Marion Jay

Crossword Winner

Those of you who couldn’t make it to the Christmas Party on 5th December may be interested to know that the winner of the Autumn Newsletter Prize Crossword competition was Margaret Bardell (see solution at the end of this article). Although attendance numbers for the party were down on last year’s, members enjoyed listening toContinue reading “Crossword Winner”

Next Member Meeting & AGM on Saturday November 7th

The Herts HPS Annual General Meeting will be held this Saturday, 7th November, at 2pm, to be followed by our own member’s talk; Judy Barker will be telling us all about ‘Hardy Border Chrysanthemums’. Judy is a member of the Trials Committee at Wisley. She has three allotments, which together hold a Plant Heritage National Collection of Korean, RubellumContinue reading “Next Member Meeting & AGM on Saturday November 7th”

HPS at the RHS Shows

With exhibitors at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show finally learning the results of the judging, Annie Godfrey of Daisy Roots Nursery, a Herts HPS ex-Chairman and long standing member, won a Silver Gilt for her vibrant exhibit of drought tolerant plants. You can watch a short video from the BBC, of Annie being interviewed byContinue reading “HPS at the RHS Shows”

Members’ Open Garden – The Abbots House

On a bright afternoon last Sunday a small group of Herts HPS members gathered to visit Sue and Peter Tomson’s garden at The Abbot’s House in Abbot’s Langley. It was a real treat to explore the large garden, with myriad paths leading to many different areas, each with their own distinct character and atmosphere. Tall treesContinue reading “Members’ Open Garden – The Abbots House”

2015 Seedling Swap

The Herts Group Seedling Swap drew a bumper number of visitors to David and Jane Singleton’s sunny garden last Saturday. David is a fuchsia enthusiast and his greenhouse was packed with healthy-looking rooted cuttings, many of which will end up growing on in the polytunnel which also doubles a cover for his swimming pool! AContinue reading “2015 Seedling Swap”

Meeting Roundup | Brian Ellis from Avondale Nursery

Our final talk for this season came from Brian Ellis, purveyor of marvellous plants and co-proprieter (with his wife Steph) of Avondale Nursery, just south of Coventry Airport. Brian and Steph both have art college backgrounds, which was evident from the quality of his photographs and choice of plant combinations. He began the talk byContinue reading “Meeting Roundup | Brian Ellis from Avondale Nursery”

Aquilegia Downy Mildew

A new plant scourge is spreading across the country from Wales to Eastern England and has been reportedly found on the Hertfordshire/Essex border. Aquilegia Downy Mildew is a disfiguring, ultimately fatal fungal disease for which home gardeners have no known effective chemical control. The most prudent course of action is to familiarise yourself with theContinue reading “Aquilegia Downy Mildew”

March 2015 Group Meeting| Round Up

Last Saturday’s meeting had a good turn-out, considering the glorious weather was tempting us all to stay at home and footle about in the garden. Julian Sutton from Desirable Plants began his talk on Herbaceous Berberidaceae (non-woody members of the Berberis family) with a round-up of this ancient plant family’s characteristics, which typically include pinnateContinue reading “March 2015 Group Meeting| Round Up”

Bob Brown | Group Meeting on Feb 7th

Bob Brown delivered an excellent talk at last Saturday’s meeting (7th February), giving the Herts Group the benefit of his lifetime’s experience as a nurseryman. The subject was New Garden-Worthy Plants, and members will have recognised many of the featured plants as new introductions from the past ten years or so. Particular recommendations from BobContinue reading “Bob Brown | Group Meeting on Feb 7th”