Harvest Forum

In addition to the traditional Bring & Buy Sale, we had a Harvest Quiz, an idea from Sheila, which involved tasting a variety of dishes brought in my members to determine the ingredients.  Although the final scores were not very high, everyone enjoyed tasting the cakes, jams, soup and savoury dishes. 

 Congratulation to Caroline for First Prize

 Second Prize went to Sheila

 Marjorie and Dorothy shared 3rd Prize

Display Table

Members brought in loads of flowers and foliage from their gardens, which just goes to show that there is still plenty to see in mid-October.

Kate brought a bunch of different coloured berries include pyracantha (orange), snowberry (white) and Profusion (purple).

Sue G displayed an stunning autumnal arrangement of foliage and flowers whose true colours show up in the sunlight.  Euonymus alatus, acer, Gillenia trifoliate, salvia, hesperantha,  tritonia, eupatorium chocolate ruffles, crocosmia Emily McKenzie, Aster September Charm, cornus alba sibirica, spirea and the foliage of a peony. 

 

Ann remarked that the bouquet she brought from her garden and presented in a pottery vase made by herself all came from distant lands and paid homage o those intrepid explorers who collected them:  Amicia zygomeris and a dahlia from Mexico, Aconitum carmichaeli (Russia/China),  Schizostylis coccinea (South Africa), liriope muscari and ceratostigma desert skies (China), alstroemeria selina (South America) the spotty tricyrtis formosana (Japan) and lobelia (N/C/S America)

 

Gill showed us Japanese anemone, purple salvia Amistad, various asters including Sapphire, erigeron, phlox, hydrangeas, helenium beauty, corydalis, a tender fuchsia, eupatorium rugosum, potentilla monarch velvet and clematis.

 Judith’s foliage arrangement included Japanese honeysuckle golden beacon, Abelia grandiflora, the seedheads of clematis Bill Mackenzie (which make effective decorations when sprayed), melianthus major, hardy begonia, lemon sage, castor oil plant, geranium Margaret Wilson with attractive marking on its foliage, heucheras, catalpa and prunus incisa 'Kojo-no-mai'

Notice Board

If you are interested in visiting the gardens at Attadale and Inverewe, there are still a few places on a trip that Dorothy has organised leaving 16^th May with National Coaches, Monday – Friday and staying in a luxury hotel http://strathpefferhotel.co.uk for £250.

Next Meeting

6^th November:  Talk by Sally Smith on Muck and Magic

Pests and Diseases

Talk by John Steedman on Pests and Diseases

John described his presentation as light-hearted and it was indeed both fascinating and witty.  He took us through the history of man’s search for preventative methods from the time crops were grown en masse to what works for farmers and gardeners today.  Some early methods were harmful to wildlife, some were flukes and some found by chance. 

Display Table

Mary’s aeonium which she lays down in its pot as it is so heavy but gives a good view of the rosettes

 Another Mary brought an unusual coleus which looked more like a succulent, all green with a minty fragrance

 

Caroline brought an interesting and amusing article from the Yorkshire Post on picking blackberries or bladding, as they say in Yorkshire. It is said that blackberries picked after Michaelmas Day, September 29^th, are as tasteless as if the devil spat on them.  The dilemma is that this year’s colder spring and summer has delayed the blackberries by about three weeks so are you superstitious or will you pick them late?  Apparently it was usual to plant blackberry bushes on graves to keep the devil away!  Read the article at : http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/rural/farming/country-coast-daring-decision-to-make-on-whether-to-pick-blackberries-1-7487181#ixzz3nXFIZWY9

It is good to see that our members still have colour and interest this late in the season.

Gill’s collection includes white eupatorium rugosum, salvia thalictrum, the plume of actea cimicifuga, alstroemeria celine , azara which had yellow flowers and now shows white berries, michaelmas daisy Sapphire which grows to 18”, Himalayan honeysuckle Lydia with bright, green leaves and Actea pachyooda doll’s eye

 

Kate’s bouquet comprises Rudbeckia, Helenium, Verbena, Aster divaricatus, willow gentian, Japanese Anemones Pamina and Honorine Jobert and Cosmos

 

 

Ann’s jug contains Actea cimicifuga with its white plume, yellow  Bomarea caldasii which is not quite hardy, kirengeshoma palmata , Tricyrtis, Hesperantha, paeonia obovata alba, colchiums: agrippum, waterlily and alba and the tall annual tithonia rotundifolia

Notice Board

Your help is requested on Tuesday 13^th October for a Paxton Clean Up which will take place between 10 am and 2pm. 

Margaret D reported that the Paxton Show was a profitable event and thanked Friday Forum members for their help and support.

If anyone is interested in becoming a judge for Yorkshire in Bloom, please email admin@yorkshireinbloom.co.uk for more information.

Next Meeting

16th October - Harvest Festival:  As well as our usual Bring and Buy sale, this year we are asking members to make a food dish of your choice for others to taste and guess the ingredients.