Show and Tell

Mini Flower Show

Our members did themselves proud in the spring show and received accolades and tips from the judges.

 Class 1

 

 Class 3

 Class 4:Container of Spring flowering bulbs

Class 5:One pot plant, indoor or outdoor

 One vase containing flowering branches (winning entry)

 

 Class 7: Dish of floating flower heads

 Judges Gordon Kirby and Graham Wheatley

Talk and Demonstration

Gordon Kirby, a very experienced gardener, medal-winning chrysanthemum grower and head gardener at Temple Newsam for many years, gave us many useful tips regarding conservatory plants, their care and propagation.  He warned us to check the quality of the compost we were using and advised us to water plants before repotting, making the roots work harder to seek moisture. 

Display Table

Gill's Euphorbia Tasmanian Tiger with advice to remove the flower head after flowering and Ann's daffodils for wwhich she would like to know the name.

 On the left is Judith's Auricula.  On the right are Ann's Dog Tooth Violets bought as bulbs: Erythronium tuolunese Pagoda, E. oregonum White Beauty,E. Revolutum and E. Joanne, most of which spread easily in her scree garden, but then what doesn't!

From her Gill brought Smyrnium perfoliatum (which she calls a thug), cardamine jack frost, Bowles golden grass, daffodil Rapture, oxslip, Pachyphragma macrophyllum, Epimediums, CorydalisNana Lutea, anemone blanda.

 

Trevor's hellebore which he sowed from a seedhead in 2011 and from which he raised seven plants.  They prefer to be planted in Long Toms.

Notice Board 
Our first garden visit is fast approaching.  On May 15^th we will be to Millrace Nursery, 84 Selby Road, Garforth LS25 1LP starting at 2pm.  The nursery specialises in hardy perennials and all the plants are tried and tested in their garden, where established plantings throughout the growing season can be seen.  The Nursery Further details of this and other visits will be given out at the next meeting, so update your plant wish lists.

There are still some places left on our day trip on July 17^th (see Janella) and an opportunity to visit Cragside in Northumberland on May 17^th with the Alpine Garden Society (see AnnF).

Margaret D thanked those members who helped and attended the Paxton show.

Dates for your Diary

Next Meeting:  May 1^st – A presentation by Gail Summerfield “Pride in the Fall”

Plants and Shrubs with all year interest

At this session of Friday Forum members discussed a subject which is the dream of every gardener; to create a garden with all year interest.

Here are some of the plants that were suggested:

September at Breezy Knees garden near York

Fatsia japonica
Ivy
Astelia
Ophiopogon ( black grass)
Hebes
Liberia peregrins
Bergenia 
Garrya eliptica 'James Roof'
Euonymus
Ilex (holly)
Forsythia - suggested that a clematis growing through it would give a longer season of interest.
Hellebores
Arum italicum ( dies down in summer)
Euphorbias
Pittosporum - Tom Thumb, Silver Queen, Tandora gold.
Lonicera nitida
Skimmia 'Kew Green'
Prunus laurocerasus 'Marbled White'
Eucalyptus
Viburnum tinus
Osmanthus.
Please add your comments if you can contribute to this list.

Display Table
Unfortunately photographs are unavailable at the moment due to lack of technical knowledge by blog editor!

Dates for your Diary:

Next meeting is 17^th April and is Friday Forum’s mini Spring Show plus a talk on Conservatory Plants by Gordon Kirkby.  The show has seven classes as before (see the blog post for last year) so why not have a go.

The Friday Forum day trip has been planned for 17^th July takes in a trio of gardens and nurseries.  Contact Janella for more details and to book your place.  Start or update your plant wish list now!