The 200 acre Grade I listed valley garden in West Sussex was the destination for our annual coach trip on Sunday, a sunny day but not too hot. Event organiser Terry effected a last-minute switch of coach company, which ensured that the trip could go ahead.

Leonardslee is famous for its spring plantings of rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and magnolia trees, which cover the steep-sided slopes; although by June most had finished flowering, they provided a magnificent backdrop of different shapes and shades of green to the 7 mostly man-made lakes. Armed with a map showing the numerous trails, many members enjoyed the walks through the rhododendron woods and along the ponds, stopping to admire the dragonflies and damselflies flitting over the water, or the huge carp just below the surface. Although we had missed the colour display in the spring, coming later gave us a much more peaceful time there. It also allowed us to admire the Kousa dogwood trees covered in white flowers, including a magnificent pink-flowering one.

As well as the valley gardens, there were other attractions: a rock garden, a glass house (with pond!), a wallaby colony introduced in 1889, a vineyard with wine-tastings and a wall-to-wall collection of dolls’ houses, shops and Victorian village scenes.

There were various cafes where we could spend the pre-loaded cards given to us on coffee or lunch, and a gift shop and plant sales area, and before we knew it, it was time to get back on the coach, ending another successful Grayshott Gardeners visit.

This was another enjoyable and successful event, from the buyers’ as well as the sellers’ point of view. Bacon butties and hot drinks were very welcome too. Well done everyone – especially Karen who is now off on a well-earned rest. Photos by John Price. Click on picture for full screen icon (crossed double arrows), click.

2019 Plant Sale

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Grayshott Gardeners were privileged to take part in a private tour conducted by Head of Nursery Martin Einchcomb, who donated his time in return for a donation to the Perennial charity.

he Nursery comprises 15 glasshouses covering one acre, and the team of 7 (helped by volunteers) produces plants for 60 acres of formal gardens at the Hampton Court and Kensington Palaces.

Following a brief introduction, Martin conducted us past an array of tropical and semi-tropical plants, the famous Exoticks Collection originally started by Queen Mary II, parts of which survived until the First World War when lack of manpower and attention led to the last plants dying out. Since 1987, the Gardens & Estate team and lately Martin, have devoted much time and effort in researching the specimens in Mary’s collection and bringing them back once more to Hampton Court. It is one of the three National Plant Collections at Hampton Court and has now been recogni

Other glasshouses contained masses of bedding plants not usually seen at garden centres but well-known to the Victorians, as most of the plants produced here are destined to fit in with the historic settings of the Palaces, flowering in (what now seem) old-fashioned colours. These include pelargoniums, lantanas, and also coleus with vivid colour variations in the leaves.

Hampton Court holds two other National Plant Collections, Lantana, whose many cultivars have flowers that change their colour (from yellow to white and orange to purple) as they mature, and Heliotropoium, or the Cherry Pie Plant (its purple flowers smell of cherries and vanilla).

Yet another glasshouse we were shown contains the Citrus collection, showing off their oranges and lemons – these normally tender trees had been put into period-appropriate pots which the Nursery has specifically made for display in their formal settings during the summer.

Martin told us that the original Victorian glasshouses had been destroyed to make way for more modern and efficient ones during the 60’s and 70’s; like the Victorian ones, they have been overtaken by later designs and technology, but lack of funds mean the latter remain an item on the team’s wish list for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, the Nursery manages to grow 40% of the bedding plants from cuttings and seed, and the remaining 60% from tiny plug plants which are cheaper and more efficient to buy in, a credit to the staff, and proof of what can be achieved with devotion and skill, even without the latest technology.

The tour ended with a brief survey of the workshops and tractor and machinery shed containing trolleys to move large trays and tables, and for picking up (very heavy) tubs; we also saw the machine for automatically filling pots with compost.

Thanking Martin for his interesting explanations and tips, most members of the group then departed for lunch in the cafeteria or outside on the terrace, as it was a lovely sunny day.

There was an opportunity to enjoy fee access to the Rose Garden (not out yet but containing plenty of interesting bedding plants and tulips) as well as the extensive Kitchen Garden, origininally established for William III and Mary II in 1689 on the site of Henry Viii’s tiltyard, with its numerous fruit trees and bushes.

Others explored the Palace itself, and the more Formal Gardens, while some sneaked down to the river to watch the Royal Swans and enjoy a drink by the side of the River Thames : )

The 2019 Spring Show organised by Grayshott Gardeners again proved a great success, with many entries, despite the period of freaky weather preceding the show. A total of 139 persons enjoyed the the exhibits and other attractions presented by the teams. Results and a brief report on the Shows page here, photo gallery to follow soon.

We are thrilled to announce that the Snow Cup, the annual flower arranging competition open to local  horticultural societies which was hosted by Headley at their Autumn Show on Saturday, was won by Grayshott Gardeners, with Telford in second place and Headley coming third. It is the first time GG have won since 1995! Well done to Gill Purkiss for her imagination, ability to be creative and for arranging everything so well, with help from Suzi Gordon.

Grayshott Gardeners chalked up another triumph with Saturday’s Summer Show 2018. Despite the dry and hottest June for many years, there were masses of colourful plant and flower displays and mouth-watering fruit and vegetable exhibits. The Floral Arrangements were especially spectacular and admired by the many visitors to the Show, who had foregone Wimbledon and England’s bid for the World Cup in order not to miss this annual highlight put on by Grayshott Gardeners’ Show Team and the members who entered one or more of the 229 items in 76 different classes. The Juniors comprised a particularly strong contingent with their dwarf French Beans grown in jam jars (Open Classes), which augurs well for the future of Grayshott Gardeners.

Having enjoyed the sumptuous display, including entries for the Close Brooks Cup which Grayshott hosted this year and was won by Tilford with their box of beautifully displayed vegetables, visitors welcomed a cup of tea and a home-made cake served by the Catering Team, only to be waylaid by Karen and the Plant Sales Team with a tempting offering of plants. Free entertainment was also provided by Karen who had inadvertently given a lift to some juvenile frogs who played hide and seek in the tea room! Home-grown and very tasty cucumbers proved an additional attraction.

A list of this year’s Summer Show Trophy winners is provided here , and on the Shows page. PHOTO GALLERY (photos by John Price) on the photo gallery page or here

(Click on photos to enlarge)

The destination for our May visit, Ramster Garden near Chiddingfold, kept open especially for our early evening visit, proved a delight to walk around, with its many areas and vistas, nearly always against a background of different coloured rhododendrons and azaleas.

The Japanese influence was evident from the bamboo clumps, the snowball hydrangea and the (very) prickly castor oil tree, the cranes sculpture in the ponds, and the Japanese Bridge, and was a speciality of Gauntletts, the nurseries who designed the original garden for Sir Henry Waechter in 1900.

Although quite compact, the different sections, including wild flower areas with numerous spotted orchids, the ponds, the bog garden with its spectacular flowering guneras and the (steep) woodland walk  gave the impression of a much larger garden.

The photo gallery on the Ramster website, www.ramsterevents.com is well worth viewing. The garden is open to the public in Spring (until 10^th June) and Autumn only, with a Tea House and Plant Sales near the entrance.

More photos on the Photo Gallery Page

This  annual event proved again a resounding success, thanks to the many members who grew, potted on and then helped arrange, price and sell the countless plants on display, all skillfully and efficiently directed by our Chair, Karen Flood. The Grayshott Plant Sale has a reputation for low-priced quality plants, and there was no shortage of customers, many who arrived with baskets and out-sized carriers, and left delighted with their haul. The catering team under Sue Debenham  was on hand to revive anyone in need of a sit down and refreshments whilst considering where to plant their purchases.

Treasurer Dennis Homer was well satisfied with the fundraising result, as was Programme Officer Terry Boorman, who will no doubt continue to arrange for the very best speakers at our Club Night Lectures.

Committee Member John Price has been busy taking many photographs, which are displayed on the photo gallery page.

The Grayshott Gardeners Spring Show on Saturday proved a huge success with 234 exhibits, and 138 gardening fans (74 members and 64 visitors) despite the preceding cold weather. A full report, including a results list, is published on the Shows pages, and a selection of photographs taken by committee member John Price can be seen on the photo gallery page. Also on the committee is Helen Deighan, who has submitted a report and photographs to the Haslemere Herald, the Messenger and the Surrey and Hants News.

You will find a link to the Summer Show Schedule on the Shows page. This Schedule will be shown in full on the Shows page in good time, so there will be no excuse not to start planning and preparing now for the Summer Show on 7th July!

Karen Flood and her many helpers are busy collecting together a fresh supply of quality and unusual plants for the Annual Plant Sale on 5th May, when eager customers will be queueing up to be first through the doors at 10 am.