Chalfont St Peter Garden Club Newsletter - May 2004

Chairman: Charles Flawn
Secretary: Linda Hills-Harrop
Garden Hut Manager Cliff Thayer

Dear Member, Our Spring Show last month was a riot of colour, not so many daffs, but the tulips made up for them, a wonderful number of entries. The talk by Jenny Edwards was most interesting and the spray of flowers she produced before our very eyes was beautiful. She donated it to the raffle!!

Our May 9th Plant sale has had to be cancelled, we hope to reinstate it next year.

Meetings: This month’s meeting will be at 8pm on Wednesday 19th in the Church Hall when we have a return visit from Brian Fisher to talk about ‘Plants in outside containers and unusual plants’. This is a change from the advertised programme.

The Garden Hut will be open on every Sunday from 10.00 am to12 noon. Very important, you must show your Membership card. Growbags are available, but we only have one delivery a year, so don’t leave it too late. If you want some cheap peat for mulching or digging into beds then buy Growbags! We have a large selection of branded composts for growing seed, potting on plant plugs and SHL for final potting, troughs and hanging baskets; we also sell the Hanging baskets!! Slug repellant copper tape and slug/ snail granules, which are especially useful for creating a barrier around Hostas.

Help in the Hut is desperately needed as we are finding it very difficult to find members prepared to give just 2 hours once in a while, Please come forward and offer us a helping hand.

Jane’s Garden Tips
Keep bare ground well hoed to prevent weeds setting seed and spreading, the ground could then be planted up with new plants. Here are a few tips for buying new plants from the garden centre, if possible look for plants with RHS AGM or symbol of a cup on the label, this indicates the best quality plant, healthy new shoots coming up from the base of herbaceous plants, buds on stems should be plump, trees and shrubs should have balanced growth and well spaced branches, pots should not have moss or weeds seedlings growing in the top, or roots spiralling down from the drainage holes, foliage should be vigorous green and healthy and not showing signs of dieback, also look underneath the leaves for signs of pests.

Stake taller growing herbaceous plants, delphiniums and peonies. Prune back early flowering shrubs, kerria and forsythia. Cut back clematis Montana when it has finished flowering, to take cuttings from this variety, remove a healthy vigorous side shoot, make first cut 2” below one node and ¼” above, taking several cuttings from one stem, either remove some of the leaves or cut in half, dip stem in hormone powder and insert into pots of compost and cover with plastic bag, either leave outside in cold frame or in a propagator.

Harden off bedding plants prior to planting out by putting them in a sheltered spot during the day and bring them in at night. Beware of late frosts keeping some fleece handy if frost is forecast. Feed and weed lawns to encourage growth as well as regular mowing. Continue successive sowings of beetroot, cabbage, carrots, lettuce peas and beans. Plant out leeks into individual holes about 6” deep with a dibber, water in. Towards the end of the month plant out marrow, courgette and squash allowing each plant plenty of room. Plant out or direct sow runner bean, french beans and sweetcorn. Earth up potatoes over emerging shoots.

Pruning Spring Flowering Shrubs is important if you are going to have them flower again next year!
Shrubs that flower any time between January and June need to be trimmed to some degree immediately they stop flowering and before they put on new growth. Some of the more common are –winter jasmine, forsythia, ceanothus, weigela and philadelphus, so you will have work to do from now until July.
July Coach outing. To Arundel Castle, Sussex on Wednesday 14th July. Cost £15.50 per person. Coach leaves Church Lane Car park at 9.15 am returning at about 7pm.BOOK NOW by sending your form and cheque to Keith Gould. 01753-884012
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Spring Show Report 2004 Cup Winner: - with the most points: - Mrs. P. Heath.

Very many thanks to all who helped to make the Show a success, the Exhibitors, the Judges, and the Committee and all the helpers in the kitchen. John Ray.

OUR SUMMER SHOW 2004. It is already time to think about getting the cups in for engraving. This year, John Warren has kindly agreed to handle this job. Please will you give him your cleaned cups at his home, 24 Hillfield Road, Chalfont St. Peter, or leave them at the Hut for him to collect. We need them by the end of May, please. This request may seem early, but people tend to go on holiday at this time of year!

Your Committee has decided that after many years we need to slightly increase the entry fee for exhibitors from 20p to 25p per entry, with a maximum of £3. This is to help us meet rising costs. Your Schedule and entry form will reach you with the June Newsletter. Let’s hope better weather this year will bring another record-breaking entry.

Patio Containers are often very heavy once they are full. To reduce the weight use broken pieces of polystyrene (the white stuff that protects fragile items in transit) put these pieces in the bottom of the container in place of potshards or stones. The polystyrene will give excellent drainage without the weight.

Local Events. Chiltern Open Air Museum,”Live Crafts” on 1,2 3rd May2004. On15th May- “Strawhead Concert” at Chalfont St. Peter Community Centre. And at the Museum in Gorelands Lane – “May Homes and Gardens Show” on 29,30,31st May 2004. If you require information on any of these events ring 01494-871117

Gardens Open

May 9th Sun. Overstroud Cott. Gt.Missenden
Chalfont St. Giles Gardens
May 13th Thurs. Gipsy Ho. Gt. Missenden 01494-864912

May 16th Sun.Campden Cott. Chesham Bois01494-726818.
Fressingwood, Lt. Kingshill May16th Sun Peppers, Gt. Missenden 01494-864419
May 16th Sun The White Ho. Denham Village.
May23rd Sun The Old Sun Ho. Pednor,Chesham.
May 30th.Sun The Lee Gardens, Gt.Missenden
May31st Mon Cublington Gardens, Nr.Thame.

For Sale Webb 12” Electric cylinder Mower with roller £20 ------------

Buyer Beware. Through the medium of this Newsletter the club is bringing to your attention, opportunities that may interest you, however, you must satisfy yourself that they meet your requirements as Chalfont St. Peter Garden Club will accept no legal, moral or financial responsibility.