Newsletter                             February 2008

 

Cookham and Cookham Dean Horticultural Society

 

NEXT MEETING:  Wednesday  February 27th 7.30pm

Cookham Dean Village Hall

 

“How the gardens at Cliveden are being restored to their original design”

 

A talk by Andrew Mudge, Head Gardener

 

 
 
                                                                                                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAIRMAN’S  LETTER

 

Thank you to those members - nearly 50, who participated in our ‘In house - Gardener’s Question Time’ and of course to my fellow panellists Gill Townend and Carolyn Foster.
Thanks also to Susie Tremlett for chairing the evening.  We think the evening went well but what do you think?

 

I’m sure a lot of you have already heard the news about our President, Mabel Veevers.
Unfortunately, Mabel was taken ill before Christmas and her son has taken her down to live near them in Somerset.  She is on the mend, but it is felt unwise for her to live alone any longer so a suitable care home is being sort out for her near her son.  We have sent a card and our best wishes on behalf of the Society.  We will keep you posted.

 

The Society daffodil bulbs are looking good, though due to the very mild winter (overall) they may well need to be kept as cold as possible to stop them flowering too soon.  Leave them in the ground as long as possible but clear away any earth which may come in contact with the lower leaves as this will blanch them.  I suggest you start feeding them from the end of February with a high potash feed, ie. Phostrogen, Tomorite etc. this will help give the blooms a good colour.  Once we get to the middle of March you will have to decide whether to get them into the warm to bring them on, or put them somewhere as cold as possible to hold them back - good luck.

 

I don’t always remember to thank the ladies who volunteer to make the tea and coffee at the interval.  Thank you to those who have helped in the past and hopefully we will have more volunteers for the rest of the year.  Its not an onerous duty, there are usually lots of extra pairs of hands if necessary at the last minute and there is always someone around who knows what to do and can help anyone not sure, so please tell Mary Fallon if you are prepared to help, she can always match you with someone suitable.

 

We are introducing the magazine exchange again, so do bring any unwanted or well read magazines along to the meeting and exchange it for another, then bring that one back to another meeting and so on.
We are also going to slightly change the format of the raffle.  In future we will charge 50p a ticket and at the same time make absolutely sure that no more than 5 prizes are on offer.  Hopefully, this will reduce drastically the amount of time the ladies have to spend folding bit of paper and lessen the time it takes to draw.

 

Susie now has the full programme for this year which will be sent to you very shortly.
In the meantime enjoy the start of the early Spring

Brian

 

National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens

Saturday, 16th February 2.15-4.30pm

‘ Snowdrops in the Wild’

A talk by Christopher Brickell

Exeter Hall, Kidlington OX5 1AB

Contact Jim Rodda 01494 728527  Members £2.00

(Cookham and CD Horticultural Society has recently joined the local NCCPG)
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Winter comes alive at Savill Garden

 

We took advantage of the December offer of free entry to the Savill Garden near Windsor recently and enjoyed a brief post-Christmas visit on a grey afternoon.  Our spirits were soon lifted by the diversity of winter interest this garden offers and we were soon busy photographing ferns (mainly evergreen Polystichums) which brightened the darkest corners under trees and spotting the first snowdrops.

 

Leading to the walled area where a bright red japonica caught everyone’s attention, were magnolias with furry grey buds.  Beyond was a scented Prunus subhirtella “Autumnalis”, with its blossom finishing but still alive with bees.

A bright grass, Cortaderia selloana “Gold Band” lit up the edge of the woodland opposite the herbaceous borders, where the labels indicated past glories, no doubt to be repeated next summer.

The attractive branch shapes of acers and the textured patterns of so many different kinds of bark added to the interest.  Heading back through The Glades led us past the crisp brown flower heads of numerous Hydrangea paniculatum and macrophylla, whose evocative names – Brussels Lace, Mousseline, Sea Foam – just made me want to return when they are in flower.

 

The most colourful area was undoubtedly the Winter Beds, bright with red-stemmed Cornus alba “Sibirica”, orangey Cornus sanguinea “Midwinter Fire and yellow Cornus stolonifera “Flaviramea.”  Then there were red and gold Witch Hazels and a purple Rhododendron dauricum “Midwinter”, already in flower, not surprisingly labelled as plants of current interest.

By this time the fairy lights were twinkling in the avenue leading back to the stunning Savill Building, which was open for tea or bargains in the shop.

 

For free parking (with normal garden entry cost) don’t forget to have your parking ticket validated at reception or in the machine just outside.

 

more info at www.theroyallandscape.co.uk

tel. 01753 860222 (admin) or 01784 435544 (shop and restaurant)

 

Mary Downes

                                                                                                                       

                                                           

 

On Cornish Gardens....continued

 

 

I was interested to read in the latest National Trust magazine that the Trust is hoping to open the gardens at Godolphin House, near Helston in Cornwall. This will make a visit to Trevarno (see last month’s newsletter) and Godolphin even more worthwhile. Although the National Trust has owned the estate at Godolphin for several years, it was only last year that it took over responsibility for the house and garden. In addition to exploring the beautiful estate land and visiting the charming and dilapidated Godolphin House, for garden historians a more important hidden treasure lies at the heart of the 550 acre estate. The Side Garden as it is referred to, is cited as one of the oldest in Europe and has been awarded a Grade 11* listing from English Heritage (there is discussion to upgrade it to an ancient monument in the near future). Far from a typical Cornish garden, this garden is more of an archaeologist’s dream due to the medieval patterns, compartments, terraces and walkways layered beneath the soil. One third of the garden laid in a formal style, dates back to 1300 followed by a square garden with 9 compartments created in 1480. The compartments would probably have been used as vineyards, herbs gardens and ponds and are surrounded by a raised walkway, in which sycamore trees that may be over 300 years old can still be seen today. Three compartments remain nearest the house, one containing two fish ponds and another a giant box hedge. The other 6 compartments lie

 

 

buried in a paddock beyond. A visit to the Side Garden is not rewarding for the array of flowers or plants but instead offers a unique glimpse into the history of the ‘English formal garden’- a rare opportunity today.

 

I would recommend visiting in the next year because, as with Heligan, I think watching the excavation and the intrigue of what lies beneath the soil will be possibly more interesting than the actual ‘finished’ garden. The National Trust has started a fundraising appeal to help conserve, maintain and restore the Godolphin Gardens and the house in the future. If you would like to make a donation or read more about the appeal then visit: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-trust/w-support/w-donations.htm and click on the Godolphin Appeal.

 

Those of you who are members of the National Trust will already have received the What’s On insert listing events in the gardens local to us. However, this time there is an interesting piece on the specialisms of the main gardens in our area so go visiting to remind yourself about our local treasures.

 

 

Hughenden Manor.....A Victorian bedding scheme using seven and a half thousand bedding plants and inspired by Gothic architectural features within the Manor (spring interest)

 

Cliveden......the ongoing restoration of the gardens will be complemented with a spectacular display of twenty five thousand tulips and fifteen thousand forget-me-nots in the Long Garden. Try to visit before this month’s talk by Andrew Mudge.

 

Greys Court......one of the prettiest gardens in our region in the spring with an abundance of blossom and the spectacular wisteria. NB.The house is closed for refurbishment this season.

 

Mottisfont Abbey.... a large number of new exotic bulbs have been planted to extend the interest of this garden so well known for roses.

 

Ham House and Gardens.....Bluebells, flowering shrubs and anemones can be found to the south of the formal gardens. The kitchen garden is also well established, providing fresh produce to the cafe.

 

If any members visit these, or any other gardens in the spring, please share your thoughts and send me a note for inclusion in the newsletter.

GT

 

BEST BUYS from Gardening Which?

 

Pressure washers

Rather like the shredders mentioned last year, I had always assumed that the more you paid the better the performance for a pressure washer. Not so according to Gardening Which? research. The best buy is:

 

KARCHER K254MR  at £79.99 This model performed best overall for cleaning paving, gentle cleaning and for cleaning the car. Available form Argos and Karcher stockists (01295 752200)

 

Seed composts

 

The researchers regularly test the seed and potting composts on the market and the latest tests show that

B&Q SEED COMPOST outperformed other brands by a significant margin. It is peat based though, so if you prefer to buy peat free compost try....

 

WESTLAND PEAT FREE MULTI PURPOSE COMPOST with John Innes. This is recommended but fails to make the Best Buy status because the samples across the country gave variable results.

 

 

 

 

 

HOW TO GROW CLEMATIS IN A POT

 

This step by step guide come from Gardening Which? I am hoping some members will volunteer to trial this method for the society. Please give me a ring or email if you would be interested.

 

Many clematis are too large to grow in a pot but species and large flowered hybrid varieties can be very successful. You will need;

·        Two clematis  eg Clematis x durandii,  C. viticella varieties and C. texensis Duchess of Albany, C. Chantilly, C.The President, C. Arctic Queen

·        One container  approx 40cm square and deep with drainage holes

·        Polystyrene chunks  or broken crocks for drainage

·        Four bamboo canes  or a ready made obelisk if you have one             

·        Multi purpose compost

·        Slow release Fertiliser

·        Soft garden twine

·        Slate chippings

 

                                                                                                                       

Method

Add  a generous layer drainage material to the container, then half fill with compost and position the canes with one at each corner and tie together at the top.Postion the two clematis at either corner of the container. Water well before planting and aim to bury the rootball 10cm(4ins) deeper than the original pot to avoid clematis wilt.

Fill in around the plants with more compost and mix in some slow release fertiliser. Now carefully release the plants original support canes and wind and tie the plants to their own cane and the two spare canes. Clematis like their roots moist so mulch with slate chippings or similar. Good Luck!

 

DIARY DATES

 

Oxford Botanic Garden Lecture Series:

 

Thursday 14th February 8pm

All change at The Laskett    Sir Roy Strong, Writer and Garden creator

 

Thursday 21st February 

 No nettles required: the truth about wildlife gardening , Dr Ken Thompson., University of Sheffield

 

Thursday 28th February

No more marigolds: unusual annuals for the summer garden, Graham Rice, Garden writer

 

Thursday 13 March

Garden people: Valerie Finnis and the golden age of gardening, Ursula Buchan. Garden writer

 

Lectures take place at 8pm in the Nelson Mandela Auditorium at the Said Business School. Tickets cost £10 (includes a glass of wine. Call 01865 286690 to book

 

Monday, 25th February

 

Ethical Gardening Symposium 10 am-4pm Museum of Garden History (020 7401 8865)

This day is designed to appeal to both professional and amateur gardeners. Speakers will address issues relating to garden design, maintenance, planting and hard landscaping and the problems, successes and failures of gardening in a sustainable way. More information on this and other day courses see info@museumofgardenhistory.org

 

Friday 14th March 10.30am-11am for coffee.

 

Talk about Container Gardening (followed by lunch)

 Come and hear Brian Fisher in aid of Thames Hospicecare. £15 Cookham Dean WI Hall.

 

Saturday,  15th March 2.30pm

 

National Pleione Collection. Visit Ian Butterfield’s collection at Yaffles, Harvest Hill Bourne End SL8 5JJ with the NCCPG. Numbers limited to 15. Contact Ian Butterfield on 01628 525455 £3 dontation to NCCPG

 

Cookham Dean Open Gardens for  Thames Hospicecare

Sunday,29th June 2-6pm. Afternoon teas, plant stall. Church Road/Bigfrith side of the village.

The committe would like to add a couple more gardens to the list....please contact Barbara Dent (476512) if you would be willing to open your garden for this worthwhile cause.

 

Deadline for March newsletter is 6th March. Copy to gilltownend@aol.com or by post to The Farm, Church Road, Cookham Dean, SL6 9PR