May all your weeds be wild flowers

Georgia Gilbert who is Head of Wild Flower at John Chambers Wildflowers gave us a very interesting presentation. Georgia, who has qualifications in Horticulture and in Landscape Architecture is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the natural environment. We learnt about native species of wildflowers, where they can be found, from meadows to garden pots and the importance of wildflowers for insects and birds who rely on them for pollination. Georgia encouraged us to participate in the annual Big Butterfly Count Big Butterfly Count which is a UK wide survey in July/August which gives a key indicator of the health of our environment simply by counting butterflies.

Display Table

There was plenty to see on the display table:

Amanda brought Double Wood Anemone Vestal, Narcissus Tahlia, Wallflower from a cutting, Erysimum Parish, the fragrant Daphne transatlantica, Epimedium, Pulmonaria longifolia, Rosemary, Camellia, Pasque flower.

 Judith’s display contains Purple and White Honesty, Euphorbia polychroma and Robbiae, Syngonium, Iberis, Hellebore, Larmiun Ovale

 

 Kate brought Melica uniflora, Epimedium Frohnleiten, Brunnera Alexander’s Great, Vinca minor, Erysimum, Teucrium Indyho, Viola sororia Freckles, Trillium grandiflorum

 Maggie Y brought Camassia, Omphalodes, Lamium Archangel, Celandine Brazen Hussy, Pulmonaria Opal, Epimedium, Comfrey

 

 Ann brought Rhododendrons Bluetit and Osprey, Skimmia Kew Green, Chaelameles Geisha Girl, Salix babylonica crispa and Malus Profusion

 Norma brought for identification these corms/roots which were in a pot she was emptying. A couple of member offered to try growing them and we wait to hear the outcome.

 Ann also brought this leaf of a Mandrake plant which is over 2 ft long!

 

Dorothy’s yellow themed vased containsDoronium, Acer, Wallflower, Pansy, Daffodils mini Tête à tête and Sunrise, Kerria, Azalea x 2, Primulas x 3, mini Tulip, Oxlip and Dandelion

 

Carol Abbot is opening her award winning garden for the National Garden Scheme at 4a Blackwood Rise, Cookridge, LS16 7BG on Sunday 3^rd May at 12.30 – 4.30. Adults £5.00, Children free, plants for sale and tea refreshments.

Next meeting on 1^st May will be a forum on House Plants; growing, feeding, propagating or just keeping them alive. Please bring any healthy, poorly or cuttings of house plants and we look forward to your input.

Friday Forum Spring Show

 Amanda putting the finishing touches to one of her entries

We had a record number of entries for our Spring Show. Our thanks go to John Smiles for judging the entries and for explaining what he was looking for in each category. We are also grateful to Show Secretary, Dorothy, who ensured everything went smoothly.

Results are as follows:

CLASS 1   One vase containing one Daffodil

 

1^st prize    Suzanne

2^nd prize    Dorothy

3^rd prize     Judi   

CLASS 2   One vase containing three Daffodils

 1^st prize    Norma

2^nd prize    Suzanne

3^rd prize    Dorothy

CLASS 3   One vase containing three Tulips

 

1^st prize    Jean

2^nd prize    -

3^rd prize    -

CLASS 4   Container of Spring flowering bulbs

 1^st prize    Amanda

2^nd prize    Norma

3^rd prize    Amanda

CLASS 5   One pot plant, indoor or outdoor

1^st prize    Norma

2^nd prize    Sandra

3^rd prize    Norma

CLASS 6   One vase containing flowering branches

 1^st prize    Amanda

2^nd prize    Suzanne

3^rd prize    Liz

CLASS 7  Dish of floating flower heads

1^st prize    Amanda 

2^nd prize    Sue

3^rd prize    Judi

Display Table

Suzanne’s pot of Ice Baby from the bulbs distributed to members in the Autumn 

 Judith’s tall Corydalis with fern-like foliage

Gardening Matters

Paxton Gardeners’ Question Time is taking place on Friday 17th April from 9.30 to 11am at OPAL at 55 Bedford Drive, Leeds LS16 6DJ. Paxton members, OPAL and guests are all welcome. There will also be a demonstration on propagation.

Paxton Summer Show takes place at OPAL Centre, 55 Bedford Drive, Leeds LS16 6DJ on Saturday 20th June and will be open to the public from 1 pm.

Next Meeting

There will be no meeting on Good Friday, 3^rd April.

17^th April – A presentation on Wild Flowers by Georgia Gilbert

"Every spring is the only spring, a perpetual astonishment." Ellis Peters

The meeting began with the AGM.  The chair's report has been sent to members.

Display Table

  Dorothy brought: a selection of Hellebores, Pulmonaria, Muscari, Primula ‘Golden Lace’ Epimedium leaves, Snowdrop, Sarcococca

Kate brought in Camellia ‘Silver Anniversary’, Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’, Mukdenia rossii, Narcissus ‘Jetfire’, Pachyphragma macrophyllum, Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-no-mai’ , which means ‘flight of butterflies’ when translated from Japanese

  Some members brought in the narcissus bulbs that were given out to members last Autumn

Norma brought her Narcissus ‘Ice Baby’

 Katherine brought Iris and her Sansevieria plant that had started to flower.

*Next meeting has been changed*

The delphinium propagation visit on Friday 20th March has been cancelled as the delphiniums have not put on enough growth and therefore we are going ahead with the mini show on that date instead.  Details of categories can be seen on the Flower Shows page.

"Botany, the eldest daughter of medicine." — Johann Hermann Baas

Sarah Owen-Hughes gave an interesting and informative talk on Plants and Medicine and recommended some books to research this topic further.

Display Table

 Kate brought these ferns

 Ann brought these Spring flowers in a slate container

Next Meeting

6th March: AGM followed by a talk by John Freer

"Even the harshest winter cannot suppress the strength of a snowdrop” Anon

 

Sue Gray

Sue Gray gave us a delightful presentation on Snowdrops and Winter Gardens, peppered with interesting facts and amusing anecdotes, which was well received on a dull and damp day. We learnt that the snowdrop is not a native plant but arrived here in the 1500s. Initially a plant for the wealthy, there are thousands of species, some of which can cost over £1000 each. There are different flowering times for snowdrops which range from October to April and we were shown illustrations of various gardens to see how they can be planted with Cornus, Nandina, aconites and cyclamen to great effect.

Display Table

 Kate’s Clematis urophylla Winter Beauty

 Kate’s vase contains Galanthus: S. Arnott woronowii and nivalis flore pleno, hellebore, foliage of Bergenia and Arum italicum marmoratum

 Wendy brought Hellebore, Uncinia rubra Everflame, Euphorbia rigida, the fragrant Daphne Jacqueline Postill and Lonicera fragrantissima

Next meeting:

20th February: Presentation - Sarah Owen-Hughes on Plants and Medicine.

“In January, we plant seeds of hope that bloom throughout the year.” Anon

Peter Spedding gave us an interesting presentation on Meanwood Park, familiar to quite a few of our members. Some of the illustration had sound tracks of birds, running water and even a brass band! Peter first discovered the park in 1983 when working in Leeds and looking for somewhere to have a picnic.

We learnt of the history of the park and the families who owned it before it was acquired by Leeds City Council in 1954. In 1792 Edward Oates, a relative of Captain Oates of Antarctic fame bought the land, including the original hall which no longer exists, Meanwood Beck runs through the centre of the park and its various weirs, ponds and bridges as well as the many trees add interest. Today the park has a cafe and is used for a wide range of activities for example walking, running, playing tennis and even Tai Chi. Local schools and football clubs also make use of the large. green spaces although the surfaces are not all flat.

Display Table

 Judith brought this fabulous Amaryllis called River Dance

Sue’s vase contained Cornus ( cornus alba elegantissima and Midwinter Fire) Narcissus tete-a-tete, Nandina, Hamamelis (Diane and Levis which are very similar), Viburnum Tinus, sarcococca, Winter Honeysuckle and the fragrant Daphne “Jacqueline Postill”

 Ann’s display in the pot received as a Christmas gift contained Viburnum tinus, Hamamelis mollis, coum, Galanthus nivalis, Narcissus tete-a-tete, Cyclamen erifiosa, Iris unguicularis, Jasminium nudiflorum, Hellebore “Ashwood”, Vinca minor and Clematis “Freckles”

Marjorie brought this Amaryllis 

 Amanda brought her first flowering Snowdrop

 Kate’s Hamamelis “Arnold promise”

  

Peter brought leaflets for coach tours which include garden centres and offers local pickups. 

Next Meeting

6th February: Forum - Sue Gray to talk on Snowdrops and Winter Gardens