Page 11 - HGS Suburb News 144 - December 2020

The Horticultural Society holds a

second virtual Autumn Flower Show My virtual calendar
t’s been such a strange year, and not being able to share my garden with like-minded
Ienthusiasts has been an isolating experience. So, I’ve decided to compile a virtual calendar of
nce again, it wasn’t possible Instead of bringing fruit, through creating these virtual
Oto hold what would have vegetables and flowers up to the shows, the society will have a the most striking plant in my garden for every month of the year. So many gems, so little space!
been the Horticultural Society’s Free Church Hall, entries had to lasting record of some very Seasons Greetings, readers, and a Happy, Healthy 2021 however it unfolds. CAROLINE BROOME
290th show on 5th September, be photographed at home and attractive entries in what has
but, with one virtual show under emailed to the membership proved to be a very challenging
their belts, committee members secretary. Nine of the classes horticultural year. JANUARY 2020 MAY 2020 SEPTEMBER 2020
were ready to organise a second were then kindly judged by In 2021 membership will be
one. This virtual show was Suburb News Editor, Shelley- free and hopefully the events
more ambitious and there were Anne Salisbury. The winners were that should have taken place in
41 classes to choose from with Yvonne Oliver, who won three 2020 will now do so in 2021.
over 125 individual entries. classes (Cut Flowers, 5 Fuchsia MARJORIE HARRIS
Heads and Just for Fun), Ruth
Beedle (A Vase of Mixed Berries),
Marjorie Harris (A Posy), Jenny
Bunn (A Dish of Fruit), Chris
Page (A Trug of Mixed Vegetables),
Jackie Murphy (Photography: Corsican Hellebore Not one of Iris No-one should be without Rudbeckias The oldest perennial
Flowers by Water) and David your usual hellebore hybrids, this iris, for its sheer intensity in my garden, robust rudbeckia
Broome (Photography: The but this species, as well as its of colour. Goldsturm has now been joined
Weather Outside is Frightful). cousin Hellebore Foetidus, offer by stella Prairie Glow; if you like
The largest number of entries all year-round foliage, winter verbena bonariensis, you’ll love
received in the flower classes flowers and striking architectural JUNE 2020 its airy, open habit. Flowering
were hydrangeas, pot plants, value, self-seeding happily for weeks, rudbeckias look great
posies and roses, and in other around the most inhospitable against the dark back drop of
classes tomatoes and cucumbers areas of your garden. pittosporum Tom Thumb.
also did well. The photography
classes proved popular too. There
won’t be any cups or prizes FEBRUARY 2020 OCTOBER 2020
awarded for this show, but

Suburb rainfall
Unknown rose A sumptuous
repeat flowerer, lemon scented
ainfall – the trouble comes average of nearly 21 inches. If months of 2020 saw only three peach blooms contrast with
Rwhen there is too much or February is excluded the quarters of the amount dark foliage and stems. If
not enough of it or if it comes at shortfall was even more marked. normally expected. anyone knows what it is, please
the wrong time. Then along comes October with This report only repeats
This year all three things the ‘wettest day ever recorded’ what we are being told from all Melianthus Major Surprisingly let me know. Knifophia Limelight What a last
have happened, leaving farmers at 2.37 inches. In the whole over the world and again hardy, this striking triffid takes hurrah! Arched curling leaves
and organisers of outdoor month there were 5.27 inches, confirms the climate crisis is pride of place in my north JULY 2020 have sent up over 20 flower
events with problems. In the not quite the highest ever but indeed a crisis and we humans
first nine months of 2020 there more than twice the average, must use all our ingenuity to try facing front garden. But beware, spikes of this luminous red hot
poker. Well worth waiting for.
it wants to take over the world!
was only just over 15 inches but the rain was extremely to mitigate it.
which compares with an welcome as the first nine DIANA IWI FROM MEADWAY
MARCH 2020 NOVEMBER 2020
Horticultural Society 2020
medal award

n 2020 no medals or prizes on Zoom on 10 November. exception would be made at the Tree lily On maturity, these 8 ft
Iwere due to be awarded at the Nevertheless, the committee virtual meeting. tall stunners tower above the
Horticultural Society’s AGM, held secretly decided that one So, as his last function before summer border on stems as
handing over chairmanship, thick as a broom handles! Every
Chris Page announced that the colour, multiple blooms the
prestigious Banksian Medal would Sorbaria Seb Much maligned, size of dinner plates, fragrance Miscanthus grass The centre-
be given to David and Caroline this arching shrub looks best as to die for. Reliably hardy in piece of our autumn garden,
Broome, with the certificate its new colourful growth emerges. London clay. coppery satin tassels transform
citation reading ‘in recognition It practically grows in the dark, into crimped silky plumes, atop
of their outstanding contributions spreading around in a wood- fiery seasonal coloured foliage.
to the Society and its membership land understory. AUGUST 2020
during the Covid-19 pandemic
CAROLINE BROOME (SELFIE)
2020 through a variety of online DECEMBER 2020
initiatives.’ As membership APRIL 2020
officer, David had circulated
information in an informative
and amusing way to keep people
in touch with the Society, and
Caroline had masterminded the
two virtual shows. Caroline
Broome, gardening correspondent
of Suburb News, was also elected Rosa For Your Eyes Only I make
as the new Chairman of the no apology for including
I specialise in all domestic and Horticultural Society, with Chris another rose, this repeat Hydrangea quercifolia Little
commercial carpentry Page being thanked for his Tree Peony Blowsy tissue paper flowerer, loved by the bees, is a Honey Even in shade this compact
to the highest possible standards inspiring 7-year chairmanship. flowers – not as fleeting as Must Have. Compact, glossy semi evergreen hydrangea never
Professional decorating services MARJORIE HARRIS herbaceous peony blooms – a foliage, lovely with salvias. loses its chartreuse yellow foliage.
also managed with over 10 years true spring showstopper. Why isn’t it more readily available?
of excellence THE GARDEN GIRLS, 79 CHURCH LANE, EAST FINCHLEY, N2 0TH. M:07757 016287, T: 020 8444 2329,
EMAIL: C.BROOME.GARDENGIRL@GMAIL.COM. LONDON GARDENS SOCIETY: BEST SMALL BACK GARDEN 2016/17/18
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