Our Annual General Meeting held on 13th November 2019 was well attended, well-organised and featured some lively discussions. The Minutes with full details are published on the “From the Committee” page. Gill Purkiss stood down as President after her 5-year term office, and was presented with a bouquet of flowers for all her help and support. Terry Boorman resigned as Programme Director as he and Maureen have plans to move away, and both were also thanked for their unstinting work for the club. The meeting concluded with wine and a delicious spread of nibbles, enjoyed by the members.

Plant Sale 2020: Karen Flood has compiled a list of plants which members may be able to donate to the Plant Sale next year. The Plant Sale generates a large part of the club’s income from which members benefit. Karen is also looking for “plant sitters”. Full details on the “From the Committee” page.

These are local and inter-village competitions, held annually. This year Headley hosted both at their Autumn Show.

For the Snow Cup, local horticultural societies were asked to enter an exhibit entitled: The Haymaker’s Story (poem by John Clare), and Terry and Maureen B., Terry F. with help of others put a lot of thought and effort in their composition, awarded with a third prize. The Snow Cup was won by Headley.

The Close Brooks Cup was just as demanding, and required entrants to submit a collection of vegetables, fruit, a pot plant as well as 2 displays of flowers. Anne W. sourced all vegetables, with contributions from John, Leslia, Vanessa, Rosario, Lynn, Margaret, Piers, Ann P. and Joy and John S. Despite all efforts, Tilford managed to trump both Grayshott and Headley with their XXL vegetables, with Headley coming second, and Grayshott third.

Next year will be another chance to aim for the top, please look out for an appeal to members for flowers or vegetables in peak condition!

As Claire Brown, who runs Plantpassion, explained: her business is flower farming, therefore we should not expect pretty garden scenes, her flowers are grown as crops. That morning, well over 2000 had been cut and were conditioning (soaking up fresh water) in buckets inside the barn, awaiting collection by customers in the morning.

Outside we were immediately struck by the magnificent views across the gently sloping fields towards a range of hills and possibly London in the far distance. The hilltop farm is surrounded by woods, and Claire explained how she’d arrived at an accommodation with the wildlife, including deer, squirrels, moles, and even a measure of appreciation: kites, aphids (food for beneficial insects which kill the harmful ones).

We saw the poly tunnel (to extend the growing season) and the field with many different beds of flowers and shrubs, in all stages of growth. She explained her work-saving no-dig, no weeding method, and that the chalk subsoil her plants are grown in promotes healthy and sturdy flowers.

Back in the barn for refreshments and a flower arrangement demonstration, Claire extolled the benefits of locally grown flowers, condemning those for sale in supermarkets. Perhaps a little harsh, as surely there’s room for both kinds?

Claire Brown’s flower farm is in East Clandon, website: Plantpassion.co.uk

John Price has sent in a selection of photographs taken at the Grayshott Gardeners’ 2019 Summer Show. Select the Photo Gallery tab to view a slide show. Best viewed on full screen.

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.