Membership for March 24 - February 2025
To join or renew your membership with Mayfield Horticultural Society, please click the link, download and complete the membership renewal form and either email or post to our Membership Secretary, (details on the form) together with your cheque for £7.50 per member or pay electronically into our bank account: Mayfield Horticultural & Gardeners Association, sort code 20-88-13, account number 10685259, ref: membership.
November 2024
Hello everyone,
Bateman’s talk and outing
The talk from Len Bernamont last month was very well received by those who attended and we intend to organise a minibus trip at the end of March 2025 to see all their beautiful early spring bulbs if there is enough interest. Please contact me at the email below if you think you might like to go and then we will arrange a date.
November Zoom talk
This month we revert to our winter Zoom talks and on Tuesday 19th November at 7.30 pm, writer and author Sally Morgan is going to talk us through Creating and Maintaining a Healthy Vegetable Garden. Now is the time over winter to plan and prepare your vegetable patch or allotment for the season ahead next year so get a head start and tune in!
Sally is an experienced no-dig gardener and wildlife enthusiast with a degree in botany. She has written 3 books: The Healthy Vegetable Garden, Living on 1 Acre or Less, and Climate Change Garden. The talk will last approximately one hour and there will be time for questions at the end.
All members will automatically receive a link to the talk a few days before. Non-members are also welcome: please contact me on the email below for instructions on how to pay a £5 entry fee.
Date for your diary:
Saturday 1st February- Seedy Saturday Seed Swap and Social, Scout Hall. Hope you’re all busy saving flower and vegetable seeds from your gardens!
Garlic bulbs
Member Adele O’Hehir has some spare hardneck and softneck garlic bulbs to share! Anyone interested please contact Adele on adeleohehir@btopenworld.com.
Tessa Crowe
October Newsletter 2024
Hello everyone,
Joan Logan
Many of you will remember John Logan’s wife Joan, who sadly died a couple of weeks’ ago. Their son David has sent through the details of her funeral which will be held on Monday 7th October at 11.30 am at St Philip's, Burwash Common with afterwards at The Tap Room, Swife Lane. Family flowers only with donations to The Alzheimers Society.David has asked if people are attending to let them know, so able to plan for numbers. The family point of contact is David through his email : davidlogan@btinternet.com.
Know Your Parish event
Thanks to everyone who attended the event at St Dunstans on Saturday 28th September. It was well organised with many of the local groups and clubs attending. We had lots of visitors to our stand, members and non-members alike, and handed out lots of our leaflets. Hopefully some will convert to become members!
October Talk - Tuesday 15th October
This month we welcome Len Bernamont, head gardener at Bateman’s, home to one of Britain’s most famous authors, Rudyard Kipling, and our local National Trust property in Burwash (Len also has responsibility for the gardens at nearby Scotney Castle). He will be describing Kipling’s influence on the garden at Bateman’s and how the team maintain the gardens today. It will be fascinating to learn some of the background and history of the garden; it’s one of my favourite gardens to visit in Spring, when the scillas make a beautiful blue carpet in one of the meadow areas. Come and experience the warm and welcoming atmosphere at Colkins Mill Church.
Tuesday 15th October, 7.30 for 8.00 pm, Colkins Mill Church, Station Road. All welcome, members free, visitors £5.
Date for your diary:
Tuesday 19th November 2024 at 8.00 pm - Zoom Talk, Sally Morgan, Writer and Author, ‘Creating and Maintaining a healthy vegetable garden’.
Sally is an experienced no-dig gardener and wildlife enthusiast, with a degree in botany. She has written 3 books: The Healthy Vegetable Garden, Living on 1 acre or less and Climate Change Garden.
Membership reminder
It’s not too late to join or renew your membership for the current year which runs until March 2025. Membership is extremely good value at £7.50: this entities you to free entry to all our talks, and 10% discount on horticultural items at local outlets and nurseries. We also hold a Plant Sale, Summer Show, Outings and a Seed Swap & Social morning. Download a membership form from our website or contact Louise Pitcher at membership@mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk.
Finally, I know that some of you with ‘gmail’ addresses have not been receiving my emails for some months. I believe the problem has been solved, but I would be grateful if you have been one of the ones affected to let me know you have got this message!
Many thanks.
Tessa Crowe
September 2024 Newsletter
Seedy Saturday 2025
If it seems early to remind you of next year’s Seedy Saturday seed swap and social on 1st February, it’s because September and October are ideal times to save your own seed to sow or swap next year.
Easy flowers to try are cosmos, sweet peas, poppies and marigolds; wildflowers: yellow rattle, oxeye daisy and tufted vetch; vegetables: peas, beans, squash and tomatoes.
First dry them well on a window ledge for a few days, clean off any chaff and then label and store in a sealed paper envelope. Don’t forget to write down the variety if you know it and date collected!
More on Seedy Saturday coming up soon.
Dates for the diary
It seems hard to believe that our autumn series of talks starts again this coming month, we’ve put together some really interesting speakers. Here are the first two:
Tuesday 17th September 7.30 for 8.00, Colkins Mill Church
Brad Draga–Williams, Conservation Officer, Wadhurst Park - Putting Nature First. Wadhurst Park have been leading the way locally for many years in environmentally friendly gardening and are keen to engage with the community in sharing their knowledge - learn all about their ethos and how they manage the estate. A must for anyone interested in gardening for nature.
Members gain free entry to all our talks; guests pay £5.
Tuesday 15 October 2024 7.30 for 8.00, Colkins Mill Church
Len Bernamont, Bateman’s - Kipling’s influence and maintenance of the gardens today
Know your Village, Saturday 28th September
We will be at the Know your Village event at St Dunstans on the 28th from 10.30 to 1.30. Please come and say hello! (For the few of you yet to renew this year, you can do it there!).
Hope to see lots of you at the talk in a couple of weeks!
Tessa Crowe
August 2024 Newsletter
Summer Show Review
It was a dry and warm day for the Summer Show on the 20th July, and the Scout Hall was redolent with the scent of sweet peas and roses. Outside, visitors were seated at tables enjoying the sunshine and our glorious views over Court Meadow while the Friends of the Primary School worked flat out serving their lovely teas.
Such an amazing floral display this year from you all, we were bowled over at the quality and number of entries. It was so pleasing to see so many new entrants and winners of cups and rosettes, we’ll be looking out for you again next year! Which just goes to show, having a look around to see what you can enter pays dividends! Vegetable entries were down a little, but this was understandable as a result of the abysmal weather we have been experiencing until recently. However, there was some inspired floristry as well as stunning photographs and beautiful craft items. Did you spot the childrens’ fruit animals? So cute! So many lemon curd entries; what’s going on? - has this suddenly become trendy?! And tea bread galore, despite all being made from the same recipe, apparently they all tasted different!
A big vote of thanks goes to the Show Committee whose preparation throughout the year paid off in spades to create a fabulous Show - and not to forget our main committee and other helpers, who helped create what is always a very special day.
Here are the cup winners:
Perpetual Challenge Cup (Tray of veg) Ken Audsley
Hulbert-Powell Cup (Best veg exhibit) Ken Audsley
Perpetual Challenge Cup (Best fruit) Graham Holland
Perpetual Challenge Cup (Sweet Peas) Sarah Ratcliffe
Wolstenholme Cup (Flowers - Novice) Emma Dumas*
Margaret Walsh-Atkins Rose Bowl Nicky Cluny
Dahlia Cup (Best dahlia) Sarah Boorman
John Hancock Cup (Best rose) Sarah Ratcliffe
Sneyd-Kinnersley Cup (Best flowers) Tessa Crowe
Perpetual Challenge Cup (Floral Art) Annabelle Lancaster
Monteith Cup (Floral Art) Mandy Savage*
Godber Cup (Best domestic exhibit) Carol Audsley
Allchin Cup (Best Craft Exhibit) Alison Robertson*
Sew Inspired Children’s Cup Lilly Phillips*
Newington Memorial Cup (Best photo) Andrew Ratcliffe
George Day Memorial Bowl Rex Wood
Perpetual Challenge Cup (miniature garden) Rex Wood
William Wicken Cup (vase wildflowers) Brodie Wood*
Children’s Cup (best exhibit) Sebi Scott*
*first time winner
Dates for the diary
It seems hard to believe that our autumn series of talks starts again next month, we’ve put together some really interesting speakers. Here are the first two:
Tuesday 17th September 7.30 for 8.00,
Colkins Mill Church
Brad Draga-Williams, Conservation Officer, Wadhurst Park - Putting Nature First
Tuesday 15 October 2024 7.30 for 8.00,
Colkins Mill Church
Speaker: Len Bernamont, Bateman’s - Kiplings influence and maintenance of the gardens today
Tessa Crowe
July Newsletter 2024
Hello everyone,
Welcome to the monthly newsletter for July. The weather has finally improved these past two weeks and we hope you are enjoying the sunshine and warmer temperatures in your gardens, the plants and vegetables certainly have!
Annual June outing to Clinton Lodge Gardens
A group of 28 enjoyed a great day out to lunch at Dennikers Farm Shop and Cafe, followed by a visit to Clinton Lodge Gardens in Fletching. We were given a private tour by Lady Collum, who told us all about the fascinating history and background to the beautiful design. After looking around the many different “rooms” featuring among others herbs, old rose garden, potager and wildflower meadow, we were able to sit outside with delicious tea and homemade cakes.
Claire Montagu
Mayfield Gardens, National Gardens Scheme weekend, 13 & 14 July
Five beautiful gardens including the South Street allotments open for the National Gardens Scheme on 13 & 14 July, 11 till 5, when there will be teas and plants for sale at The Oast and Hoopers Farm. Most of these gardens have not been open before in July, so it’s an opportunity to see them at a time when different plants and shrubs are in flower, and vegetables in their prime.
Tessa Crowe
Summer Show Saturday 20th July
It’s show time again! There are plenty of classes for adults and children to suit the green fingered, bakers, creative crafters and photographers amongst you. All the budding young gardeners who have grown sunflowers – don’t forget to get a photograph taken to send into us. Get that Lego out to make your models and the seed tray gardens, which many think is the best bit of all the show! If you would like us to print any photos (adults and children), please make sure you have sent them to showcommittee@mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk by Sunday 7 July.
Full details are in the schedules, available in many outlets in the village if you have not picked yours up yet, or on our website www.mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk. If you can submit your entry form before 4pm on Thursday 18th July, that’s great. It just helps us a bit. Instead of the P.O. , please take your forms to either Sew Inspired or The Flower House. You can still enter on the day if you forget!
Bring your prized exhibits to The Scout Hall from 9am and by 11am at the very latest, then come back from 2.30pm to see the wonderful displays, see if you’ve got a rosette, or even a cup! - and enjoy delicious teas from the Friends of Mayfield Primary School. Entry is free (donations welcome). If you have any questions, please contact us at the email address above.
See you there!
Show Committee – Shirley, Sarah, Nicky, John, Sue and Suzanne
June 2024 Newsletter
Hello everyone,
Hope you have been enjoying the (slightly!) better weather in May and have had the opportunity to spend time in your gardens and/or allotments. This month’s missive concentrates on garden visiting, a popular pastime of the summer months!
Garden Visit: Wednesday 12th June to Clinton Lodge Gardens in Fletching
This year’s visit on Wednesday 12th June is to an RHS affiliated garden in Fletching on a private tour, and there a still a few seats available. You don’t need to be a member of the Society to join in on this outing.
A garden of formal and romantic planting, enhancing the character of the 17th century house with a significant eighteenth-century façade. The tree lined lawn overlooks parkland leading to an eye-catching column on the distant hill.
The garden is of about six acres divided by hedges into smaller gardens reflecting periods of English Garden design. Starting with a small knot garden, an Elizabethan herb garden with camomile paths and turf seats, a potager, wild flower meadow, a pre-Raphaelite allee of white wisteria, clematis and lilies, broad double borders of white and blue, the enclosed garden of old roses trained at nose height so that one can enjoy the scent, and a twentieth century swimming pool encircled by an arcade of apples.
New gardens are continuing: a small, shady glade, a canal garden, an orchard underplanted with crinum and an 18th Century Banqueting Hall.
The day will start in Mayfield at 11.30am and transport will be either in a minibus or shared private cars. First stop will be at midday at Denniker’s Farm Shop and Café for lunch (cost NOT included) and then a short drive to Clinton Lodge for the tour at 2pm. This will take approximately 2-3 hours and include some light refreshments. We should be back in Mayfield by 6pm.
The price of the tour is £14 per person and there will be some modest additional costs for the hire of the minibus or mileage contributions.
To book, please email Claire Montagu at claire.montagu@icloud.com or phone her on 01435 872648.
More Garden Visiting
There are several opportunities this month to gain inspiration for your own gardens and support worthy causes at the same time by visiting private gardens, most of which rarely open to the public or are opening for the first time, plus also enjoying a cup of tea and cake!
Firstly, thIs Sunday 2nd June, six gardens in East Street and The Warren, in aid of the Mayfield Bonfire Society, will be open between 1.30 and 5.00pm, £6, under 16s free. Tea & cake. The perfect chance to visit private gardens not normally open. More info from www.mayfieldbonfire.co.uk.
Another rare opportunity to visit Tidebrook Manor in Tidebrook, which will also be open on the afternoon of the 2nd, between 2 and 6pm, in aid of Wadhurst Church and part of Wadhurst gardens. Some of you will have visited last year and will know just how special this garden is. It should be perfectly possible to visit both the Mayfield Bonfire Society gardens and Tidebrook Manor in the one afternoon.
Finally, the ever-popular Hoopers Farm will be open for the National Gardens Scheme the following weekend on Saturday and Sunday 8th & 9th June, 11 till 5, £6, children free. Tea & cake provided by Mayfield Pre-School. As well as everything else, their meadows should be looking stunning!
Other dates for your diary:
Saturday and Sunday, 13th & 14th July from 11 till 5pm, Mayfield Gardens trail for National Gardens Scheme. Six beautiful gardens, teas served at Hoopers Farm, Vale Road and The Oast, Fletching Street £7.
Saturday 20th July from 2.30 pm, Mayfield Summer Show in Mayfield Scout and Guide Hall. Hopefully you are already making plans for what you will enter in the various classes, some of which are new this year, and which include the largest sunflower which follows on from our Seedy Saturday back in February (children’s class). Pick up a Show Schedule, which are already available in various outlets in the village.
Tessa Crowe
May 2024 Newsletter
Plant Sale
Our renowned bumper annual Plant Sale will take place on Saturday 11th May from 9.00 - 11.00 am in the Memorial Hall car park. Hundreds of different plants for sale at bargain prices!
Choose from a huge variety of bedding plants, everything you need for pots and borders: petunias, geraniums, lobelia, sweet peas, cornflowers, love-lies-bleeding, marigolds, verbena, snapdragons, cosmos, etc.
Our vegetable plants are second to none! Tons of different tomato plants, including many heritage varieties. In addition, there will be squash, courgettes, beans: runner, broad & french, salad crops, beetroot, kohlrabi, herbs: parsley, basil, lemongrass, chives, rosemary and a lot more.
There will also be a wide variety of perennial plants on offer.
If you have any spare plants that you think will sell, please do donate them to the Horticultural Society: the Plant Sale is our biggest fundraiser of the year and it all helps to keep the Society afloat. You can bring your plants to the Memorial Hall car park on Friday afternoon 2.00 to 3.30 pm or on the day between 8.00 and 9.00 am. If that’s not convenient, please contact me or Shirley Holland to arrange a pick up.
As always, the early bird caches the worm here, so if you want to get the best choice, get there early!
Membership dues
Membership of the Horticultural Society runs from March to February each year. If you have not yet renewed your membership for the current year, you can pay the current fee of £7.50 by bank transfer to: Mayfield Horticultural and Gardener’s Association, Sort Code 20-88-13, Account Number 10685259, Reference: Fee. Alternatively, you can renew (or join) at any our events such as the upcoming Plant Sale on 11th May. Contact Louise Pitcher membership@mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk for any queries relating to your membership.
Dates for your diary
Wednesday 12th June, annual outing to Clinton Lodge Gardens in Fletching, £14 plus small cost for travel, contact Claire Montagu for details at claire.montagu@icloud.com.
Saturday 20th July from 2.30 pm, Mayfield Summer Show, Mayfield Scout and Guide Hall
Tessa Crowe
April 2024 newsletter
It was very good to see so many members at our AGM last month and to kick off our gardening year with Simon Sutcliffe’s stimulating talk on Growing for the Chelsea Flower Show. How on earth does he cope with all that stress every year?!
Tuesday 16th April talk
On Tuesday 16th April at 7.30 for 8.00 pm, we welcome Mike Abel to talk to us for about an hour on pest and disease control in the garden. With pollinator numbers becoming perilously low, it is vital that we all try to garden organically as much as possible, and the talk looks at way of controlling pests in the garden and greenhouse by natural methods, without the use of harmful chemical pesticides. As well as the use of insect predators and parasites, physical methods such as insect proof nets can be very effective. Pheromone traps and non-chemical sprays are also discussed.
Before recently retiring, Mike worked for a company called Agralan, who market beneficial insects to commercial growers and amateur gardeners, as well as bumble bees for the pollination of glasshouse and poly-tunnel fruit and tomato crops. Prior to that he was a lecturer at the renowned Writtle Agricultural College in Essex, teaching commercial fruit and vegetable crop production.
He will be bringing some items for sale that are included in the talk, including honey from his own hives. As this talk is about a subject that provokes the most questions from other gardeners, we are expecting a full house! If you wish to bring a friend, they can pay £5 at the door.See you there.
Other News
Member Chris Buxton in Fir Toll Road has any number of Verbena Bonariensis seedlings in his garden veg patch which he is kindly offering free to members! As he is no doubt wishing to prepare his plot imminently, anyone wishing to dig some up should contact Chris at chrisj.buxton@btinternet.com without delay.
A quick plug for our National Garden Scheme opening at The Oast, Fletching Street TN20 6TN on Saturday 27 & Sunday 28th April, 11-5, entry £5.As long as we don’t get much more rain over the next four weeks, we will be opening!As always, we will have Rapkyns Nursery as well as our own homegrown plants for sale, plus the lovely Friends of Mayfield Primary School providing delicious tea and cake. Fingers crossed for the weather!
Mayfacs is organising a coach trip to the Chichester Flower Festival on 7th June. . If you are interested, please contact clare@mayfacs.org.uk or 873888.
Future Dates for your diary
-
Saturday 11th May, 9.00-11.00 am, Annual Plant Sale, Memorial Hall Car Park
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Wednesday 12th June, annual outing to Clinton Lodge Gardens in Fletching, £14 plus small cost for travel, contact Claire Montagu for details at claire.montagu@icloud.com
-
Saturday 20th July from 2.30 pm, Mayfield Summer Show, Mayfield Scout and Guide Hall
Happy gardening!
Tessa Crowe
March 2024 Newsletter
AGM
On Tuesday 19th March, we will hold our annual AGM at Colkins Mill Church. Doors open at 7.00 for membership renewals, join us in a glass of wine or tea/coffee, prior to the (usually brief!) AGM beginning at 7.30. After decades of keeping the fees at £5, renewal fees for this year will be £7.50.
The President’s Report, Agenda, Minutes of last Meeting and Treasurer’s Report was attached to the email sent to members.
Following the AGM, Simon, the owner of How Green Nursery near Sevenoaks will be talking to us about ‘Growing for the Chelsea Flower Show’. Founded 42 years ago, this wholesale Nursery prides itself on growing bespoke plants for garden designers and landscapers and has been growing to order for the big designers at Chelsea for many years. It will be a fascinating insight into the lead up to the famous Show with all its twists and turns along the way.
Not normally open to the public, there will be a unique opportunity for members to purchase plants from the Nursery on the night.
Dates for your diary:
Tuesday 16th April, 7.30 for 8.00, Colkins Mill Church, Mike Abel on Pest & Disease Control in the Garden
Saturday 11th May, Annual Plant Sale, 9.00 to 11.00 in the Memorial Hall car park (tbc)
Tessa Crowe
February 2024 Newsletter
Death of Steven Moore, Rapkyns Nursery
We were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Steven Moore of our local Rapkyns Nursery in Broad Oak on Christmas Eve. He had battled courageously with Motor Neurone Disease for over two years. Please make a donation to the very worthwhile charity MND in his memory if you wish.
Steven was a frequent and welcome figure at our events over many years; his talks were inspiring and packed with decades of knowledge, which he was always generous to share if asked. Hundreds of us have plants in our gardens that came from his nursery. I’m sure we all wish to send our heartfelt condolences to Morag and his family and to let them know he will be much missed. We all sincerely hope that Rapkyns will be able to continue.
Seedy Saturday: Seed Swap and Social - Saturday 3rd Feb
Our inaugural Seed Swap and Social event at the Scout Hall was held on Saturday 3rd Feb and it was lovely to see so many there. We hope that this will become a popular annual event for all members of the wider Community: have a good natter over a hot drink and homemade cake, introduce people both young and old to the joy of growing their own plants and vegetables from seed, swap seed and pick up some seed of tried and tested varieties of vegetables and flowers, spread the word that Mayfield Horticultural Society is here to help you make your gardens and allotments grow!
Next talk - Friday 16th February at 7.30 pm via Zoom ‘Modern ways of growing Vegetables’
Our upcoming Zoom talk from very experienced vegetable grower Ray Broughton is a very timely prod to think about which vegetables you will grow this year and maybe glean some tips on different ways of growing vegetables for success in your garden or allotment.
It is aimed at both the inexperienced and experienced gardener and discusses modern ways of growing vegetables with a slant towards organic growing. The use of fertilisers to gain maximum benefit will also be covered. There will be an opportunity to ask questions.
This talk is open to all in the community. Current Members will automatically receive a link for the meeting by email a few days prior to the event, non-members need to pay £5 to receive the link. Please email chair@mayfieldhorticultural.org.uk if you are a non-member and would like to join this very informative talk. Hope to see lots of you there.
Future Dates for your diary
Tuesday 19th March - AGM, Colkins Mill Church, doors open at 7.00, plus talk from How Green Nursery, ‘Growing for the Chelsea Flower Show’
Saturday 11th May - Annual Plant Sale, Memorial Hall car park (tbc) 9.00-11.00
Things are starting to stir in the garden now with snowdrops and hellebores making their presence felt. Not long till Spring! Hope to see lots of you on Saturday.
Tessa Crowe
Newsletter January 2024
Happy New Year and Hello,
Green thumbs, nature enthusiasts and cake lovers!! 🌿🌸
Seedy Saturday is our first community based Seed Sharing & Social Event taking place on Saturday 3rd February 2024 from 10am to 12:30pm in The Scout Hall, Mayfield.
Whether you're a seasoned gardener, starting out or simply fancy a slice of cake and a chat, everyone is welcome. Entry is free and the event is open to all.
What’s on offer:
🌱Seed Exchange Tables:
Bring your surplus seeds or discover new varieties!
🍰Refreshments:
Fuel up with hot drinks, delicious homemade cakes and plenty of chat
🐞Critters
Corner: For our young budding gardeners!
🥀Plant Stall :
we’ll have a few early hardy plants available for sale.
🗣️Knowledge Sharing:
Join us for seed sowing demonstrations
🎁Raffle and Prizes
Bring Your Seeds:
Have seeds to spare? Bring them along! Even if you don't, your green spirit is more than enough. Don't forget, commercial seed packets are welcome too as long as they’re within “sow by” date!
Spread the Green Love:
Invite your neighbours, friends, and fellow High Weald folk. The more, the merrier!
Mayfield Horticultural Society Committee
December 2023 Newsletter
Happy Christmas to everyone reading this, and especially to our members. We do hope you’ve enjoyed your membership this year, and next year we have some great events and talks lined up for you.
We start on Saturday 3rd February 2024 with our inaugural Social and Seed Swap, to be held in the Mayfield Scout Hall from 10.00 am to 12.30pm, and open to members and non-members alike. Just come in and enjoy tea and cake and catch up with everyone for the New Year; or swap and pick up some free seed; learn how to sow seeds for flowers and vegetables. More in next month’s issue.
If you've bought, but not yet planted, crocus and narcissus bulbs for a spring display, then you’ve probably missed the boat as far as 2024 flowering is concerned. It’s still worth planting them in the garden though as they will almost certainly flower in 2025! However it’s definitely not too late to plant tulips in December; in fact, with all the wet weather last year most of our own tulips didn’t get planted until at least mid-January and still flowered fine.
Don’t forget to get out in your garden on any dry days in December to just enjoy the fresh air and maybe do a spot of gardening to prepare for next spring. Very uplifting for the spirit!
Tessa Crowe
November 2023 Newsletter
Hands of Hope
Those who attended in October enjoyed Helen McArdle’s talk about the Hands of Hope Community Garden in Hawkhurst. There were lots of questions throughout and interest in a visit next year. Would anyone interested in a potential minibus visit please contact me at chair@mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk to give me an idea of the level of interest.
November Zoom Talk
The nights are really drawing in and it’s time to re-start our winter season of Zoom talks. On Friday 17 November at 7.30pm, Nick Dobson, a former national Fuchsia champion, will be discussing The World of Flowers - looking at Dahlias, Pelargoniums and Fuchsias. All these underrated plants are currently undergoing a popularity revival, and well-worth considering for your gardens.
This talk should interest experienced gardeners and well as beginners and will provide a colourful diverting evening even for non-gardeners! Hope lots of you will join in.
FREE automatic link to members, which will be sent out a few days before the event.
Non members need to pay £5 to receive the link.
Contact chair@mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk if you are a non-member and wish to join in.
Regards
Tessa Crowe
October 2023 Newsletter
It was an excellent talk from Michael Wachter on Foraging last month and we are now going to sail out all the wiser on our walks through our beautiful local countryside! We sampled hawthorn and sea buckthorn kombucha and chickweed amongst other hedgerow delights and are still alive to tell the tale. So popular, in fact, that I understand he might be talking to the WI on the same subject: so if you missed it this time round, an opportunity to catch it next year.
The minibus outing to Pineview Plants and Great Comp was also a great success and enjoyed by all. Many plants were purchased along the way and the Great Comp gardens looked splendid in their autumn finery, highly recommended.
October Meeting
Our next meeting is on Tuesday 17th October at Colkins Mill Church, Station Road, 7.30 for 8.00pm.
There is a change from that advertised in the original schedule - we now have an excellent opportunity to hear from the Hands of Hope charity in Hawkhurst about their community garden project, the Hope Farm Community Garden, which began in 2018 and is restoring and developing a neglected walled garden and 22 acres of AONB land in Hawkhurst. The aim is to tackle issues such as food poverty, rural isolation and loneliness as well as improving mental, physical and environmental health within the community. Their achievements to date are already impressive.
This has great relevance for Mayfield and Five Ashes as we extend the fledgling community garden and other projects at the Mayfacs SHED and we hope many of you will attend to find out more.
Colkins Mill Church has a warm, cosy atmosphere and we have had very good feedback about the venue from attendees thus far. Parking doesn’t seem to have been a problem either, but don’t forget that we have permission to park in the Roman Catholic Church car park along Station Road for our meetings as well if you can’t find a space.
Dates for your diary
Cottage Garden Society
One of our members, Jane Hopkinson, is involved with the Cottage Garden Society, and has asked if I would circulate details on their latest talk to be held on 21st October in Punnets Town in case anyone would like to attend. Click for full details.
November meeting
Our November Zoom meeting is with Nick Dobson on Friday 17th November at 7.30pm. Enjoy an hour in the comfort of your own home (possibly with a glass of something in hand?) as Nick discusses dahlias, pelargoniums and fuchsias.
Tessa
chair@mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk
Summer Show 2024
As we move into another season, it’s a good time to tell you about the Summer Show 2024! What, you cry, surely not, we’ve not long had the last one! Just read on to find out why. As part of the schedule for next year (Saturday 20 July), we are going to include classes featuring photographs capturing “Gardens throughout the Seasons”. So start snapping pictures of your garden, individual plants, pots, trees….in fact anything garden related that captures the changing seasons. More updates as the months progress.
Shirley Holland
September 2023 Newsletter
Foraging ‘High Tide’
Ever wanted to sample the fruits of the hedgerows and fields, but not sure what’s good to eat and what’s not?
Come and listen to Michael Wachter, multi-talented Great Dixter gardener and expert forager, on the High Tide that is September for wild food and crafts. Sure to be entertaining as well as informative - Michael was a very popular speaker when he talked to us on propagation a few years ago. Everyone welcome, non-members £5. Tuesday 19th September at Colkins Mill Church, 7.30 for coffee for an 8.00 pm start.
Minibus trip to Pineview Plants and Great Comp 27th September
This trip is now fully booked with two on a waiting list. We will be leaving Mayfield High Street (bus stop facing Tunbridge Wells) at 9.45 am.
Looking ahead …
We’re in the process of organising a fun social, coffee & cake morning plus Seed Swap for late January, early February 2024, dates and location to be finalised. This will be a good opportunity to get to know your committee and have a chat with other members, or join the Society for the first time (£5 annual membership for 2023/4), as well as share seed of flowers and vegetables with others for the coming year. It’s a good way to obtain seed of good, reliable varieties which some members will have grown in their gardens for years.
Collecting seed
If you’ve never collected seed before, it’s very simple. Preferably collect your ripe seed on a dry morning (you know when it’s ripe when the seed head becomes crisp and brown, and you can often hear the seed ‘rattling’ inside if it has a pod), place into a paper bag or onto kitchen paper for tomatoes. Store the seed for a few more days, or even longer, in a cool dry place like a shed to let it properly dry out. It’s important not to let it get damp, or it will rot. If you have a lot of seed you may want to line a box with newspaper instead and cover it with newspaper too. Broad and runner beans or peas can be removed from their pod and left to dry on kitchen paper until they are brown and hard. Good flowers to start with are cosmos, poppies, honesty or marigolds. Once dry, transfer to a sealed envelope and label well with the name and date of collection. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to sow. Give it a go!
Tessa Crowe