September 2013
14/09/13 12:45
KIRTON AND FALKENHAM GARDENERS CLUB
Thurs. 10 October – Richard Ford ‘ Around the Garden Shows’
7.30pm Village Hall.
September meeting - Matthew Tanton-Brown-a regulation 65 members turned up for our Sept. meeting – a talk by Matt Tanton-Brown on winter hanging baskets. Matt, always an entertaining speaker, gave a very professional demo of preparing both baskets and tubs. He recommends fibre baskets with plastic liners and terracotta pots with plastic pot inside for frost protection. There was an array of plants on display which can be used. See Place for Plants website for special October talks.
Late Summer Outing - this year’s summer outing was to Pensthorpe Wild Life Park and Gardens made famous by the BBC TV Spring and Autumn Watch programmes.
Galloway driver Brian opted for the scenic route via Ixworth and Swaffham and we arrive in time for our scheduled conducted walking tour of the gardens. Pensthorpe is famed for its wild life but now also the gardens and our tour covers the Wild Habitat, Wave and Waveline gardens and the impressive Millennium gardens designed by the world famous Piet Oudolf (but sadly unknown to the club chairman)! These gardens are at their best but there are also vast wild flower meadows for a Spring visit. After that time for snacks before the day’s highlight , our mobile tour of the vast wild life areas with live commentary by the excellent Mark.This takes around an hour and covers the wetlands , woodlands, lakes and ponds plus grazing lands with sheep and soon we are up close and personal to giant highland cattle including a massive prize bull.
Pensthorpe is vast, some 600 acres, and owned by the Jordans family cereal business who devote 10% of all their land to conservation projects. The river Wensum flows through the area but is a mere stream at this point.
There are cranes , birds, ducks and geese, some very rare. In the woodlands there are red squirrels , around 60 have been bred on site, butterflies, insects, nesting boxes everywhere , badger sets and hides for viewing. You expect Bill Oddie to pop up at every turning!
Mark stays for questions at the end and we are then free to roam again.
We extend our stay to take in Darren’s 4pm bird feeding which is both educational and highly entertaining. This finishes in time for our 4.30pm departure back to Kirton this time via Norwich and the A140.
As we wend our way through the fabulous north Norfolk countryside in the late afternoon sun 47 members and friends reflect on another club success, and a venue to please gardeners and twitchers alike. Our thanks to Dick and Cathy for making it all possible.
For those interested we will have leaflets on the club notice board and Pensthorpe will be on your screens around Christmas as Monty Don is filming a programme in September.
October meeting – Richard Ford ‘ Around the Garden Shows’.
Thursday 10th. October and we welcome Richard Ford as our speaker and he will be talking on his experiences around the garden shows. Come early for this one because Richard is a popular and sort after speaker and also we will be taking bookings for the planned trip to Belgium, Thurs. 22 May – Sunday 25 May 2014.
Belgium 2014
It is planned to visit Belgium for next year’s Eurotrip and we will again be based at the Novotel Mechelen Centrum Hotel. Travel will be via the Tunnel and Galloway’s coach and we expect Johan and Ria to be guiding for us.
Alma and Jo will be taking bookings at our 10th. October meeting ( deposits will be payable by 31st. October 2013. So if you would like to go, be at the October meeting.
The Eurocrats ( Jo, Alma, Martyn and Roy) would like to thank the 2013 Eurotravellers for their generous Fludyers vouchers and to let them know that we enjoyed a meal there recently.
Committee meeting Fri 18 October
A reminder to your hard working committee members that there is a committee meeting at Roy’s on 18th. October , 7.30pm.
If you have any ideas for speakers, summer visits, outings or any other activities let one of the committee members know . Remember we are normally working 12 months ahead so get in there now with any ideas.
We are still one short on the committee and need someone to look after the tea rota. This involves fixing the annual tea rota ( usually 7 meetings) and making sure tea, milk and biscuits are available. Let me know if you can help.
Breaking news- local HS2 rail services were severely disrupted when our Station Master tripped over a stale cheese roll in the Kirton station buffet and broke some bones. Pleased to report that Fred is well on the railroad to recovery and normal services will soon be restored.
Tales from the Allotments – sorry but no space again this month. As I type we seem to have moved from high summer to autumn almost over night, anyhow hopefully we will find room for news next month.
Roy Mallett 616
Thurs. 10 October – Richard Ford ‘ Around the Garden Shows’
7.30pm Village Hall.
September meeting - Matthew Tanton-Brown-a regulation 65 members turned up for our Sept. meeting – a talk by Matt Tanton-Brown on winter hanging baskets. Matt, always an entertaining speaker, gave a very professional demo of preparing both baskets and tubs. He recommends fibre baskets with plastic liners and terracotta pots with plastic pot inside for frost protection. There was an array of plants on display which can be used. See Place for Plants website for special October talks.
Late Summer Outing - this year’s summer outing was to Pensthorpe Wild Life Park and Gardens made famous by the BBC TV Spring and Autumn Watch programmes.
Galloway driver Brian opted for the scenic route via Ixworth and Swaffham and we arrive in time for our scheduled conducted walking tour of the gardens. Pensthorpe is famed for its wild life but now also the gardens and our tour covers the Wild Habitat, Wave and Waveline gardens and the impressive Millennium gardens designed by the world famous Piet Oudolf (but sadly unknown to the club chairman)! These gardens are at their best but there are also vast wild flower meadows for a Spring visit. After that time for snacks before the day’s highlight , our mobile tour of the vast wild life areas with live commentary by the excellent Mark.This takes around an hour and covers the wetlands , woodlands, lakes and ponds plus grazing lands with sheep and soon we are up close and personal to giant highland cattle including a massive prize bull.
Pensthorpe is vast, some 600 acres, and owned by the Jordans family cereal business who devote 10% of all their land to conservation projects. The river Wensum flows through the area but is a mere stream at this point.
There are cranes , birds, ducks and geese, some very rare. In the woodlands there are red squirrels , around 60 have been bred on site, butterflies, insects, nesting boxes everywhere , badger sets and hides for viewing. You expect Bill Oddie to pop up at every turning!
Mark stays for questions at the end and we are then free to roam again.
We extend our stay to take in Darren’s 4pm bird feeding which is both educational and highly entertaining. This finishes in time for our 4.30pm departure back to Kirton this time via Norwich and the A140.
As we wend our way through the fabulous north Norfolk countryside in the late afternoon sun 47 members and friends reflect on another club success, and a venue to please gardeners and twitchers alike. Our thanks to Dick and Cathy for making it all possible.
For those interested we will have leaflets on the club notice board and Pensthorpe will be on your screens around Christmas as Monty Don is filming a programme in September.
October meeting – Richard Ford ‘ Around the Garden Shows’.
Thursday 10th. October and we welcome Richard Ford as our speaker and he will be talking on his experiences around the garden shows. Come early for this one because Richard is a popular and sort after speaker and also we will be taking bookings for the planned trip to Belgium, Thurs. 22 May – Sunday 25 May 2014.
Belgium 2014
It is planned to visit Belgium for next year’s Eurotrip and we will again be based at the Novotel Mechelen Centrum Hotel. Travel will be via the Tunnel and Galloway’s coach and we expect Johan and Ria to be guiding for us.
Alma and Jo will be taking bookings at our 10th. October meeting ( deposits will be payable by 31st. October 2013. So if you would like to go, be at the October meeting.
The Eurocrats ( Jo, Alma, Martyn and Roy) would like to thank the 2013 Eurotravellers for their generous Fludyers vouchers and to let them know that we enjoyed a meal there recently.
Committee meeting Fri 18 October
A reminder to your hard working committee members that there is a committee meeting at Roy’s on 18th. October , 7.30pm.
If you have any ideas for speakers, summer visits, outings or any other activities let one of the committee members know . Remember we are normally working 12 months ahead so get in there now with any ideas.
We are still one short on the committee and need someone to look after the tea rota. This involves fixing the annual tea rota ( usually 7 meetings) and making sure tea, milk and biscuits are available. Let me know if you can help.
Breaking news- local HS2 rail services were severely disrupted when our Station Master tripped over a stale cheese roll in the Kirton station buffet and broke some bones. Pleased to report that Fred is well on the railroad to recovery and normal services will soon be restored.
Tales from the Allotments – sorry but no space again this month. As I type we seem to have moved from high summer to autumn almost over night, anyhow hopefully we will find room for news next month.
Roy Mallett 616
