Chalfont St Peter Garden Club Newsletter - December 2008
Chairman : Grace Hunter
Secretary : Susan Mills
Garden Hut Manager : Tony Gelder
Assistant Hut Manager : Keith Gould
Treasurer : Robert Bastin
Christmas Social - Wednesday, 17th December
Fish n Chip Supper with a Mince Pie. The entertainment
will be A Programme of Christmas & Epiphany Music and
Customs presented by John and Jo Brewster. The charge this
year for our annual Christmas Festivity is £8.00 per person.
Entry by ticket only at the hut
KEITHS COACH OUTINGS for 2009
Two of these are on a Thursday as they would otherwise
clash with a meeting night. I also have to tell you that
prices are up somewhat. The National Trust venues, coach
only, will be £14 each for club members and £16 each for non
club members -- all other non N/Trust visitors to pay group
entry. The 3 other venues will be - £20 each club member and
£22. Non club members, inclusive of venue entry. The drivers
tip is included and also a free tea/coffee on arrival at all
venues where practicable.
1) April 22nd - W.- Emmetts & Quebec House/Soaks / Kent
N/T
2) May 21st - TH.- Scotney Castle Twells / Kent - N/T
3) June 10th - W.- Cotswold Wildlife Park Burford /Oxford
4) June 24th - W.- Loseley Park Guilford / Surrey
5) July 16th - TH.- Borde Hill - Hays/ Heath / West Sussex
6) Sept. 9th - W.- Clandon Park + Hatchlands nr Guildford-
N/T
7) Sept. 30th - W.- Polesden Lacey- Dorking/Surrey - N/T
Comments to me on this selection will all be equally well
received and much appreciated, so please do not hesitate to
let me know your views. It would be nice to do as well as
this year, but that as always depends on your continued
support. Many thanks - KEITH.
Report on November Meeting
Mr Ken Panchen, a volunteer for RSPB, and member of the
East Berks local RSPB group spoke to a large audience of
members on Garden Birds. He included common and uncommon
birds and ways to encourage birds into our gardens. Birds
are an indicator of garden health: at a time when there is
decline in the numbers of some species of birds owing to
loss of habitat, farming and climate change. Gardens provide
an important opportunity for survival. Our speakers digital
photographic images were quite superb and his presentation
often included examples of songs and calls. He clearly had a
very extensive knowledge of bird life. House sparrows are in
decline, as are song thrushes. Some less common garden birds
include: the black-headed gull, herons, kites (although
these are becoming more common in the Chilterns) and
woodpeckers, especially the greater spotted.
Attracting birds to our gardens: we needed to
provide food in the form of nuts, (not whole peanuts which
could be dangerous for small birds), fat balls, feed
mixtures, food scraps but not lumps of bread, fruit left on
the ground. The chaffinch can learn from other birds to use
a hanging feeder. Some of our native plants are very
valuable in attracting birds: Hawthorn, (also provides good
cover) honeysuckle, elderberries, rowan, (for thrushes),
wild rose, cotoneaster, pyracantha. Birds especially like
red berries on plants and also need to be provided with
water to drink and to bathe. Nest boxes are valuable: need
to be in shade or facing north or east. Vital to clean out
the boxes at the end of the season to remove over-wintering
insects.
Our speaker was very well-received and warmly applauded.
Discounted Seeds
We have discounts on Dobies (25%) and Thompson and Morgan
(50%) catalogues available from the Hut, meetings or Linda
Hills-Harrop at 29 Criss Grove, Chalfont St Peter, SL9 9HQ
(01753 883800). Most special offers are available to
members. Send in your request on plain paper in early
December together with a cheque made payable to Chalfont St
Peter Garden Club to Linda Hills-Harrop on 01753 883800, 29
Criss Grove, Chalfont St Peter or at the hut. No postage for
seeds collect from Hut in January.
THE GARDEN HUT
The Garden Hut will be closed every Sunday in December,
reopening at 10:30 to noon on Sunday 18th January and also
on Sunday 25th January 2009.
The Committee would like to thank all the members who
during 2008 helped with the running of the Garden Hut on
Sunday mornings - especially during the many cold, wet and
windy Sunday mornings this year (I am talking about during
the Summer months)
I wish all the Gardening Club members and their families a
very Happy Christmas and successful gardening in 2009.
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Chalfont St. Peter Garden Club Membership Application
2009
Mem. Sec. Chalfont St. Peter Garden Club, 14 Foxdell Way,
Chalfont St. Peter, SL9 0PN. 01494 871308
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FEBRUARY
Janes December Garden Tips
There is something a little bit magical about hardwood
cuttings, you put a bit of stick in the ground and,
amazingly it grows. They can take up to a year to root
properly so should be left undisturbed. Plants include
shrubs forsythia, cornus, willow and also climbers and
evergreen tamarisk. Look for a well ripened pencil thick
shoot, trim cutting horizontally below node or leaf joint,
cuttings should be about 20cms long to allow growth at
similar rates, trim top cutting with a slope above a bud,
remove a 1-2cms sliver at base to encourage rooting and dip
end into rooting compound. Insert each one about halfway
into loam based pots, over winter in cold frame, keep
watered. For more, eg a whole hedge, use a slit trench in a
sheltered position. Dont make the mistake of thinking they
have rooted if top growth starts, roots take longer. Cut
back perennials close to soil level, before new shoots start
developing, fork over soil and mulch around clumps. Prune
out plain leaves of variegated shrubs. Collect and clean
plant supports and canes before storing them under cover.
During the Winter, patios, paths and steps can quickly
become covered in algae and may be slippery, wash down with
a stiff brush soaked in a solution of Amillatox (available
from Hut).
Plant garlic in modules, lift and divide large clumps of
rhubarb, put plenty of compost in new hole.
Dont forget to feed the birds over Christmas, they will
enjoy berries from plants, but add your own nuts and seeds,
make sure there is a fresh supply of water that may need
thawing out if the weather is cold. Lastly order potato
tubers and seeds for next year.
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 |
