Chair Vija Vilcins
Vice Chair Kathy Aitken
Secretary Paula TraquairTreasurer Ron RoffeyMembership Ross
Howie
President Nicolas Bevan
Vice President Joyce SnippVice President Jillian Smith
CABAHS
Charlton & BlackheathAmateur Horticultural
Societywww.cabahs.wordpress.com
NEWSLETTER MARCH 2018
MARCH MEETING
Tonight we welcome Mr. Chris Stewart, who is talking about
Flower Villages of Alsace and Lorraine. We also have our usual
Plant Sales table, raffle and refreshments.
Show TableIn the hope that spring will finally arrive, members
are encouraged to bring in exhibits for the show table. No points
system this year, so we hope more members will participate and make
a beautiful and interesting display each month.
Feedback Forms
If you haven’t done so already, could you please complete a
Feedback Form? This is incredibly useful for us and gives us an
idea of how to plan for the next year.
Subscriptions
Please make sure you renew your membership for the coming year.
Or if you renewed last month, you can collect your Membership Card
tonight.
SISSINGHURST – Friday June 1st 2018
Our first trip of the year will be to Sissinghurst National
Trust gardens on June 1st. Trip will cost £10 if you are a NT
member or £22 to cover entrance fee. Full payment (exact money
helpful!) will be required in advance of travel, see Anna Laine to
book or email us on [email protected]
Members’ Spring Flower Show – next month!
A reminder this will take place at our next meeting on 16 April.
The schedule is as follows:
1. DAFFODILS / NARCISSI – 3 stems, one or more cultivars.
2. TULIPS – 3 stems, one or more cultivars.
3. SHRUBS, FLOWERING – 3 stems of any cultivar except
Camellias.
4. CAMELLIAS – one stem.
5. SMALL VASE OF MIXED SPRONG FLOWERS.
6. ANY POT GROWN PLANT (indoor or outdoor).
7. SPRING BULBS COMPETITION – any spring bulbs grown in a
pot.
8. TEACUP ARRANGEMENT – arrangement of any spring flowers in a
teacup (and saucer). May be arranged at home. Flowers may be
purchased.
9. PHOTOGRAPHS OF YOUR SPRING GARDEN – up to 4 per person;
maximum size A5.
Please bring your own vase, but water available at Charlton
House.
Dates for your diary
· 22 March – 29 April International Garden Photographer of the
Year, Hyde Hall.
· 21 March – Thompsons Welling - Club Evening 10% discount
7-9pm
· 23 – 25 March Spring Plant Fair at Wisley.
· 24 March – 15 April Easter holiday fun: Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt
at Wisley.
· 25 March – Brookmill Park Deptford 6.15pm £5 Talk on John
Evelyn
· 7-8 April Great Dixter Plant Fair 11.00 - 4.00
· Hever Castle and Gardens worth a visit for spectacular
displays of narcissi
· Osterley Park & House, Isleworth TW7 4RB, for spring bulbs
in containers
· Chiswick House – rare/historic camellias on display until 25
March
For those of you interested in podcasts the National Trust
offers an insight into gardens, walks and literary locations around
the country in their Garden Podcast
series which began in 2016. Weekly. Link
nationaltrust.org.uk.
Potato competition
Pick up a seed potato tonight, and enter our annual competition
for the greatest yield from a single potato. Harvest ready for the
Autumn show in September. Can be grown on a patio, balcony or in
the garden, so anyone can have a go
10 jobs for February:
1. Provide nesting material, food and water for birds.
2. Complete rose pruning this month, then feed and mulch.
3. Topdress plants in permanent containers by removing the top 2
inches of compost and replacing with new. Consider how long plants
have been in that container – and perhaps re-pot this year, into a
slightly larger pot.
4. Divide summer flowering herbaceous perennials before new
growth appears.
5. Sow a wide range of vegetable crops under cover including
carrots, cucumbers, lettuce. Also start off late flowering annuals
like Tithonia and Cobea.
6. If you haven’t already got some, provide plants for early
pollinators. Pulmonarias are excellent for this, also wallflowers
and primroses.
7. Deadhead narcissi as they fade, but allow leaves to die back
naturally.
8. If you lifted your dahlias, now is the time to start them
into growth. Or buy fresh and plant into pots until new growth
appears.
9. Penstemons, hydrangeas, caryopteris and perovskia can be cut
back once danger of frost has passed. Reduce Buddleia to a low
framework to promote flowers.
10. Apply a slow release fertiliser around fruit trees and
bushes for a bumper crop.
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE for more! www.cabahs.wordpress.com
KENT LIFE – Amateur Garden of the Year
If you fancy entering this annual competition, details are on
their website. It is for “passionate home gardeners” and large or
small gardens. Sounds like us..
http://www.kentgardenawards.co.uk/categories/
MAKE YOUR OWN PLANT POTS
At this seed-planting time of year, our website tells you how to
make pots out of newspaper. An important skill at a time when we
should be trying to reduce the amount of plastic we use. Happy
gardening, see you April 16th.
