After a lovely few weeks and a spell of rain, I’m sure many of you are spending lots of time in your gardens and like many of us expect to have lovely tidy tended patches by the end of lockdown whenever that is!
Some of you have contacted me to find out if anyone has spare plants available and the most common vegetable to be sought after is the courgette!
I received a timely email today which may help a few in the Hyde end of our patch of plants for sale with proceeds going to Hyde church.
“Not the usual stock but various tomato varieties, courgettes, butternut squash, aubergines, various herbs, hollyhocks and some perennials. If interested, please contact me on 07557 531712 to discuss. If I cannot speak please leave a message and I'll call back. Alternatively email me on darkefamily@btinternet.com “
Otherwise don’t forget to check our IDHS webpage or http://idhsociety.blogspot.com where John (our secretary) has been placing members photos, videoclips, items for sale or wanted. Do take the time to have a look as its lovely to see how members gardens are shaping up.
There is also a photograph of an azalea that Alleyn has nurtured from one of John Horne’s cuttings to go with his article he has written for the newsletter, particularly of interest if you have purchased one of his cuttings previously (see the article that follows in the blog )
I promised last month to update you re decisions on future events and after an interesting telephone conference committee meeting we have with regret, decided to cancel the annual show. This is partly due to not knowing what position we will all be in by September but also in acknowledgement that our sponsors paying for advertising allowing the show to break even would expect the schedule to be out in shops by now which clearly can’t happen.
Should you be the lucky recipient of a cup from 2019 show, please keep these safe for another year.
We have also decided to cancel all garden visits for 2020 but if things change, we will look to arrange a local visit by car later in the year. Hopefully Forde Abbey will go ahead in 2021 (third time lucky)
Don’t forget Frogham Fair has also been cancelled this year.
Do keep a lookout for items of interest for other members such as virtual garden tours, articles or competitions and send me details to put onto our blog or in a future newsletter.
I have included a few below which have been sent to me to share with you:
- Baskets and Blooms are offering a limited delivery service – see their Facebook page for more details
- Chelsea Flower Show is going virtual 19th -23rd May
- Virtual tours of closed visitor gardens – Exbury, Minterne and Beth Chatto to name a few – see www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-52152303 for more details
- RHS and BBC One Show have launched a competition called My Chelsea Garden asking you to enter by submitting a photo by 18th May 2020. See the website for full details on www.bbc.co.uk-2020-mychelseagarden
I need to let you know of the sad deaths of two people who have links with our club.
The first is Pat Baines, the sister of Pauline Wells who many of you will know from the beautifully painted cards that she made for the club to sell last year and who came on some of the garden trips.
The second is Evelyn Cousal who was a long time member of the group. Our thoughts and best wishes go to their families.
My final request is one for all members to think about.....
Sadly, due to the fallout of this pandemic, we will be losing our Treasurer as Debbie feels she needs more time to spend on her business. I and the other committee members will be very sorry to see Debbie step down, she will be a great loss but thankfully has agreed to stay on until our AGM.
Please give this some thought and if any member feels that this might be a role for them, please contact me and I will put you I touch with Debbie to discuss the role further. Remember, the club cannot function without a Treasurer!
Having not thought that there would be much to say, I have managed to fill a lot of space! Hopefully we will be able to get together again at some point this year but will keep these newsletters going in the meantime. Dont forget to send me things of interest.
Take care everyone and stay safe
Your Committee
