www.clatfordvalleygardeningclub.co.uk
Affiliated to the Royal Horticultural Society
Meetings are held on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 7.45pm
Upper Clatford Village Hall
Newsletter No 56 April 2013
Dear Member
Lots of short items this month that I really don't want you to miss and so I am using a different format:
· 15 members have not yet paid for membership renewal, probably due to the cancellation of the January meeting but do, please, let Mavis have your sub. at the next meeting.
· The May Fayre is just around the corner - 6th May - and we may be rather short of stock for our stall, due to the weather holding things up. Please pot up and name as many plants as you possibly can to bring down on the day. Also volunteers were a bit scarce when the board went round at the March meeting - please do add your name next meeting, especially men to help set up at 10.30 am.
· Outing to Woolbeding and Uppark, 11th July. We do realize that this will not be a cheap day for non-National Trust members and we are sorry about that but it was one of the suggestions given to us and will, at least, be a reasonably priced day out for many of us. DON'T FORGET TO BRING YOUR NT MEMBERSHIP CARDS. They could not guarantee enough space for us to have lunch at Uppark and so we have booked a ploughman's lunch at the Half Moon pub, between the two gardens we are visiting. Details of this are on the attached booking form.
· The evening outing to Farleigh House is on Tuesday 25th June. Same arrangements as previous years: we shall all go by car, sharing as much as possible. It really is very important that, even if you have a full car, you check in with us at the Village Hall car park to avoid wasting time waiting for people who are on their way. The address is Farleigh House, Farleigh Wallop, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG25 2HT. The cost will be £8, which will be donated to their village church, and we shall meet in the Hall car park at 6.00 pm, to arrive there by 6.45 pm.
We shall be meeting to arrange the 2014 programme in early May and so let me, Sue Hancock or Judy Marr know if you have any particular topics you would like covered.
See you on 24th April - Scented Plants - Marcus Dancer!
Best wishes, Lynda
Barbeque
We will be holding our annual barbeque on Sunday 14th July (12.30 for 1pm)
If you would like to attend please complete the booking form attached to this newsletter and bring it, with your cheque made payable to Clatford Valley Gardening Club, to the April meeting. If you are unable to attend the April meeting you can give your booking form and payment to Mavis Niblett (357668)
We will be passing around a list of salads etc at the April meeting so that everyone can make a contribution to the day.
Summer Outing
The timetable for the Summer Outing to Woolbeding and Uppark is as follows. Please remember to bring your National Trust cards with you. Non members will pay their admission charges on the day,£7.20 for Woolbeding and £7.70 for Uppark.
Depart from village hall 9.00am
Arrive Woolbeding 10.30pm
Lunch 12.30pm
Arrive Uppark 2.00pm
Depart for village hall 4.30pm
Arrive at village hall 6.00pm
Please can we ask for separate cheques for each event please as this makes it much easier to sort out the finances.
Arundel Castle Gardens
The Collector Earl’s Garden (opened 14th May 2008)
This new garden has been created in an area, which, for the last forty years has been a tarmac and concrete car park. The area was originally part of a walled kitchen garden that supplied vegetables and flowers to the castle but fell into disuse after the Second World War and was more or less derelict by the 1970’s.
The new garden which was designed by Isobel and Julian Bannerman is a Jacobean formal garden. It is a recreation of the 14th Earl of Arundel’s (1585-1646) garden at Arundel House, his town palace overlooking the Thames.
The centrepiece is a Rockwork “mountain” planted with palms and rare ferns supporting a green oak version of Oberon’s Palace, built to the original design of Inigo Jones (1611) It contains a shell-lined interior with a stalagmite fountain and a gilded coronet dancing on a jet of water.
The garden is divided into formal courts, with a central canal pond with cascades. The planting is restrained – no flowers but catalpas, scented Magnolia grandiflora and shrubs. The pergolas and fountains are based on those seen in the background of a portrait of the earl’s wife painted by Mytens, whilst the various gateways and pavilions are based on Inigo Jones’ s designs for Arundel House.
This garden was conceived as a tribute to the 14th Earl who was a great collector of antiques and art works. He also retrieved lost family estates, titles and honours after his ancestors’ disasters of the previous century.
Elsewhere in the grounds there are hot and cold herbaceous borders, a cut flower border and an ornamental Victorian kitchen garden, both of which supply the castle. A rare peach house and vinery built in 1850 have also been restored and houses exotic fruit and vegetables.
The sheltered location makes it possible for tender perennials such as cannas and salvias to remain in the ground throughout the winter. The Fitzalan Chapel has its own small garden planted entirely in white and there is also a newly planted rose garden in what was once an 18th Century bowling green.
For more information: www.arundelcastle.org.
Jenny
SUMMER FRUIT CAKE
If summer ever arrives, this recipe is ideal for picnics and can be eaten hot or cold with fresh cream or custard.
6oz (175g) Plain Flour
Pinch of salt
4oz (100g) Butter
3oz (75g) Caster Sugar
8oz (225g) Soft fruits e.g. Raspberries, Blackberries, Strawberries etc.
12oz (350g) Apples (grated)
3 Eggs
Grease an 8inch cake tin. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter until well combined. Add the sugar, soft fruit, grated apples and eggs and stir. Pour into the baking tin.
Bake at gas mark 4 (180C/340F) for approx. 50 minutes until the top begins to change colour.
Tea Rota / Chair RotaApril / Lesley Heslop / Judith Hancke
Lesley Heslop
May / Frank Bardsley
Anna Bardsley / Carol O’Leary
Jan Golding
June / Kevin O’Leary / Jenny Llewellyn
Mavis Niblett
The Show. August 17th 2013.
Enclosed with this newsletter is the Schedule for the 2013 show. There are a few minor changes so please dispose of last years to avoid mix ups.
Now is the time to be planning what you will "grow for the show" this year, so get your seed sown now- it must warm up soon!! For those of you who prefer to buy in plants we hope to have a good supply at the may fayre plant stall on May 6th -bank holiday Monday, weather permitting and if not then at the May meeting.
By the time you get this newsletter you will all have had the opportunity to buy "a potato and a bag" for £1 to grow on for the "Big Potato Weigh in " at the show. This year we are creating a more level playing field by making everyone grow the same variety of potato in the same size bag and only one tuber per bag. The only difference will be the TLC given .ie. watering, feeding and any other encouragement you can think of !!?-just avoid talking to them about "chips".!! If you didn't manage to get one at the last meeting, Kevin O'leary 364732 has a supply- its not too late to start
Despite many set backs over the years we are persevering with the children's section again this year and would like your help in talking to any young mums you may know in your area and encouraging them to get their children interested. Most schools are featuring gardening these days so there should be some seeds of interest their. The children's classes are outlined in the schedule and details have gone out in the parish newsletter to all households, so come on, get our kids competing.
Entry forms will come with your July newsletter. Fingers crossed for some warm weather soon. Good luck,
Brian Stuart (710713)
Happy Gardening, Brian Stuart
Barbeque
CLATFORD VALLEY GARDENING CLUB
BOOKING FORM
Name ……………………………………………………………………….
Tel. Number…………………………………………………………….
I/we would like to book the following event:
Date / Event / Cost / No. of members / No. of Guests / Cheque enclosed14th July 2013 / BBQ / Members £10
Guests £12
Please bring this booking form and cheque for the appropriate amount to the April meeting or give to Mavis Niblett (357668)
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Evening outing
CLATFORD VALLEY GARDENING CLUB
BOOKING FORM
Name ……………………………………………………………………….
Tel. Number…………………………………………………………….
I/we would like to book the following event:
Date / Event / Cost / No. of members / Cheque enclosed7th June / Evening outing to Farleigh House / £8.00
Please bring this booking form and cheque for the appropriate amount to the April meeting or give to Mavis Niblett (357668)
CLATFORD VALLEY GARDENING CLUB
SUMMER OUTING TO WOOLBEDING AND UPPARK 11th July 2013
BOOKING FORM
Name______Phone Number______
Please reserve the following places on the outing.
Cost / Number required / Total costGarden Club member - coach only / £13 / £
Garden club member - coach and mixed ploughman’s lunch / £20 / £
Garden club member – coach and cheese ploughman’s lunch / £20 / £
Guest – coach only / £15 / £
Guest – coach and mixed ploughman’s lunch / £22 / £
Guest – Coach and cheese ploughman’s lunch / £22 / £
Total / £
Please bring this booking form and cheque for the appropriate amount to the April meeting or give to Mavis Niblett (357668)