Chalfont St Peter Garden Club Newsletter - January 2005
Chairman: Charles Flawn
Secretary: Linda Hills-Harrop
Garden Hut Manager Cliff Thayer
Dear Member. The Committee wishes you a very Happy New Year with the
hope that this year we have a more normal summer! Keiths Coach
Outings will be in full swing, so please take advantage of his
plans. Meetings: This months meeting will be at 8pm on
Wednesday 19th in the Church Hall for a talk from Mike Brown
on Clematis all 350 types! These wonderful climbers that
are so versatile. This talk will help us to get the best
from this genus. The Garden Hut will be open every
Sunday from 16th January from 10.00 am to 12 noon. Very
important, you must show your Membership card. The 10%
discount for orders over £20 will start on Sunday 23rd until
13th March. Unfortunately due to the early publication of
the Newsletter due to Christmas and the re-location of our
main Wholesalers we are unable to print details of new
products and prices in this letter. Full details will be
available for the February publication, although 20 kg bags
of GrowOrganic in pelleted form will be available at a
similar price to last year; this was very popular with
members. Pathclear is now only available in a ready-to-use
gun; we understand a new product, in sachets, will be
available during 2005. Growbags will be delivered during
March when we shall need help unloading, but more of this in
the next Newsletter. Im looking forward to another
successful year in 2005 and seeing all old and new Members
at the Hut. Best wishes Cliff. Janes Garden Tips
The milder winter we have had so far is ideal for weeds to
germinate, so take a hoe as you walk around the garden and
knock off the annual weeds before they get too big and add
them to the compost. Patios also seem to harbour annual
weeds, pull out while still small or treat with Pathclear.
Perennial weeds should not be composted (dandelions,
buttercup, docks etc), as they will begin to grow again in
the compost thus adding to the weed problem. This time of
year is a good time to prune wisteria and other vigorous
climbers, the aim is to encourage flowers and show them to
their best advantage by creating a framework of well spaced
horizontal branches, vertical branches do not flower as
well. Branches should ideally spaced about 1½ feet apart and
cut back sub-laterals to 3 buds. Once the framework covers
the area snip off straggly growth. Continue pruning trees
and shrubs and check newly planted tree stakes are still in
place. If planting at this time of year consider species
that are attractive to birds providing them with food during
the year that will provide berries and seeds, such as the
berries of berberis thunbergii, cotoneaster and holly or
plants that provide seed heads nigella, heathers, sunflowers
and michaelmas daises. Many native species will provide
cover and an abundance of insectswhich will attract birds-
rowan, elder, dogwood, mountain ash, rose and silver birch.
Install nest boxes on a wall or tree, making sure to clean
it out during the autumn. Hang feeders in plants laden with
berries to offer a range of foods. Aerate lawns to improve
drainage. Cover the vegetable seedbed with black polythene
or fleece to allow it to warm up. Sow a few early crops in
modules in the greenhouse lettuce, radish, carrots and peas
that will be ready to plant out in February with no
disturbance to the root ball. Buy early potatoes as they
need to be chatted (start into growth), before planting in
March.
Charles Darwin. I have read that you should look
in his gardening books for inspiration. One of his practical
idea involved making simple cold frames (placed in a
south-facing border or against a sheltered wall) and then
sowing early vegetables. A cold frame can be easily made
from wood and plastic, or by building a temporary wall of
bricksit neednt be costly or permanent. Chalfont St.
Peter Garden Club Membership Renewal Application Form 2005
To: The Membership Secretary, Chalfont St. Peter Garden
Club. Telephone:
Or hand in at the Hut or monthly meeting. Please Renew by
end February, to ensure continuous membership.
*Membership £ 4 per year. Please complete in BLOCK CAPITALS
Date
..
I wish to: - (Please Tick v) Address(House
Number)
.
( ) Renew my Membership.
..
( ) Become a Member
..
Joining fee £2 per person. Phone No
...
Post
Code
Please add £2:50 if your Newsletter is posted or you live
outside the area.
*Subscriptions run until 31st December each year. Title
Initials Name Membership & Joining Fee.
..
..
Cheques/POs should be made payable to Chalfont St. Peter
Garden Club Total of Money £
.
I agree that details of my membership may be held on
computer for administrative purposes only.
YOUR MEMBERSHIP CARD WILL BE WITH YOU SHORTLY
2
COACH OUTINGS Its that time again, and I hope you
all made a note in your diaries?
You can see that I have kept prices to a minimum, (you wont
find any cheaper!), as my aim is to fill seats, and to
ensure the future success of these outings. I do have to
point out however, that I cannot just reserve seatsits
book and pay only, any surplus going forward to help in
reducing the cost of the proposed Longleat visit.
(Sept.28th) Below is an update on the outings to help you
remember!! Looking forward to your support KEITH
COACH OUTINGS in 2005
All coaches will leave
Church Hall/Lane at 9am and exit venues by 5pm -- HEVER
CASTLE (April 27th) @ £17.OO ea. -- WAKEHURST PLACE (25th
May) @ £16.50ea -- Cambridge.U.B.G. (22nd JUNE) @ £16.OOea.
-- ABBEY HOUSE GARDENS (27th July) £15.50ea.
Further details and booking forms will be in Februarys, and
future newsletters.
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. |
