Now summer is in flower and natures hum Is never silent round her sultry bloom - John Clare

 

Presentation by Martin Wright

Although, due to technical difficulties, Martin was not able to deliver the scheduled talk,
he did give us an interesting and informative talk about his career in the plants and parks departments at Leeds City Council and how this led to becoming involved in the garden entries for the Chelsea Flower Show.
Martin gave us a brief introduction to some of the entries produced by Leeds City Council for the show and told us some amusing background stories.
We eagerly look forward to Martin returning next year to tell us more about building a Chelsea garden.

Display Table

This vase of five dahlia ‘s was from Trevor

 Arabian night, Dutch explosion, Edinburgh ( old fashioned variety), Viking ( Pom Pom variety) and Temple of Beauty. 

Dorothy brought in hardy fuchsia, dahlia, miniature rose, begonia illumination and fennel. 

 

 Maggie's vase contained Rosa glauca and late honeysuckle

Cookridge Flower Show 

Next meeting 

Friday 4th September. Photos of members’ late summer gardens and seed swap.

Methods of Propagation

I think we all learnt some new tips for propagating our plants at this Friday Forum session.

Derek told us how he uses his own compost to grow the Pony Tail Tree (which eventually reaches 15 ft) and Cactus from seed.

John demonstrated how to make mini-greenhouses from butter containers and yoghurt pots over plant pots. Also he plants Pelargonium cuttings round the edge of a pot and puts a smaller pot in the centre which can be removed for watering and checking the progress of the roots.

Carol brought an impressive assortment of cuttings which she puts into pots using her own compost and can tell when they are ready if they can be lifted up by their stems. She showed us Winter Hazel, Stachys Wisley White, Salvia, Itea, Lavender, Photinia, Euonymus and Physocarpus.

Other tips and examples:

Display Table

 

Judith brought Tithonia, Rudbeckia Cherry Brandy and Phytolacca laka boom. Annuals all grown from seed and Judith recommends Chiltern Seeds 

Sue’s Roscoea Spice Island is a member of the Ginger family and comes in various shades. 

 Suzanne brought various Hydrangeas: a blue mop head, pink lace cap (from Margaret), quercifolia Snow Queen plus Oregano and Sage

 Suzanne also brought a bouquet of over 15 flowers: Cosmos Purity, Salvia Pink Lips, Geranium Rozanne, Heuchera Amethyst Mist, Nepeta Walkers Low, Salvia amistad, Crocosmia, Phlox Grey Lady, Penstemon Just Jane, Salvia Nachtvinder, Aster Frikartii Monch, Symphyotrichum Eastern Star, Lysimachia clethroides (Gooseneck), Anemone Wild Swan and Salvia Jezebel.

Suzanne used a tip from Peter to keep feeding Cosmos for thicker stems.

Also from Suzanne: Achimenes Purple King 

 

                                      Sandra’s Pelargonium Berkswell Bolero

 

Sandra’s vase contains: Galega Lady Wilson, Dahlias – David Howard, Lavender Perfection and Le Baron, Fennel, annual Mallow, Rose Gertrude Jekyll and Pittosporum

John brought Achimenes (Hot Water plant) Sweet and Sour and Honey Queen, StreptocarpusPretty Turtle and various Dahlias and Cosmos grown from seed

 

Peter’s container of annuals was a riot of colour: Tithonia, Lavatera, Nicandra (Shoe-fly plant), Petunias, Nicotiana, Amaranthus, Rudbeckia, Violas, Scabious, Echium, Sunflower and Hibiscus

 

Maggie brought a Hardy plumbago Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, Ceratostigma willmottianum and Clematis heracleifolia Cassandra

Gardening Matters

Paxton Autumn Show takes place on Saturday 26^th September at Welcome in Community Centre (Opal) 55 Beford Drive Leeds LS16 6DJ.

Staging: 8.30 to 11.45

Judging: 12 noon

Open to the public 1.30 to 3.30

There are 46 categories in all including four for Paxton members only.

Check out Paxton Horticultural Society - Leeds | Facebook for more details

Next Meeting

21^st August: A presentation on Building a Chelsea Garden by Martin Wright

Friday Forum Summer Show 2026

There were many entries among the ten categories and first prizes in each category went to:

Class 1 One stem Floribunda Rose

 1st Prize:Maggie

Class 2 One stem any other Rose

 1st Prize Brenda (pink rose)

Class 3 One vase of three (same) blooms any variety

 1st Prize Maggie

Class 4 One vase Sweet Peas

 1st Prize Dorothy

Class 5 One vase cut flowers, judged for frontal effect

 1st Prize Sue

 2nd Prize Marjorie

Class 6 One pot plant, flowering

 1st Prize Eric

Class 7 One pot plant non-flowering

1st Prize Judith

Class 8 Exhibit of Fruit or Vegetables

 1st Prize Dorothy

Class 9 A posy for a bridesmaid

 1st Prize Amanda

  

Class 10 A vase of flowers perfect for pollinators

 1st Prize Amanda

Prizes:

Thanks go to Peter and John for judging the entries, to Dorothy, our Show Secretary and Liz for purchasing the prizes.

Display Table

                           Judith brought this red stemmed Euphorbia

Ann brought Orinum Powelli, Eryngium zabelii, Zauschneria, Hypercium acmopetalum and Echinops

                                     Kate brought a selection of Phlox

Next Meeting

7th August: Forum - Propagation techniques. Please bring examples or be willing to speak about what works for you to share with members.

Garden Visit to Swindon House Farm, Kirkby Overblow

Penny Brook (on the right) welcomed us to her garden at Swindon House Farm,Kirkby Overblow, which is set in the beautiful countryside of North Yorkshire. Penny moved here over 30 years ago and we saw photograph of when the plot was just fields. Since then she has worked hard, planted trees and native hedges and made the garden into what we saw today.

Penny is passionate about wildlife and we reached the garden through wildflower meadows in which she has erected poles for the owls to perch on and hunt for voles and stoats. The large pond is home to many frogs and newts, there are hens strutting around in one of the fields and any prunings are left in piles for the wildlife.

 Compost area

The garden is divided into areas, some with mixed perennial borders, there is an orchard, raised beds with herbs, fruit and vegetables including figs, gooseberries and rhubarb and a cut flower patch.

We thoroughly enjoyed the visit and the cream tea and will take away many ideas for our own gardens.

Next Meeting: 17^th July – Friday Forum Summer Show. Details can be found on the Flower Show page.