Chalfont St Peter Garden Club Newsletter - July 2009
Chairman : Grace Hunter
Secretary : Susan Mills
Garden Hut Manager : Tony Gelder
Assistant Hut Manager : Keith Gould
Treasurer : Robert Bastin
THE GARDEN HUT
Thanks go out to all the members who have supported the
Garden Hut during the first half of 2009. Saving money on
their gardening purchases on Sunday mornings at The Hut from
10:00am to 12:00 noon. Members who have not visited the Hut
for some time please come and visit soon. We welcome
comments on any items you might like us to consider stocking
and any improvements we could make to the Garden Hut. A
comment/feedback book is available on the table next to the
person on the desk, please remember to include your name and
telephone number so a member of the Committee contacts you.
The Garden Club Committee is grateful to the many volunteers
who man the hut during opening hours. Without their support
the Garden Hut would not survive. If you can help by giving
2 hours every 3 months please contact Geoff Mitchell at the
hut June Meeting Report
Mr Michael Hardy showed two videos of the Parish Churches
of Bucks, pointing out their architectural features and he
had a leaflet available for those who wanted to visit the
churches mentioned. He had a very sophisticated set up with
three projectors and sound equipment. Mr Hardy gave an
interesting talk thoroughly enjoyed by those who attended.
JULY SPEAKER
Mr Don Everitt - Wednesday, 15th July 2009.
Hardy Perennials plus Plants for Sale.
8 p.m. Chalfont St Peter Church Hall. Refreshments
available.
Please bring your Membership Card. Entry for non-members is
£1.00.
Open Day Garden : Friday 3rd July 2pm 5 pm OLD THATCH,
Bourne End, Bucks. SL9 8PS
Adults and Children £5.00 Pre-purchased Ticket Only
entrance.
Set within 2 acres of newly designed gardens, incl. a
cottage, formal & water gardens plus a rose walk. Stunning
and unusual planting linked by long vistas and swirling
paths. Once the home of Enid Blyton, now brought back to
life by owner and garden designer Jacky Hawthorne.
Tea and homemade cakes available at £2.50 p p plus plants /
sundries. Apply : The Thames Valley & Children Air
Ambulance Trust (Old Thatch), Cedar Court, White Waltham,
SW5 3LW or telephone 01628 511691. Cheques made out to TVAC
and enclose a sae. Crown Leys Allotments: Saturday 11th
July 10am 4pm. Havelock St, Aylesbury, Bucks. HP20
2NX.Adults £3.00 Children under 16 FoC. Commended last
year by the Britain in Bloom judges as some of the best in
South-East England. Visit over 75 allotments growing a
multitude of crops.Follow A41 into Aylesbury. At the High
Street and Exchange Street junction, turn right at the
roundabout. Next roundabout turn left (A418). Go over the
next roundabout into New Street. Second turning on right,
turn into Havelock Street. At the end of the street the
allotments are straight ahead of you. In the News :
Allotment couple scoop fortune on lottery
Keen gardeners Brian and Joan Caswell have raked in a
fortune with a £25million Lottery win.
The delighted couple, who have their own allotments, hit the
jackpot in Friday's EuroMillions draw.
But yesterday friends said there was no chance the
down-to-earth pair would let the money go to their heads.
We wish them well, but did being keen gardeners help?
Please Note
Members should have received their Show Schedules. Extra
copies to give to friends will be available at the Hut and
at the next Meeting. Some will also be available in the
Library. I am looking forward to having a bumper year for
entries with good growing conditions and the increased
interest in vegetable growing. Do encourage friends to enter
and point out the novice classes for those who are new to
showing. Grace Hunter, Show Secretary. KEITHS COACH
OUTINGS
Reminder that the July 16 outing is to Borde Hill
Gardens , West Sussex.
The coach will leave the Church Hall, Chalfont St Peter, at
9.30am prompt (We can leave earlier if everyone arrives in
time)
.
Please make cheques out to Chalfont .St. Peter Garden Club
take to the Hut any Sunday morning. All postal bookings will
be acknowledged by phone.
.........
Please book me ( ) seats for Borde Hill
Members @ £20.00 each and non-members ( ) @ £22.00 each.
Name
...
Address
...
Phone.No
...Keith Gould
Membership Feedback
I would like to hear comments from you as to how you
view these outings. If you like the present arrangements and
if you would still be able to come if the price went up by
£2.00. Our numbers are down somewhat and this either means a
price increase, or outings being cancelled. You might also
state how many outings per year you would support given the
present economic climate. Finally any ideas such as new
destinations you might have will be most welcome Many
thanks Keith.Gould. Outing Organiser.
The Royal Bank of Scotland has again donated £250 to The
Chalfont St Peter Garden Club. We are most grateful for this
donation which is awarded through the work of one of our
Committee members
If anyone has anything to do with gardening for sale then
remember you can sell through the Newsletter by contacting
The Editor or emailing the Club. Janes July Garden Tips
So far we have been relatively lucky with the rainwater
but it still makes sense to save as much as possible by
diverting down pipes from house and greenhouse into water
butts just in case we get the promised hot Summer. Watch for
plants wilting as this may be due to dry compost but there
is still the possibility of disease or water-logging. Apples
and other crops may drop fruit prematurely if the soil gets
too dry. Plants have difficulty taking up nutrients if soil
is dry, so look for signs of deficiency. Many crops are made
up largely of water in leaves, fruits or tubers so increase
watering if we have dry periods to maximise yields
especially soft fruit and potatoes which will bolt and start
to flower.
Deadhead bedding plants and repeat flowering perennials
to ensure continuous flowering, cutting back plants in
baskets and containers followed by feeding can encourage new
growth and revive tired displays. Early flowering shrubs
such as Weigelia, Philadelphus, Spiraea etc should be pruned
once they have flowered. Prune out a third of the oldest
shoots, cutting them close to their base; stimulating strong
new growth. Move house plants outside this month. Prune
flowering herbs such as Sage & Chives to produce another
crop. Clear pond of algae and blanket weed and keep them
topped up. Keep picking soft fruit as it ripens, freeze any
surplus or give it away rather than leaving it to rot on the
bushes. If you have netted soft fruit check for trapped
birds. Keep gooseberries cropping over a long period by
picking every other fruit along the stem, so allowing the
others to develop. Pick vegetables while they are young,
tender and have better flavour.
There is still time to sow seeds of peas, French beans,
beetroot and salads for an autumn crop. Climbing beans need
to be stopped at tops of poles to maximise cropping on
existing side shoots. Hoe to remove weeds before they become
a problem, and take the moisture from your plants, hoeing
keeps the soil surface moving so preventing weed seedlings
developing; hoe in the mornings on hot days so seedlings
soon wither and die. Fit bug boxes to attract and provide
shelter for all kind of beneficial and fascinating insects.
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
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