three.
Naturally there will also be the usual great cakes, treats and fresh coffee.

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.