the hort soc store newsletter - cholseyhortsoc
TRANSCRIPT
NEWSLETTER
Issue 017 Spring 2013
The Hort Soc Store....
... is open now so come along and see what we offer. You will need to become a member to buy from us but browsing is free. We are all keen gardeners and will be happy to exchange gardening knowledge and tips with you. Open Saturday mornings between 10 and 12 noon.
We have a decent range of good quality stuff to cover most gardening needs including composts and fertilisers, disease and pest control products, canes and pots. Where we can, we
respond to customers’ suggestions and changing conditions. This year we have added Bordeaux Mixture to our stock to help combat blight on potatoes and tomatoes which so many of us experienced last year. Our range of composts include multi-purpose, soil based and peat-free and we also have grow bags. If you don’t have transport then delivery to your door can be arranged.
We know we can’t always win on price over the big garden centres or supermarkets but we are handily located in the village so you save on fuel and we believe our discounted 3 bag compost deals do very well against the big players and our bagged fertilizer range is certainly value for money. Please come along and judge for yourself.
Seed potatoes are in now. We have several varieties of early, main crop and salad potatoes; we sell them by weight so you can buy just enough to suit your plot. We also have onion sets, both red and white as well as shallots and a small selection of Dobies vegetable seeds and, while we’re mentioning seeds, if you’re sowing now in trays then we recommend the use of Copper Fungicide (available from us) to prevent damping off.
To make room for new stock we have some items for sale at a reduced price and the last few remaining J Arthur Bower’s Farm Manure and Plantsman Peat Free compost 30L are being offered as a package: a bag of each for £5. A great deal - less than half price!
Don’t want a full bag of compost? Just want to re-pot a houseplant? We are happy to sell you Compost by the Litre either peat based or peat-free for 25p per litre.
Keep an eye out for our Plant Sales, either outside Tesco or at the Store. Our plants are grown from seed or by cuttings by our members and surplus to their requirements. Look out for our vegetable and herb seedlings this spring – many can be successfully grown in pots so don’t despair if you don’t have an allotment, you can still grow your own! Store Contact: [email protected]
Committee Members 2013: Val Bolt, Irene Creasy, Steve Head, Jenny Jeskins, Marion Kaposy, Pam Kendall, Jennie Kent, Clive Leverett, Val Rush, Pam Seymour, Jean White.
We have just launched a new website where you can find seasonal gardening tips, store news and information on our events. We’d love to hear your comments.
www.CholseyHortSoc.org.uk
Note from our Chairman: Many thanks for all the support we receive from our members and others in the village at our Plant Sales and the Flower Show--please keep on coming! We’re really excited about this year’s Flower Show, celebrating 70 years – what an achievement! Our last 2 Christmas Workshops have been a great success and we will be holding another one this year on 7th December, more details nearer the time.
If you aren’t already a member you can join any Saturday morning - annual membership is only £3 per household. The disruption to access to the store during the construction of the new Pavilion will soon be at an end but we are open as usual, ready to serve you and give friendly gardening advice. If you would like to get involved please speak to anyone at the Store or give me a ring. We look forward to hearing from you.
Pam Seymour, Chairman
Gardening writer and former Oxford academic Dr Steve Head will give an introduction to the wonderful and varied gardens in and around Oxford, followed by a day-long ramble through the city taking in the gardens and related architectural gems of several colleges. Steve's "Gardens of Oxford" courses at Denman College are consistently very popular, and this talk and walk will be full of surprises and discoveries. There will be a lot of gentle walking involved! Numbers limited on the walk so book early. We’ll be meeting in Oxford but lifts can be arranged from Cholsey if needed.
Woodland Wonder Wander with Cliff Woodward
Sunday 13th October, 2 pm ‘til 6 pm.
We had many favourable comments on last year's venue in Whitehead Meadow, Church Road so we will be using it again for this year’s bumper celebration. Entry will be free! Planning is already well underway with a 1940s theme to the event.
*The Show Schedule will be available in May, obtainable from The HortSoc Store and the new Pavilion in Station Road, also from Ray Park Butchers and Cholsey Post Office.
If you have any photos from the early years of the Show (or the village in general around that time) that you would be happy for us to include in our exhibition please contact Jennie Kent 01491 652100.
We hope that local clubs and organisations will join our celebration by having a stall or organising an activity. If you have any ideas in keeping with our 1940s theme or if you’d like to get involved in any other way please contact the Show Secretary: Jenny Jeskins, 73 Ilges Lane ~ Tel 01491 651579 ~ [email protected]
Evening talk: Friday 17th May. The Old School, at 7.30 pm Daytime tour: Thursday 23 May 10 am—4 pm
Cholsey
Flower Show
Saturday
10th August
TALK & WALK!
Autumn and Winter Garden
Friday 27th September, The Old School, at 7.30 pm
Talk and demonstration on preparing winter pots and hanging baskets by Crissy Clemson
of White Tower Nursery Aldermaston.
Programme for 2013 To book for any of these events or for more information please call Pam Seymour.
01491 651467 or [email protected]
Flower Show Marquee*
70th Anniversary
Show
Cholsey Silver Band
Bowl for the Pig
Charity and Trade Stalls
Arena Entertainment
Fun Dog Show Various classes
BBQ & Bar
Afternoon Tea Cafe Bumper Raffle
Down Memory Lane: Old Photos Exhibition
What is going on in our local woods? A wander through local wood-land spotting fungi and other goodies abundant at this time of year. Tread softly (and carry a big stick if you will) as we look at the changing season and learn of the not so obvious treasures within. Cliff will point out the new growth and share wider uses of what may already be on our forage list or in our freezers. Maybe even a little venture into ancient knowledge of the food and resources our ancestors made their own and which you may want to rediscover.
Cliff gave us a fascinating insight on this subject at our AGM and for everyone who enjoyed his talk, this walk is a must. Meeting up at the Lardon Chase car park—car sharing from Cholsey where possible
Gardens of Oxford
A
Birds of Prey Display