Chalfont St Peter Garden Club Newsletter - November 2006

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

Dear Member,

Our Summer Show is on Saturday 19th August in the Chalfont St. Peter Community Centre on the A413. If you haven’t entered before, do please consider the novices’ classes, many have gone on to become major exhibitors. Or if your garden is modest, then why not try classes such as the cactus, patio container, herb garden, or pot plant? There’s something for everyone. Year by year, we welcome even more exhibitors in the domestic classes, possibly because their skills can bear fruit even in the most unhelpful weather!

The Garden Hut will be open on all Sundays from 10.00 am to 12 noon. Very important, you must show your Membership card. A few BIKINI vases are available for use of exhibiters in the Summer Show, these enhance exhibits and can be used for many years; come and see them in the Hut. Decorative and composted bark is in stock; decorative bark is particularly effective for mulching during these hot dry periods. Liquid Derris is one of the old fashioned remedies for black fly etc, it is still available and is effective. Growbags. We used a different supplier this year and will welcome comments on how they have performed, before we order for next year. As Arthur Bowers ‘Seed&Potting’ compost is no longer bagged in 35 ltr we now have 35ltr bags of Multi-Purpose compost at the special price of £2.40 per bag.

Jane’s Garden Tips Please remember that Hosepipes and sprinklers are still BANNED.
Container and hanging baskets should be watered, by watering Can, each morning and evening during hot dry spells, adding a dash of washing up liquid occasionally to the water helps it soak in and wet the compost thoroughly, feed with a liquid feed once a week. Continue deadheading to prevent the production of seeds, but do save a few seeds for next year. Keep borders weeded regularly. Now is the time to take cuttings from rock garden plants, to propagate use non-flowering new strong shoots, also take cuttings from Pelargoniums and fuchsias. Cut back perennials that have collapsed or spread allowing them to produce new growth that will flower into the autumn. Bulbs should be available now by mail order or at the garden centre, buy now for the best choices, planting early next month while the ground is still warm and dry. Hyacinths for Christmas can be planted in bulb bowls almost touching, cover with compost or bulb fibre leaving the top of the bulb just showing, place in a cool dark place for 6-8 weeks, they can then be brought inside to cool conditions. Start to prune hedges especially conifers and beech. Prune wisteria shortening side shoots to about 8” tie in new growth to extend the coverage. Trim lavender as flowers fade. Keep all vegetables well watered and picked for a succession of crops. Harvest potatoes; when the areas have been cleared of crops try planting a green manure, which is widely available. Spring cabbages can be sown; keep the soil moist for rapid germination. Partially lift onions with a fork, this aids the ripening process and allows them to keep through the winter. This is the last chance to sow a few salad crops of lettuce and radish if we are lucky with the autumn weather. Summer fruiting raspberries will need the old canes cut out and the new ones tied in, removing any thin or weak canes or ones away from the centre of the row, finally give them a good mulch.

KEITH’S COACH OUTINGS Our September outing will now be a double event/venue’(s). First stop Ightham Mote (approx 10.30), then on to Knole House (ar’v.by 2’pm) - Please let me know if you wish to eat at “Ightham”-Ploughman’s £5.95- as I would req..no’s. All Nat.Trust members FREE with card ( NON N/T members £15.00 (PLUS COACH). Remember to bring your valid N/T mem’s card! Garden club members can bring as many friends as they like.NOTE -The Coach will leave “Church Hall” by 9. am. and will exit Knole at 4.30pm. Please make cheques out to “Chalfont St. Peter Garden Club” and send to –MR.K.GOULD, 10 ,LEACHCROFT, CH.ST.PETER, BUCKS – SL9 9LG or take to the Club Hut any Sunday morning. All Postal bookings will be acknowledged by phone. Many thanks, Keith. on 01753-884012

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Booking Slip – Please book me ( ) seats for -N/T- VISIT TO “IGHTHAM and KNOLE “- WED.SEPT.27th
COACH ONLY - ( ) C/M’s @ £13.00 - PLUS ( ) N/M’S @ £14.00 ea……Total £………………
N&Address……………………………………………………………… …(meals/ring- yes / no (pay on the day!)……
Tel/No……………….

Plantlife is doing a survey of Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam and New Zealand pygmyweed, which are the three worst plant invaders in Britain. See www.plantlife.org.uk for how to take part in the Plant Invaders survey and how to recognize the weeds. It always helps to know your enemy.

Sheds You can get a green roof on your garden shed now! Shed-maker Taylors www.taylorsgardenbuildings.co.uk is offering the option. The extra cost for the sedums and the water retaining fleece they go in is about £43 a square metre. It may be worth it: green roofs are the eco-friendly new best thing, even for big buildings.

Hedgehog alert When did you last see a hedgehog? A survey called Hogwatch is setting out to monitor them and find the reason for their decline. If you would like to join in visit www.hogwatch.org.uk. All you have to do is tell them whether or not you have seen a live hedgehog in the last year and where.

Cooking on Gas Gas barbecues are quick and easy, but lugging the heavy metal cylinder about is not. BP have reinvented the gas cylinder as a stylish translucent bottle, so you can keep an eye on the gas level. It weighs only half as much as the metal version when empty. The new BP Gaslight can be bought over the Internet, see www.bpgaslight.co.uk or call 0845 607 6943 to find your nearest stockist.

Frogmore House & Gardens at Windsor. This is part of the Queens estate open over the August Bank Holiday, 26-28th August 2006
The House, Garden and Mausoleum are open 10:00 - 17:30 with Last admissions at 16:00
Adult £5.50; Over 60 £4.50; Student (with valid ID) £4.50; 8-16 £3.50
Buying a ticket in advance
Telephone the credit card booking line: (+44) (0) 20 7766 7305. All major credit cards are accepted. Tickets may also be purchased on the day at Frogmore House.

Local Events. C.O.A. M. Special Events info: 01494-872163 or 871117
(Chiltern Open Air Museum, Newland Park, Gorelands Lane, near Chalfont St. Giles) www.coam.org.uk

Hands-on Holiday Spectacular
Craft and building activities for all the family 5 & 6 August
Medieval Pageant- The Lion Rampant 12 & 13 August
1940s Weekend - See life on the Home Front during World War II 19 & 20 August
Wildlife Wonderland - Family activities on a wildlife theme 26 - 28 August

Gardens Open (usually 2 to 5pm)

Grendon Hall - Springhill Prison Grendon Underwood - 06 August 2006
Ascott, Wing - 28 August 2006
Cliveden, Taplow - 06 September 2006
Whitewalls, Quarry Wood Road, Marlow - 17 September 2006
Waddesdon Manor Gardens - 04 October 2006

For Sale 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.

Here is your latest newsletter we do hope you enjoy it.