Welcome to the blog for Friday Forum, a gardening group which is part of the Paxton Horticultural Society in Leeds, West Yorkshire. We hope that both members and non-members will enjoy reading it and we look forward to receiving your comments.
Members created fabulous, festive decorations with a variety of materials, helping each other and having fun.
Display Table
Ann brought a pot of 'Tête-à-tête' daffodils flowering early and some Hesperantha flowering late
Next meeting: 20th December is the Friday Forum Christmas Party with Quiz and refreshments. Festive dress please.
The first meeting of the new year will be on 17th January 2025 when John Freer will give a presentation on Heligan and the Eden Project
Presentation: A Hardy Planter’s Survival Kit by Don Witton
As the days get shorter and colder, Don suggested strategies to help gardeners and plants survive the darkest four months of the year.
From plants to enhance our gardens throughout the winter to projects to undertake, Don showed us how to face the coming months with positivity.
The talk included inspiring illustrations of his own garden as well as others during this season. Don’s wife, Dot, accompanied him and manned the sales stall which included plants mentioned by Don in his presentation.
I think the talk encouraged all of us to view the approaching months with more enthusiasm.
Display Table
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Judith brought Geranium “Rozanne”, Matricaria (Feverfew), Rose and a pink Chrysanthemum
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| Sandra’s Saxifraga fortunii |
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This was our first question time using this format and all agreed it was a resounding success. It was such an informative and entertaining session where the panel helpfully answered the sixteen questions posed by the audience. We were lucky enough to be able to draw a knowledgeable panel of four from our members with award winning and horticultural qualifications, experience of being a head gardener and growing in different soils. Our thanks go to Ann Fritchley, Wendy Platt, Sue Gray and Peter Blackwell who gave in-depth, well researched answers including live demonstrations and examples to enhance their answers. We learnt tips on a wide range of subjects from how to prune fruit trees to plants for semi-shade.
Display Table
Marjorie brought this lovely sweater and told us the amazing story behind it. It was made by her sister who collected the wool from a Jacob sheep in Robin Hood’s Bay, spun, dyed and knitted into this wonderful garment. She also had labels made with her name Heather Barratt.
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| Dorothy also brought mixed Dahlias, Rose ‘Elizabeth of Glamis’, Linaria, Rudbeckia, Salvia ‘Hot Lips’, Tagetes, Clematis ‘Arabella’ and Orange tree showing white buds |
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| Judith brought Salvia Amistad, Matricaria, Alstromeria, Hardy Chrysanthemum, Geranium Rozanne |
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| Gill brought Geranium macrorrhizum, Weigela, Osteospermum, Aster frikartii Monch, Leycesteria, Verbena bonariensis, Penstemon, Hebe, Rose, Erigeron, Erysimum, Hesperantha coccinea, Pelargonium, Cosmos and Jasmine nudiflorum |
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| Ann brought Canna, the attractive foliage of Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Little Honey’, a tall form of Aster ageratoides ezo murasaki , Amicia zygomeris and Fuchsia genii |
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| Ann also brought prunings from her Salix babylonica crispa |
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| Peter brought a brochure from Seawards in which there is a 3 day trip to Chelsea and other gardens. |
Next Meetings
15th November: Presentation - A Hardy Planter’s Winter Survival Kit by Don Witton
6th December: Christmas displays. Please bring greenery, flowers and accessories to create your own decorations. A short AGM will precede this meeting
20th December: Friday Forum Christmas Party with Quiz and festive fare. You are requested to dress accordingly
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| Seedheads |
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| Evergreens that blend with pink and purple |
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| Sarah Hopps |
Sarah, a frequent guest speaker to Friday Forum, entertained us with her ideas and tips for using evergreens, ornamental stems and bark and seed heads to enhance our gardens. Sarah also showed us slides of a range of gardens where they have been planted to great affect. We were also able to purchase some of the mentioned plants and take cuttings of the examples displayed.
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Ann brought Campanula Bowles Mauve, Corydalis ochroleuca, Magnolia liliiflora nigra, Borage laxiflora, Aconitum spatlese, Alstromeria Indian Summer and Ceratostigma Desert Skies
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Kate brought Helenium ‘Sahin’s Ear;y Flowerer’ which is still in flower since July, Helianthemum ‘Lemon Queen’, Salvia ‘Mystic Flowers’ and ‘Amistad’, Hesperantha ‘Pink Princess’ (Wilfred H Bryant), Anemone ‘Dreaming Swan’, Digitalis ‘Falcon Fire’ and a Hudrangea flower head |
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| John brought this plant which he grew from spores of a plant given to him in 1990s by the caretaker of one of the oldest houses in Northumberland |
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| Dorothy’s Sunflower is an offshoot from a 9ft multiheaded Sunset one grown from seed an had a very wide stem |
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| Judith brought Corokia, the wire netting bush |
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She also brought this enormous leaf from Comfrey Knitbone, so called as it is supposed to heal broken bones naturally
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| Judith also brought Cosmos and Senecio Vera Vera |
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| Suzanne brought Anemone Honorine Jobert and Anemone September Charm, Geranium sanguineum, Salvia Pink Lips, Verbena bonariensis, Liriope muscari, Hydrangea macrophylla, Fuchsia magellanica, the evergreen ferns Polystichum makinoi and Polystychum tsussinense which grows best in shade, has dark red fronds with purple tinged ones in spring |
Next Meeting
1st November: Forum - Gardeners’ Question Time
Autumn Solstice Table
Norma
produced a lovely display of Autumn flowers, leaves and berries for
our Autumn Solstice display which was added to by our members.
Harvest
Baking Competition
The
winners at our Harvest meeting baking competition were: Victoria
sponge - Suzanne W; Fruit scones - Norma; Savoury scones - Liz;
Shortbread – Carol
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Quiz
There was also a Cheese Identification Quiz and the winners were: Sue and Norma. Well done to them
Display
Table
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| Kate brought in: Rosa ‘The Fairy’, Fatsia ‘Spider’s Web’, Phlox Franz Schubert, Rudbeckia deamii, Helenium ‘Sahin’s Early Flowerer’ which has been in flower since the beginning of July, Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’ and Aster frikartii ‘Monch”. |
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| Ann brought in an unusual coloured flowering cactus and an Autumn basket comprising: Arum itialicum marmoratum, Hedera helix ‘Buttercup’, Ruscus aculeatus - Butcher’s Broom, Euonymus planipes, Crocosmia seed heads, Tropaeolum ciliatum berries, Cones and conkers, Hypericum. |
Next Meeting
18th October - Sarah Hopps is speaking about Evergreens, Stems and Seedheads. There will also be plants for sale.
