April 2016
19/04/16 19:12
KIRTON AND FALKENHAM GARDENERS CLUB
Next Meeting
Thurs. 12th. May - Visit - Garnetts Nursery, The Street , Hacheston.
Cars at The Green 6.15pm or meet 7.00pm.
April meeting
For our April meeting we welcomed Maggie Thorpe, president of Suffolk Plant Heritage which has over 200 members. The organisation is committed to the conservation of plants, especially rare species. Maggie gave us some tips on propagation methods for bulbs, plants, seeds and root cuttings.
Among the Plant Heritage membership are 15 with National Plant collections.59 members were there to enjoy Maggie’s interesting demonstration.
May visit
For our first visit of the summer season we travel to Garnetts Nursery Garden, The Street, Hacheston IP13 0DT. There will be complimentary tea and coffee and 10% off all purchases. We leave the Green at 6.15pm or meet at the nursery 7.00pm.
AGM
The club’s annual general meeting followed the April meeting and was well attended.
The treasurer presented the club’s audited accounts for 2015 which showed the club’s finances to be in a sound position. The chairman gave a report on the club’s activities for 2015 which included 8 meetings, 4 summer visits, a summer outing, garden party and a weekend trip to Belgium. 85 members attended the Christmas meeting to hear the charismatic Tom Hart Dyke.
Roy Mallett, chairman, Sarah King, secretary, Brian Barker, treasurer, were all re-elected for the year and Jo Shaw was re-elected to the committee.
Eric Maule was re-elected auditor.
Summer Garden Party
Summer is upon us and the members’ annual garden party will be on Saturday 11th. June at Kirton Old Rectory by kind invitation of Gill and Neil Garnham. Hope to see you there.
Summer Outing
Our summer outing is also coming up fast when we visit Henstead Exotic Gardens and Peter Beales Roses.
We expect to leave the Green at 9.00 am and expect to arrive at Peter Beales around lunch time. There is a restaurant there or members can take picnics.
Tickets are £25 and include coach, conducted tours, tea/coffee, and are available through Jenny Bearcroft.
Tales from the Allotments
It has been such a mild winter and I have been bombarded with reports of flowers, shrubs and plants all appearing or flowering weeks ahead of the norm. However , for me, daffodils have been amazing. In my garden some were flowering around Christmas and have only just started to die off. I grow daffs on the allotment as cut flowers for the house and to earn a few, rare , brownie points. I normally pick them in bud and have had a constant supply from January until April. This year for reasons unknown they have grown very tall, many 60 cm, which is very unusual. Why is this? They are starting to die off now , mid April, so cut off the flower heads and leave stem and leaves to die off naturally thus ensuring a good display next year – brave advice from a fruit and veg man!
The plots are buzzing, April and May being the big planting months. If, like me, you don’t find the time to raise plants from seed, pop along to Roselea Nurseries where they have a wide variety of veg and flower plants, including tomato and cucumbers.
I recently visited Kirton Light Railway to see for myself the infamous camellia and have to admit this really is a tree and stands around 15 feet tall. It is the biggest I have ever seen and in mid April was a riot of colour. And yes the flowers/petals are on the rails several inches deep. In fact station master Fred’s garden is in good order and he is hoping to win the best kept station garden for 2016 which he should do as it is the only station in Kirton! Seriously Fred will be opening up for charity in the summer so go along, have a ride and see that monster camellia.
Roy Mallett 616
Next Meeting
Thurs. 12th. May - Visit - Garnetts Nursery, The Street , Hacheston.
Cars at The Green 6.15pm or meet 7.00pm.
April meeting
For our April meeting we welcomed Maggie Thorpe, president of Suffolk Plant Heritage which has over 200 members. The organisation is committed to the conservation of plants, especially rare species. Maggie gave us some tips on propagation methods for bulbs, plants, seeds and root cuttings.
Among the Plant Heritage membership are 15 with National Plant collections.59 members were there to enjoy Maggie’s interesting demonstration.
May visit
For our first visit of the summer season we travel to Garnetts Nursery Garden, The Street, Hacheston IP13 0DT. There will be complimentary tea and coffee and 10% off all purchases. We leave the Green at 6.15pm or meet at the nursery 7.00pm.
AGM
The club’s annual general meeting followed the April meeting and was well attended.
The treasurer presented the club’s audited accounts for 2015 which showed the club’s finances to be in a sound position. The chairman gave a report on the club’s activities for 2015 which included 8 meetings, 4 summer visits, a summer outing, garden party and a weekend trip to Belgium. 85 members attended the Christmas meeting to hear the charismatic Tom Hart Dyke.
Roy Mallett, chairman, Sarah King, secretary, Brian Barker, treasurer, were all re-elected for the year and Jo Shaw was re-elected to the committee.
Eric Maule was re-elected auditor.
Summer Garden Party
Summer is upon us and the members’ annual garden party will be on Saturday 11th. June at Kirton Old Rectory by kind invitation of Gill and Neil Garnham. Hope to see you there.
Summer Outing
Our summer outing is also coming up fast when we visit Henstead Exotic Gardens and Peter Beales Roses.
We expect to leave the Green at 9.00 am and expect to arrive at Peter Beales around lunch time. There is a restaurant there or members can take picnics.
Tickets are £25 and include coach, conducted tours, tea/coffee, and are available through Jenny Bearcroft.
Tales from the Allotments
It has been such a mild winter and I have been bombarded with reports of flowers, shrubs and plants all appearing or flowering weeks ahead of the norm. However , for me, daffodils have been amazing. In my garden some were flowering around Christmas and have only just started to die off. I grow daffs on the allotment as cut flowers for the house and to earn a few, rare , brownie points. I normally pick them in bud and have had a constant supply from January until April. This year for reasons unknown they have grown very tall, many 60 cm, which is very unusual. Why is this? They are starting to die off now , mid April, so cut off the flower heads and leave stem and leaves to die off naturally thus ensuring a good display next year – brave advice from a fruit and veg man!
The plots are buzzing, April and May being the big planting months. If, like me, you don’t find the time to raise plants from seed, pop along to Roselea Nurseries where they have a wide variety of veg and flower plants, including tomato and cucumbers.
I recently visited Kirton Light Railway to see for myself the infamous camellia and have to admit this really is a tree and stands around 15 feet tall. It is the biggest I have ever seen and in mid April was a riot of colour. And yes the flowers/petals are on the rails several inches deep. In fact station master Fred’s garden is in good order and he is hoping to win the best kept station garden for 2016 which he should do as it is the only station in Kirton! Seriously Fred will be opening up for charity in the summer so go along, have a ride and see that monster camellia.
Roy Mallett 616
