Showing off

Friday Forum’s mini summer show received  many submissions and was judged by Tony Booth, assisted by Graham Wheatley.

 Tony Booth

 

 

 first prize

 

 

 

 

Talk: Trees in Britain by Friday Forum Member Celia Latham Brown 

Celia gave us a fascinating talk on trees in Britain from the end of the ice age until the present day.

18 000 years ago Britain was still joined to Europe and animals brought over seeds which caused moss to grow, then grasses, then trees.  This is happening in Antarctica at the moment as visitors are transferring seeds attached to their clothing and footwear.

We learnt that Birch and Juniper were the earliest trees followed by Beech, Ash, Oak   and Elder.  Successive invaders introduced new species; the Romans brought fruit trees and the Normans brought Sycamore.

Trees were important to Britain; the Vikings used the forests for wood and food and at times of famine, people foraged for food on the fringes of the forests.

Forests were also used as hunting grounds, and industry needed wood for fuel.  Oak trees were used in shipbuilding and to construct Nelson’s favourite vessel HMS Agamemnon, 2,000 trees were used.

The oldest tree is a 5000 year old Yew in Pembrokeshire and round the corner here in Leeds we had our own Shire Oak. From Viking times, the district of Headingley was the centre of the Wapentake of Skyrack, or Siaraches, the "Shire oak". The name may refer to an oak tree that was used as a meeting place for settling legal disputes and raising armies.  It stood between the two well-known pubs, the Original Oak and the Skyrack.  The tree died and was felled in May 1941 and the trunk cut into pieces and authenticated chunks were sold off.

Many more interesting facts,,but too numerous to mention, were heard in Celia’s presentation.

Display Table

 Margaret's pot of wild flowers from seeds of Pictorial Meadows

 

 Ann's display in a watering can for Tour de France/Yorkshire and 50 years of RHS includes Alchemilla Mollis, bamboo, buttercup ivy, berberis aurea

 

Gill’s: Astilbes, holydiscus shrub with plume, stylorphorm – for shade all summer, Iris Gerald Derby – continual flowerer, scutellaria , Digitalis, Aconitum, Giant Fennel, Solarnum, Sweet Rocket, knautia, loosestrife

 

 

Campanula persicifolia 'Chettle Charm'

Notice Board

Jenny gave out notices from Paxton committee meeting of 17 June:  The May plant sale was a success and on Sat 19 July there will be a  coffee morning and plant sale at Paxton 10 - 12

 

Elizabeth reminded us that Leeds Flower Show, to be held at the Grammar School at Leeds on the 2nd & 3rd of August will be  150 years old and a replica of the 1864 show is being created using historic reports.

Pat Clarke’s garden visit on 15 August will be followed by a tour of the Centenary garden and rockery at Valley Gardens, for those who are interested.

Paxton's monthly flower arranging group held it's last meeting and we take this opportunity of thanking Kath Hall who has taught the classes over many years.  She gave her students useful tips from her time as a florist,made the lessons fun and encouraged entries to local shows.

Dates for your diary

Next meeting:  

18th July:  Day trip leaving Paxton at 9 am.   

1st August::  Forum - Useful tools in the garden   

Friends of Paxton meet regularly on the first Monday of the month from Midday.  An hour or two or your time to help maintain the premises are always welcome.  If another date is more suitable for you, please let us know.  

Friday Forum meetings are 1.30pm on 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month at Paxton Hall, Paxton Horticultural Society, 186 Kirkstall Lane, Leeds LS5 2AB.   Meetings may be hands-on sessions, guest speakers or garden visits. Regular features are the Display Table where members can bring their plants for discussion and advice and the Sales Table where members sell their plants, cuttings and produce to help the club funds.  For further information log on to https://sites.google.com/site/paxtonhorticulturalsocietycouk/Home