Bob Coutts

‘Gardening for Spring’

Bob, who is a professional gardener and retired Head Gardener at Somerleyton Hall, has a wealth of horticultural knowledge and has given many talks to the Gardening Club on numerous subjects. Back by popular demand the ‘talk’ (which, from past experience, will be very hands-on and descriptive) is very apt for this time of year.

CANCELLED

I'm afraid The Committee has decided to cancel this year's 'Christmas Party'.

With only 20 members wishing to attend (that includes The Committee) together with the uncertainty surrounding what happens next with regard to COVID and the real possibility of numbers falling off even further we felt that we just couldn't plan properly for this year's event.

We are sure that those who wished to attend will be bitterly disappointed as we are, but with so few numbers it just isn't feasible.

We thank you all for your continuing support. Without you, The Members, there wouldn't be a Gardening Club and here's hoping that 2022 will see us getting back to some kind of normality.

We wish you all a very Happy Christmas and hopefully see many of you next year.

Keep safe and warm.

It’s Christmas Party Time, starts at 7pm.  

I am pleased to report that our December Meeting (party) will also feature a brief presentation by Thomas Courtauld DL (Deputy Lieutenant for Norfolk) on 'The Queens Green Canopy'.

The precis of the QGC is : The Queen’s Green Canopy is an initiative to celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee by encouraging people to plant and protect trees as a legacy to Her Majesty’s Service to the Nation. The QGC will invite the four Nations of the United Kingdom to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee” and will encourage people to plant well with healthy trees that will not only survive but thrive for generations to come. Everyone from community groups, schools, scout groups, corporates, counties, councils and parishes are encouraged to plant trees – from saplings to majestic avenues of significant trees – to mark this extraordinary occasion. As well as inviting people to plant new trees, existing woodland will also be dedicated to QGC by erecting commemorative plaques to mark the occasion and preserve forests for the future, in The Queen’s name. The QGC was launched in May. There is an excellent website at www.queensgreencanopy.org which explains it all and how your trees can be recorded.

With Covid precautions in mind things will be slightly different this year. We normally ask you to bring party food to share and whilst we will provide wrapped chocolates and individual packs of nibbles for the tables you may, by all means, bring your own non-sharing snacks.

As usual we will provide mulled wine and non-alcoholic punch, together with soft drinks.

There will be a quiz, but numbers on each table will be limited and we ask that only one person per table has the pen and answer sheet.

At our last 'Christmas Bash' we asked if any members would like to entertain us with any ditties and we had a few volunteers including myself! These don't have to be song, but could also be a light-hearted story  or something similar - mine was a light-hearted prayer!

Under the present circumstances to enable us to properly cater for this 'do' could I please ask you to let me know by 30 November whether you will be coming.

Jeff Johnson

(jeffandcaroljohnson@yahoo.co.uk)

Mrs Robin McDonald 

‘Botanic and other Gardens’

Robin is the President of the Orchid Society and founder of the Paphiopedilum Society. Robin is also a member of the Norfolk and Norwich Horticultural Society and has run their shows for several years. Robin has expanded her interest in plants, especially wild plants to such an extent that she is able to give talks on many horticultural subjects. But for us she will be talking about the wonderful gardens from around the world, including Gothenburg Botanic and Keukenhof Gardens.

Summer Show and Social Evening CANCELLED

A lighthearted, slightly competitive evening with something for everyone.

REEPHAM AND DISTRICT GARDENING CLUB

SCHEDULE FOR THE SUMMER SHOW AND SOCIAL EVENING

TUESDAY 17th AUGUST 2021

ALL ENTRIES MUST BE HOME GROWN

FOLIAGE AND FLOWERS

F1 A selection of grasses - should be loose or hand tied in a vase

F2 Flower arrangement in an unusual/novelty container

F3 A vase of ten flower stems – may be same species or mixed

F4 Indoor Plant

F5 Single Specimen Flower  of your choice

VEGETABLES

V1 Tomatoes – 5 same variety   )

V2 Tomatoes – Mixed, 3 varieties(one of each)        )

V3 French Beans – 5 same variety   ) V1-V8 to be presented on a plate

V4 Runner Beans - 5 same variety   )

V5 Potatoes - 3 same variety   )

V6 Selection of any three vegetables(one of each) )

V7 Soft fruit – single variety or mixed(not stoned)  ) 

V8 Other fruit - single variety or mixed  )

V9 Best cucumber

V10 Onions

WILDCARD

W1 Anything at all -  could be embroidery, craft work, knitting, collage, plant, photograph, miniature garden, card, painting or even a novelty shaped vegetable

Show entries should be brought to the Town Hall between  7.15 - 7.30  pm

Plates and vases will be available

Members will pay their normal entrance fee of £1