Six on Saturday

 
Ann, one of the members of our gardening group, brought a pot containing seven types of Christmas berries, so pick your six.

Butcher’s Broom (Ruscus Aculeatus) which got its name from the method of cleaning down the wooden blocks they used.  Sarcacocca Confusa with its strong scent and black berries, Hedera Helix (Ivy), Holly (Ilex aquifolium), Iris foetidissima, Gaultheria procumbens and Cotoneaster.

The Propagator generously hosts Six on Saturday.  Click on the link to his blog to see what he and his followers are growing and doing in their gardens this week.

Happy holidays all!

Friday Forum Christmas Party 2019

The afternoon kicked off with a gardening joke from Norma: 

Why does Father Christmas have three gardens?  Did you get it?

Margaret M brought some miniature Christmas stockings which she would fill with chocolates and some hearts to hang on a tree:

See the intricate cross stitching

 

Ann brought a pot containing seven types of Christmas berries:

Butcher’s Broom (Ruscus Aculeatus) which got its name from the method of cleaning down the wooden blocks they used.  Sarcacocca Confusa with its strong scent and black berries, Hedera Helix (Ivy), Holly (Ilex aquifolium), Iris foetidissima, Gaultheria procumbens and Cotoneaster

 

This was followed by James F’s Annual Christmas Quiz.  In groups of three, our task was to identify 27 different types of berries and seeds.

No group scored 27, but James gets full marks for the efforts he went to devising the quiz and arranging the 27 items per table.  It took James a year to devour all the eggs for sufficient boxes and eat lots of fruit and collect the items.  We had great fun identifying the items and learning that the macadamia nuts were named after the Australian chemist John Macadam and that turpentine came from pine nuts.

It wouldn’t be a party without pass the parcel (with forfeits) organised by Janella, a free raffle and mince pies.

Gardening Matters

If you can’t get out in the garden, here’s a podcast to listen to:


https://bloommagazine.podbean.com/e/podbean_best_podcast_hosting_audio_video_blog_hosting/

Notice Board

Sue G sends her greetings to all from Italy

The full Friday Forum programme for 2020 can be found on the appropriate page.

Next Meeting

3^rd January – New Year Forum.  Judith has put out a request for your early garden memories.  This is something she has wanted to do for a long time and it would be good to hear your thoughts and reminiscences.

What have plants done for us …. at Christmas

 Presentation:  The delightful Tracy Foster gave an enthralling talk on what plants have done for us …. with a Christmas twist.  She explained the importance of plants in feeding, clothing, sheltering and curing us as well as inspiring great works of art and for decorating our homes.  We learnt the history, facts and fiction about everything from holly to hemp and sage to stevia. 

Gardening Matters

If the weather keeps you from gardening, consider these:  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-7736549/Blooming-brilliant-best-gardening-reads-2019.html

Notice Board

Subscriptions for 2020 are due on first or second meetings in January and remain at £12.00.   Please make out cheque to Paxton Horticultural Society of pay by cash in named envelope.

York Gate Garden in Adel has put out a call for further volunteers, with the perk of free access.  http://perennial.org.uk/garden/york-gate-garden/

Paxton library has received a number of books from the estate of our late member Celia Latham Brown.  As most of you will know, Celia gave Friday Forum interesting lectures on many topics, all researched meticulously from books rather than using a computer.  Celia had compiled notes for two more presentations, so if anyone would like to use these for a talk, this would be a fitting memorial.  The topics are Trees and Botanical Illustrations.

Jane has some beautifully illustrated booklets of the past and present of the Valley Gardens, Harrogate.  They sell for £5.00 each with profits going to Friends of Valley Gardens.   

Next Meeting

20^th December – Friday Forum Christmas Party:  Tis the season to be jolly, so festive attire encouraged.  You are welcome to bring nibbles, board games etc.  There will be crafting for those who wish so bring any bits and pieces to create table decorations, wreaths or candleholders and amaze your guests.  There will be some seasonal foliage available.

 Some Gill made earlier

Brightens any room

3^rd January – New Year Forum

The full programme for 2020 is now available and will be on the blog’s Programme page shortly.

In autumn, don't go to jewellers to see gold; go to the parks! ~Mehmet Murat ildan

Forum:

All members were given a letter of the alphabet to speak about a flower accompanied by a personal anecdote.  We laughed and empathised with the stories but I reckon Carl’s came out top.  When showing a child a pea pod and asking what it was, the child replied, “Is it a baby banana?”

Display Table:

Ann’s display contained Amicia zygomeris, Nerine bowdenii, Rosa Flaming Desire, Hesperantha Mrs Hegarty and Coccinea, Fuchsia Genii, Penstemon, Liriope muscari, Eucomis autumnale, Erysium Bowles Mauve, Corydalis ochreleuca, Persicaria Fat Domino and Golden Arrow, Itea ilicifolia 

Judith brought Abelia grandiflora, Salvia Amistad and the hardy Chrysanthemum Duchess of Edinburgh

 Gill’s bouquet which reminded her of a *tussie-mussie included Geranium nodosum, a late flowering clematis, fuchsia, chrysanthemum, Japanese anemone and Michaelmas Daisy

*We learn something new at every meeting of Friday Forum and this week it was the phrase Tussie-Mussie.  According to the dictionary, it is a small bunch of flowers or aromatic herbs or a cone-shaped holder for a bouquet.  It further transpires that in Victorian times meant protect the wearer from noxious odours produced by the poor bathing and sanitary conditions of former times.  It can also refer to the bouquet gathered by young servants from the garden of the Big House to take to their mothers on Mothering Sunday or to an offering from a young man to his girlfriend. See this link for more on the topic. https://www.ilonasgarden.com/victorian-tussie-mussie-bouquet-meaning/

 Carol brought the seedheads of Sinacalia Tangutica which reminded her of miniature silver Christmas trees

 Thelma’s Pointsettia from last year, still an attractive plant with its red stems although it won’t regain its red foliage

 Janella’s garden accessories from her recent trip to USA

 Judith’s attractive arrangement in a wicker basket contains pots of the winter cherry plant (Solanum Capsicastrum), conifer Goldcrest, heuchera and Helleborus niger and she will substitute pots of Narcissus ‘Tête-à-Tête’ later in the season

Gardening Matters

https://the3growbags.com/product/growbag-garden-notebook/

This garden notebook would make a welcome gift for any gardener (including yourself) and half the profits from all sales go to Cancer Research UK.

Notice Board:

Paxton Late Autumn Show will be held on 23^rd November and Dorothy would appreciate help in the kitchen. Judging is at 12 noon and Shows are open to the public from 2pm to 4.00pm.

Janella is working hard organising our day trip on 21 August to Southport Flower Show so put the date in your 2020 diary

Next Meeting

6^th December – Presentation by the personable Tracy Foster entitled “What have plants done for us?”

20^th December – Friday Forum Christmas Party

Tulips from Amsterdam?

Presentation on Tulips by Teresa Clements

Who better to give Friday Forum this talk than Teresa Clements, Secretary of the Wakefield and North of England Tulip Society?

In her fascinating and informative presentation, Teresa explained about English and Dutch tulips, how they came to us via the silk route and about the early tulip societies in Wakefield.

Display Table

 Still flowering in her garden, Gill brought Winter Jasmine, Clematis Princess Diana and Lady Betty Balfour, Geranium nodosum, Hydrangea, Salvia Hot Lips, Fuchsia, Asters, Astrantia, Helenium, Jamaican Primrose

Kate’s Fern Polypodium cambricum Richard Kayse. Great for winter foliage, sterile so does not produce spores and propagated by division.  Was found by Kayse in Wales in the 1600s and thought to have died out until rediscovered in 1980s

Caroline has recently developed an interest in Salvias and her vase contains Amistad and Love and Wishes

Judith's Rosa Mutabilis

 Judith's Heucherella Buttered Rum

Margaret H was disappointed with these but, like a true gardener, will try growing them again, this time in a pot 

 

Ann brought an attractive arrangement of foliage from her garden which left us wondering if she has an arboretum!

Tetrapanax Papy Rifer, Pseudopanax, Ricinis communis, Ulvius wredei, Acacia pravissima, Acacia ‘Garnet’, Liriodendron tulipifera, Hedera Buttercup, Pittosporum Tom Thumb plus Jasminium officicinale variegatum and Rhodochiton atrosanguineum which has prettily intertwined

This is a photo of my winter container inspired by Judith who suggested an arrangement made up of pots which are easily changed as the seasons change.  Mine contains two cyclamen, Calluna vulgaris and the silver one which had no label.  I later saw a load of these in Tesco all labelled (wrongly) Sedum Herbstfreude!  It's actually Calopcephalus brownii

Next Meeting

November 15^th – Forum.  All contributions (questions, tips, anecdotes, future plans, ideas for our Christmas Forum) will be welcome at this meeting.  

Harvest Forum

This year our theme for Harvest Forum was British Fruit and the photos illustrate the range of produce, mainly grown by our members.  We had a very enjoyable tasting session.

Judith's Apple and Tarragon cake

Jenny's Damson Jelly 

Display Table

It seems some of our members have plenty of late season colour and variety in their gardens:

 Judith’s jug contains Dahlia Blue by you, and an attractive anemone centred one, Tithonia which if deadheaded goes on forever, Ricinus, Salvia Amistad and Phytolacca

Kate's arrangement consists mainly of cut and come again flowers:  Hemerocallis stella d’oro, Geranium Ann Folkard, Astrantia Buckland, Rose Lady of Shalott, Veronica Eveline, Knautia, Periscaria  orange field, Sedum and Callicarpa

 Gill’s pot of the late flowering Saxigraga fortunei Gokk

 Gill’s vase with Hydrangea, Michaelmas Daisies, and Clematis

  Maggie asked for identification of this plant

 This pot of Aeonium was looking for a new home and Mary kindly split it up so many members could benefit from it

Ann brought from her garden:  Persicaria Fat Domino, JS Caliente and Golden Arrow, Aster frikiartii Jungfrau, Aster novi belgi Barbados, Aconitum carmichaeli and Spatlase, Salvia Sebastian and Silkies Dream, Nerine bowdenii, Hesperantha coccinea, and Penstemon

 Ann's  Crocus speciosus

Notice Board

If the weather keeps us out of the garden, here are two garden blogs you may find of interest:

http://the3growbags.com/growbag-growhow/chains-of-cheerful-chillies-growhow-tips-for-october/

https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2019/10/19/six-on-saturday-19-10-2019/#respond 

Next Meeting

1^st November – Presentation:  English Tulips by Teresa Clements