Page 11 - HGS Suburb News 139 - Summer 2019
P. 11

HGS Horticultural Society Group Open Gardens Day – A Lesson in Team Work


         Opening your garden to the public is about people  down to a whisper. 121 Erskine Hill has canine  gossip  from  plot  to  plot  and  sent  across  extra
         not gardens really. Yes, the fourteen gardens and  friendly artificial grass bordered by eye popping  help to each other. A well-oiled machine.
         one allotment were at their peak, all unique and  displays of small cluster roses, blowing   And then there’s the small matter of Teas!
         inspiring in their own right. Indeed, our donation  preconceived ideas about fake grass right out of  The gardens, pah, piece of cake (if you’ll pardon
         to the National Garden Scheme charities amounted  the water! The gardens in Addison Way show  the  pun)  but  the catering  at Fellowship  House
         to a record breaking nearly £9,000. But my  what horticultural gems can be created out of  was like a military operation. At the height of
         lasting impression will be one of camaraderie  the smallest, most challenging spaces.  Wheel  the afternoon a dozen volunteers were going full
         and well-being emanating from the streets and  out the Big Guns of Willifield and Wordsworth,  pelt manning the urns. It’s a long time since I’ve
         twittens in and around the Artisan Quarter.   Asmuns  and  Erskine.  Although  award  winners  had to prepare a  staff rota but with fifteen
           We gardeners don’t need to be reminded by  everyone, none are content to rest on their  locations covering about a square mile it came in
         the government or the medical profession that  laurels, constantly updating their planting  very handy and raised a few laughs amongst
         gardening is good for your health. (Although the  schemes. Pity the poor performers in their  friends! One team on savouries, one on cakes.
         garden openers and volunteers who were involved  borders, swiftly sacrificed for newer, more  Local residents arriving with home baked cakes   Allotment abundance
         in the NGS Group Open Gardens Day in the  unusual specimens!                 and  relatives  of  Garden  Openers  co-opted  to
         Suburb on Sunday July 7 might have disagreed,   As NGS Assistant County Organiser I elected  help wherever needed. E-mails from volunteers
         after their back breaking six-hour stint!)  to coordinate this HGS Hort. Soc. Open Gardens  thanking me for including them in the event,
           Four new gardens, eager to join the party,  Day: If visitors wondered who that strange  proud to be part of the community. Well, if that
         lured our regulars, whilst the prospect of an  woman was following them through the twittens  doesn’t speak volumes for the goodness of
         afternoon of home-made tea and cakes  and joining in their conversations, they were far  gardening, then I don’t know what does! Wanna
         accompanied by local pianist Alexandra Westcott,  too polite to comment.  Strangers were  be in my gang? Join our Horticultural Society at
         and a tipple here and there whilst admiring  comparing the merits of this garden and that,  hgshs.membership@virginmedia.com.
         some of the prettiest gardens in London, attracted  and, “Have you been to so and so yet, you must   CAROLINE BROOME
         500 visitors. Yes OK, to the uninitiated the  go.” One Garden Opener felt a palpable buzz in
         Suburb might fall somewhere between Midsomer  the air, created by the anticipation and
         Murders and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, but  enjoyment of visitors strolling around the
         as an Outlander from the other side of the A1,  Suburb,  map  in hand. Talking of  which,  these
         it’s the HGS Horticultural Society that that has  Garden Openers are seriously driven, or proactive
         given me that feeling of community and  in  politically  correct  terminology!  Their
         belonging that had evaded me as a city dweller.   efficiency is scary: They were to be seen placing
           Over the years I’ve been to numerous bucolic  traffic cones outside the Fellowship at 9pm
         Village Garden Festivals and urbane Town  Saturday evening, ensuring parking space for the
         Garden Group Openings, but I’m fairly sure that  visiting professional nurseries, and fixing up
         a combination of both, a stone’s throw from one  directional signage at 6am Sunday morning in
         of the largest city centres in the world, is pretty  the pouring rain. Each logged the number of
         unique. Gardens to suit all tastes: At 102  visitors to their own gardens, some sold home-
         Willifield Way, the calm white and lilac colour  propagated plants and produce, held raffles, fed
         palette brought the volume of chatter right  and watered their guests. They passed on garden   Before and after, North Way           Calm oasis at 102 Willifield
                                                                     EMAIL: C.BROOME.GARDENGIRL@GMAIL.COM
                                    Summer Flower Show                                                                Horticulural Society


      The Summer Flower Show took   work of Yvonne Oliver and the   feeling inspired to cultivate their                 110th anniversary
      place in June at the Free Church   show committee resulted in the   gardens and allotments to the
      Hall. The morning began early   high attendance and hopefully   high standard on display here.             It doesn’t seem 10 years since   Hampstead Garden Suburb, and
      with exhibitors preparing their   many  more  Suburb  residents   AUGUSTA WOLFF                            the society celebrated its 100th   is the only one to have survived
      produce and gradually over the                                                                             birthday. But time stops for no   to the present day in more or
      course of the day the Hall was                                                                             man (or woman) and this year   less its original form. In addition
      filled with the heady scent of                                                                             is in fact the 110th anniversary   to many other cups and prizes,
      sweet peas and roses.                                                                                      of our foundation in May 1909.   it also awards its own medals to
         Classes ranged from the                                                                                    Just two years after the first   show winners. Until 2008 they
      traditional flowers and vegetables                                                                         families moved into Hampstead   were bronze, but they were
      to the Smelliest Rose as well as                                                                           Garden Suburb, Henrietta Barnett   changed to silver to celebrate
      birthday cakes to celebrate the                                                                            called a meeting of interested   our centenary. Please go to www.
      Society’s 110th birthday.                                                                                  Suburb residents together, they   hortsoc.co.uk for a full history.
         Christopher Matthews, a first                                                                           formed a committee and within   Here’s to the next 110 years!
      time exhibitor, won first prizes                                                                           months they had put on a   We couldn’t do it without your
      in both the single and double                                                                              flower show in a marquee on   participation and support.
      delphinium spike classes.                                                                                  Central Square.                        MARJORIE HARRIS
         Another of the competitions                                                  Double first-prize winner, Christopher   Since then shows have been
      is for the best display in the 12                                               Matthews                   held every year except during
      plus children’s category. This is                                                                          the Second World War. At first
      named after Anthony Arnold                                                                                 they took place in the Henrietta
      Holton, the son of Suburb                                                                                SYLVIA COURY  Barnett School Hall, but for many
      residents Walter and Gertrude                                                                              years now they have been held
      Holton and a trooper in the                                                                                in the Free  Church Hall,  with
      Royal Tank Regiment, who died                                                                              smaller shows such as the
      in  Normandy  in  June  1944.                                                                              centenary  Spring  Show being
      First Awarded in 1951, the                                                                                 held in Fellowship House.
      present holder of the Holton                                                                                  The Horticultural Society
      Cup is Joe Coury-Reid.                                                                                     was the first society to come
         There was an ever popular                                                                               into existence in the fledgling
      Punch and Judy Show. A major
      attraction is always the cake and
      tea provided by Barbara Perry                                                                               Hungry caterpillars are
      and her team. Marjorie Harris
      curated a fascinating display of                                                                               eating up our hedges!
      the history of the Society.
         The number of visitors was                                                                              Check out your box hedges and   by  picking  off  the  caterpillars
      higher than last year. The hard   Summer Flower Show preparations               Holton Cup holder, Joe Coury-Reid  trees as box tree caterpillars   and some people like to use
                                                                                                                 (Cycladima) are very much in   pheromone traps. However I have
                                           Suburb rainfall                                                       evidence on the Suburb.    successfully used an organic
                                                                                                                                            bacterial insecticide Bacillus
                                                                                                                    They can strip mature hedges
                                                                                                                                            caterpillars and protects bees
                                                                                                                 caterpillars have overwintered and
      It will come as no surprise to   precipitation. Indeed, since these   two of those have been in the   the driest part of the year and   in a short time and the large   thurengiensis which only affect
      readers of this column that yet   records started in 1980, there   last five years. So it hardly seems   this year they were drier than   are very hungry. Our beautiful   and other wildlife. It needs to be
      again the first half of the year   have only been four similarly   like undue scaremongering to   usual.  The  four  or  five  inches   box hedges that run almost all   sprayed every two weeks between
      has  seen  well  below  average   dry first halves of the year, and   suggest that climate change is   that used occasionally to make   the way down the north side of   April and October. It is possible
                                                            real, and a crisis, and is going to   June an easier month for water   Temple Fortune Hill are looking   it to buy on line as ‘Raupenfrei’
        Four Seasons                                        result in some very difficult   supply seem to be rarer now.   very moth eaten.  made by Neudorf.   RUTH BEEDLE
                                                                                                                    To protect themselves the
                                                            problems for us. Those trying to
                                                                                         Granted that, at 2.35 inches,
        GARDEN MAINTENANCE                                  care for their gardens will have   precipitation  in  June  has  caterpillars cover the plant in a
                                                            found that the 1.5inches, which
                                                                                      provided some relief, but not
                                                                                                                 white cocoon. They grow slowly
                                                            fell over the April to June period,  enough to make up for the   hidden within the foliage before
         Weekly or fortnightly maintenance contract  Garden clearance  meant watering cans or hoses   shortage before. Unfortunately,   becoming mature and voracious
         Lawn care (mowing, turfing, fertilisation etc.)  Planting  were  necessary  for  any  things   there is only one example of   caterpillars. In good conditions
         Weed killing & treatment  Hedge trimming, tree works  not fully established, and even   over four inches from these   the box tree moth can have
         Patio cleaning  All general garden services
        We offer a professional, reliable service with 10 years of   for some that were.  records (in 2012) to suggest that   three generations in a year. For
        experience at an affordable price. Call Roland or leave a message   It seems to be in the months   July might result in anything to   more information on them see
        for a free quote.                                   of April and May that the driest   comfort our supposedly green   the RHS website.
          07584 574520  fourseasonsgarden@hotmail.com     times have been experienced.  and pleasant land.        You can save the plants in a
                                                            They are, with March, on average,   DIANA IWI FROM MEADWAY  number of ways, the simplest
      SUBURB NEWS IS PRODUCED AND DELIVERED TO YOU BY RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEERS                                                                            11
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