Club Member has a Polytunnel For Sale

Haygrove Polytunnel only 4 years old

Size  24 square metres

4m (13ft 1inch) by 6m (19ft 4inches)

Robust Steel frame.

Guttering on two sides

Door at one end

Ventilation panels on both sides

Buyer to dismantle

£400 ono

Please Phone 01425656654 for more details

Sandy Dingle

Cancellation of planned IDHS trip to Minterne Gardens Sunday 26th April

We regret that we have had to cancel our planned trip to Minterne Gardens.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused to those members who had already signed up.

Spring Green Fair at Downton on Saturday 21 March is Cancelled

We have been informed that The Spring Green Fair at Downton planned for  Saturday 21 March has had to be cancelled.

Cancellation of club meeting on Thursday 26th March

We regret that we have had to cancel our March Club Meeting and Talk that was to be given by Janelle Quitman.

In view of ongoing Goverment announcements regarding Covid-19 we are reviewing our schedule of future meetings and events.

This webpage will be updated with any  changes to our programme.

Further information from RHS regarding Covid-19 and future Events

Following the Government update on 16 March 2020 and ongoing situation with COVID-19, all RHS Shows, Garden Events and school visits will be cancelled with immediate effect until 30 June 2020. RHS Gardens remain open, with a number of increased precautionary measures in place.

This is a worldwide unprecedented and challenging time for so many people and of course the health and safety of our members, visitors, exhibitors and staff remains our number one priority.
With the Government no longer supporting mass gathering events due to the impact on emergency services and heightened actions to encourage social distancing, the following RHS Shows will regrettably no longer take place in 2020:
- RHS London Spring Launch & Orchid Show, 7-8 April
- RHS Botanical Art and Photography Show, 17-18 April
- RHS Flower Show Cardiff, 17-19 April
- RHS Malvern Spring Festival, 7–10 May
- RHS Chelsea Flower Show, 19–23 May
- RHS Chatsworth Flower Show, 11–14 June
- RHS Garden Harlow Carr Flower Show, 26-28 June (although we will investigate if Harlow Carr can be moved into July)
We will contact everyone who has purchased a ticket and everyone will have the option of a full refund back within 21 days. We know this will be very sad and disappointing news for all involved with our shows, as well as for our members and visitors who have purchased tickets and enjoy our shows every year.
Our four RHS Gardens remain open but all Garden events and school visits will be cancelled with immediate effect until 30 June. If Government guidance changes, we will of course react immediately.
We hope as they are later in the year, that the below list of RHS Shows may continue, but we will continue to follow Government advice and will update if this changes. The option of a full refund would once again apply should this happen.
- RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival:
Preview Evening, 6 July, Show, 7–12 July.
- RHS Flower Show Tatton Park 22–26 July
- RHS Garden Hyde Hall Flower Show, 5 – 9 August
- RHS Garden Rosemoor Flower Show, 14 – 16 August
- RHS Garden Wisley Flower Show, 8– 13 September

Further information can be found at https://www.rhs.org.uk/about-the-rhs/policies/coronavirus-statement

Corona Virus Statement from the RHS Monday 16 March 2020

Information Circulated by RHS

Dear Affiliated Societies

The RHS is currently following government guidance and we encourage you and your colleagues to follow this. We cannot give advice ourselves but we hope the following will help in these challenging times. At present our Gardens are operating and this week we are continuing to run planned competitions and shows. However, we will continue to review our future events in light of any changing government guidance. We have taken the precaution of making more hand sanitisers available at our sites and our events are held in well ventilated buildings. A link to the government’s complete action plan document can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-action-plan. As always, we encourage you to keep yourself informed through reliable sources, including:

o          The NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

o          Gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public

o          WHO: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

Susie Corr

Affiliated Societies & Partner Gardens

Royal Horticultural Society

RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB

Spring Green Fair to be held at Downton on Saturday 21 March

This poster is on behalf of the organisation who kindly share their seed bank with us

TOMATO BROWN RUGOSE FRUIT VIRUS

WHAT

Virulent, aggressive especially in intensive growing and greenhouses

Leaves are wrinkly, bubbly and look similar to mosaic virus pattern.

Fruit develops blotchy brown spot.

Plants are stunted and undersized

HISTORY

2014 – Israel and Mexico – wiped out tom growing

By 2018 – Greece, Italy

2019 – Confirmed in France and Netherlands

1 case in GB (supposedly eradicated)

PREVENTION

No spray, no resistant variety –

Buy only EU certified seed or plants

Practice extreme hygiene (use gloves, clean tools etc)

Take care not to brush against any infected plants with clothing

SPREAD

Soil is infected for 20 years so dispose of sensibly

Burn plants

Disinfect any used pots etc and greenhouse

BBC article highlighting increased risk associated with Ticks

Brain illness spread by ticks has reached UK

By Michelle Roberts Health editor, BBC News online

• 29 October 2019

Image copyright Getty Images

An infectious disease that can harm the brain and is spread to people by tick bites has been identified in ticks in the UK for the first time.

Public Health England (PHE) says it has confirmed cases of tick-borne encephalitis virus in ticks from two parts of England - Thetford Forest and an area on the Hampshire-Dorset border.

PHE says the risk to people is still "very low".

It is monitoring the situation to check how common the infected ticks may be.

What is it?

A tick is a tiny, spider-like creature that lives in undergrowth and on animals, including deer and dogs.

People who spend time walking in countryside areas where infected ticks can be found are at risk of being bitten and catching diseases they carry.

Tick-borne encephalitis virus is already circulating in mainland Europe and Scandinavia, as well as Asia.

Evidence now shows it has reached the UK.

How it got here is less clear. Experts say infected ticks may have hitched a ride on migratory birds.

Earlier this year, a European visitor, who has since recovered, became ill after being bitten by a tick while in the New Forest area, Public Health England says.

Further investigations revealed infected ticks were present in two locations in England.

Should I worry?

Ticks are becoming more common across many parts of the UK, largely due to increasing deer numbers. Being bitten by one doesn't necessarily mean you will get sick.

• Matt Dawson's life changed by tick bite
• Woman bedridden for two years by tick bite

Dr Nick Phin, from Public Health England, said: ''These are early research findings and indicate the need for further work. However, the risk to the general public is currently assessed to be very low."

Most people who catch the virus will have no or only mild flu-like symptoms. But the disease can progress to affect the brain and central nervous system and can sometimes be fatal.

Ticks can also carry other diseases that can make people ill including Lyme disease.

Dr Phin said: "We are reminding people to be 'tick aware' and take tick precautions, particularly when visiting or working in areas with long grass such as woodlands, moorlands and parks."

What should I do?

Media captionAbout ticks and how to avoid them

• To reduce the risk of being bitten, cover your skin, tuck your trousers into your socks, use insect repellent and stick to paths
• If you are bitten, remove the tick with fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool found in chemists
• Clean the bite with antiseptic or soap and water
• You should go to your GP if you think you may have been bitten by a tick in the past month and develop flu-like symptoms or a circular red rash

Ticks feed on the blood of animals and people.

They cannot jump or fly but live in vegetation and wait for a passing animal or human to climb on to.

This is the link to the full article on the BBC  webpage

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-50206382

NATIONAL GARDEN SCHEME IN HAMPSHIRE - February update

After the storms comes the sun.  Now we begin to say good-bye to the snowdrops, it is great to see the daffodils, wild primroses, camellia, hellebore and the forsythia bursting through, and the frogspawn in the ponds is making  welcome return.  Spring is just round the corner.

 At the NGS we are always keeping up with technology, and coming up with new initiatives.  

If you are interested in finding out a bit more in depth information about the NGS and our beneficiaries, you might like to view our brand new Impact Report.  Click on the link      https://ngs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Impact-Report-2019-1.pdf   and there you are.   You can then scroll down to read many interesting items.

And now the gardens - suddenly we are looking at the late March/April openings.  Naturally we have appreciably more choice for you than earlier.  Firstly two Group openings:-

CRAWLEY GARDENS:       Winchester      SO21 2PR

    Comprising 3 gardens:  Bay Tree House:  Little Court: Paige Cottage

Opening Friday 10th & Monday 13th April  2pm to 5.30pm:  (also in July)

Combined Admission £7.50 children free:  Home-made teas.

Crawley is an exceptionally pretty period village nestling in chalk downland with thatched houses, C14 church and village pond with ducks.  Most of the gardens have beautiful country views and there are other good gardens to be seen from the road. Bay Tree House has bulbs, wild flowers, a Mediterranean garden, pleached limes, a rill and contemporary borders of perennials and grasses. Little Court is a 3 acre traditional English country garden with carpets of spring bulbs and a large meadow. Paige Cottage is a 1 acre traditional English country garden surrounding a period thatched cottage (not open) with bulbs and wild flowers in spring, and old climbing roses in summer.
https://ngs.org.uk/view-garden/17567/ 

SOUTHSEA GARDENS     Portsmouth    PO4 0PR

Comprising 2 gardens:  28 St. Ronan's Avenue (above): 67 Gains Road: (also open by arrangement April to July)

Opening Sunday 12th April (also June) 2pm to 6pm: Combined Admission £4.50  children free:  Home-made teas.

Two town gardens in adjacent roads within easy walking distance, off St Ronan's Road. Victorian houses (not open) where the owners have created peaceful green spaces about 700 metres from Southsea promenade. 67 Gains Road is a small garden designed with artistic flair to create a haven where art and horticulture meet. The creative gardener has made the very most of the limited space with a good range of sculptures and plants including bamboos, ferns and succulents. The front garden has sculpted box and interesting planters. 28 St Ronan's Avenue (145ft by 25ft) is divided into different areas including a wildflower meadow and pond. Agaves and echeverias grow in drier sandy parts. Some unusual trees and a pleached hornbeam screen at the end of the garden to give structure. Planting is a mixture of traditional and tender plants including proteas, puyas and echiums, along with tree ferns. Tulips feature in April and alliums in May and June. Recycled items are used to create sculptures.
https://ngs.org.uk/view-garden/22238/ 

……..and now two late March openings:-

BEECHENWOOD FARM   Hillside    Odiham    RG29 1JA

Opening Sunday 29th March (also May and By Arrangement)  2pm to 5pm:  Admission £4.00  children free:  Home-made teas:

2 acre garden in many parts. Lawn meandering through woodland with drifts of spring bulbs. Rose pergola with steps, pots with spring bulbs and later aeoniums. Fritillary and cowslip meadow. Walled herb garden with pool and exuberant planting. Orchard includes the white garden and hot border. Greenhouse and vegetable garden. Rock garden extending to grasses, ferns and bamboos. Shady walk to belvedere. 8 acre copse of native species with grassed rides.

https://ngs.org.uk/view-garden/8569/ 

PILLEY HILL COTTAGE    Lymington    SO41 5QF

Opening Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th March (also April and By Arrangement) 2pm to 5pm:  Admission £3.00  children free:  Cream teas:

Pilley Hill Cottage garden changes constantly through the seasons. Entering through the creeper covered lych gate, the garden reveals itself via winding pathways with surprises around every corner. Dogwood, cornus and ghost bramble supply spring structure. Gnarled fruit trees provide shelter for bulbs and wild flowers  which are making a welcome debut. 

 Don't miss the demonstration at 3pm on each open day of propagation of  Spring bulbs.   https://ngs.org.uk/view-garden/21513/ 

……… and finally some April gardens:-

TWIN OAKS      Chandlers Ford     SO53 1LW

Opening Sunday & Monday 12th & 13th April (also May & July plus By Arrangement)  1pm to 5pm :  Admission £3.50  children free:  Home-made teas:

 Continually evolving ⅓ acre suburban woodland water garden, designed and planted by owners, bordered by mature oak beech and birch trees. Enjoy spring colour from azaleas, rhododendrons and bulbs. The lawn meanders between informal beds and ponds and bridges lead to a tranquil pergola seating area overlooking a wildlife pond. Rockery skirted by a stream with a waterfall into a lily pond. Aviary.

https://ngs.org.uk/view-garden/36124/ 

THE ISLAND       Romsey       SO51 0HP

Opening Saturday & Sunday 18th & 19th April (also July)  2pm to 5pm:  Admission £5.00  children free:  Home-made teas:

 6 acres either side of the River Test. Fine display of paeonies, wisteria and spring flowering trees. Main garden has herbaceous and annual borders, fruit trees, rose pergola, lavender walk and extensive lawns. An arboretum planted in the 1930s by Sir Harold Hillier contains trees and shrubs providing interest throughout the year. Please Note: No Dogs Allowed.

https://ngs.org.uk/view-garden/25850/ 

I hope one of the above might appeal to you and your group, or maybe as a family.  If not you can find details of all the gardens open throughout the  National Garden Scheme on our award winning website  ngs.org.uk 

"Our gardens are not just any gardens - they are NGS Gardens !!"

Stewarts Programme for March/April 2020

Following our January talk by Martin Stewart we attach a copy of their upcoming events.