Local Cumbrian Evening Garden Visits - 5th & 6th July...

I'm sure we all enjoyed relaxing evening garden visits to Sylvia & Peter Thompson's eleven year old garden at Brockleymoor Farm, Plumpton. There was a lovely mix of herbaceous plants, lawn and maturing gravel gardens to savour. The veg patch was very ordered and the harvest looks to be bountiful.

The views out into the landscape from the garden enhanced the garden's setting. At one point a hot air balloon even drifted by.

Thank you Sylvia & Peter for your generous hospitality.



We also think that Monty, your 2yr old dog must have slept well after our visits!

And a special thank you to Joyce for arranging these evenings.

2017 - Social Evening - Station Master's House, Wetheral - 15th June...

Jude kindly hosted this evening event in her enchanting cottage garden which stands majestically beside Great Corby Bridge, popularly known as 'the Wetheral Viaduct'.
What started with a deluge turned into one of those special, fresh, sweet smelling summer's evenings. And the cheese & wine spread was fit for kings!

 

South Lakes Day Trip - 8th June 2017

On our snap election day, some intrepid club gardeners braved the weather with an outing to the South Lakes. Here are some photos (courtesy of Jude) from the day...

"If you go down in the woods today...."

We know what one Jeremy was up to, but where is Mr. J. Fisher?

It can only be June - Foxgloves!

"That's that one there Chris"

The Holker Fountain

The Power House - revealed

The Club's Holiday: North Wales, 22nd to 25th May 2017...

This Celtic adventure was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended. Many thanks to Janice Stewardson (in her inaugural year as Outings Organiser) and Jude Jansen for all their careful planning.

Here are some of Jude's photos from Anglesey's special garden at Plas Cadnant. They can only whet the appetites of those of us who have not yet holidayed with the club...

Hope you didn't get lost Lesley

Elisabeth & Tony enjoying the world go by...

Ther's always something for everyone...

Woo - Hoo.... almost £700 raised

What a successful morning we had on the 20th May at our Plant Sale & Coffee Morning.
Unofficially almost £700 was raised! Many, many thanks go to Jude Jansen for her organisation of the event and of course to all members contributing with plants, tray bakes and helping on the day.
As Eric Robson says, "onwards and upwards".....

Denise & Alice were on tea duty, so no raffle.
However the Lotto raised £46 & the winner of half this sum
was Caroline Ritchie, who has also agreed to become
the Vice Chair of the club....

  

"Decisions, decisions, decisions"

 

The National Garden Scheme - "How it all began"

The Viaduct Gardening Club has Mrs Cate Bowman (NGS Assistant County Organiser for Cumbria) as a member. Therefore it was a real bonus for members to listen to her presentation about the history of the National Garden Scheme.

The Scheme is the most significant fundraiser of Nursing Charities in Great Britain. Last year it raised £3,000,000 from the sale of tickets to see beautiful gardens, and to enjoy drinking tea and eating cakes!

The list of NGS beneficiaries include the Queen's Nursing Institute, Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Carer's Trust, Hospice UK, Perennial and Parkinson's UK.

About 3,700 private gardens open their gates each year and detailed information can be found on social media and in the NGS handbook. Each county also has a booklet featuring local gardens.

A Brief History

In 1859, William Rathbone, a merchant from Liverpool, employed a nurse in order to care for his sick wife at home. Following his wife's death, Mr Rathbone kept the nurse on to care for the sick in his neighbourhood. This was the foundation of District Nursing as we know it today.

In 1926, Elsie Wagg had the idea for raising monies by opening up private gardens. The charge was 1 shilling and that first year, over £8,000 was raised. The following year, the District Nursing Organisation became officially named 'The Queen's Nursing Institute.

In 1948, following the war, the National Health Service took over the role of District Nursing but funds were still needed for retired nurses and for training new nurses.

The NGS also liaised with the National Trust and offered to donate funding to the NT to help them restore and preserve important gardens. In return, the NT open many gardens for the NGS.

In 1970, £52,000 was raised by people generously opening their gardens for the NGS. Last year, in Cumbria alone, that figure was raised.

1984 saw Macmillan Cancer Support join the list of Beneficiary Charities and in 1996, Marie Curie, Help the Hospices and the Carer's Trust also benefited from support. In 2013,  Parkinson's UK was also added.

Recently the NGS has benefited from the introduction of attractive new graphics and a new modern logo.

Jude Jansen

Springtime in the Garden

http://www.ribblesdalenurseries.co.uk/

We enjoyed another fabulous talk this month from our speaker, Phil Dunnett of Ribblesdale Nurseries, Woodplumpton, Lancashire.

Despite an early, mild spring this year, bringing with it a cacophony of simultaneous blooming (e.g. hellebores with camellias /rhododendrons) there is still time for us to do that most special thing – revitalise our soil in the borders and pots.

A good feed now will ensure essentially health growth through this year's growing season. The best way to achieve this is to use granule/pellet based feeds – these formulations allow for slow release of fertiliser for six months, whilst liquid feeds require fortnightly application.

Phil recommends using feeds with a high mineral content e.g. seaweed for all plant types. Minerals promote strength in all parts – roots & leaves, thus making the plants less susceptible to “Ps & Ds” (pests and diseases).

Plants' raison d'être is to reproduce themselves. Plants like to grow – so that's the easier bit! However once they prepare to flower they have to accelerate their work, so more nutrients are needed. But what do they need most of in these phases? This brings in the science of elemental needs – NPK Balance: Nitrogen / Phosphorus / Potassium!

Horticulturists will therefore vary their NPK ratios of fertiliser during the season; using a high Nitrogen (N) content fertiliser early in the season to promote growth and changing to one with higher potassium (K or potash) ratio in May when there is evidence of budding/flower formation.

High Mineral Fertilisers - seaweed / fish/blood /bone are good for root formation & health ( remember dogs dig when bone meal is added)

Balanced Fertilisers – tend to promote growth but do less for root growth and flowering, as N is taken up preferentially to P and K.

Pots & Tubs – soil becomes rapidly impoverished, so a new annual top layer of soil & fertiliser is critical.

Watering Tips -

• never water over foliage
• proper hydration of pot plants is essential for root survival
• a properly watered hanging basket should feel so heavy that it barely moves when you place you hand underneath, so this becomes the 'push' or 'weight' test.

Pests & Disease ( fungal especially) Control Tips -

• Anti-fungal treatments are preventative, so start treatment before leaves open. Treatment needs to be applied fortnightly.
• Some pest preventatives ( e.g. for blackfly) can offer six months protection.

Phil also brought a lovely collection of spring plants for sale. He described and defined them by their suitability for shade / light as well as their usual emergence time in spring.

So there were more that a few of us delighted and laden on the way home!