Last summer I wrote of droughts; this time around I’m not even sure I can use the word “summer”! It is, however, the time of year to reserve Thursday evenings for other peoples’ pictures and ideas. Your committee very much hopes for your company at 7.30pm on Thursday 27 September 2007, in Belstone Village Hall, when Lindsay Fortune will tell us about the “Wilderness and Wildflowers of Western Australia”. Having experienced a WA spring I can much recommend this evening – the flowers in colour, style and quantity are fabulous.

TALKS: We continue the season with “Bulbs throughout the Year” (25 Oct), “Camellias” (22 Nov), Growing Vegetables” (24 Jan), “Sherwood through the year” (28 Feb), “Climbers” (24 Apr) and a very special visit from Keith Wiley of Wildside Nursery (ex-Garden House) on 27 March. We hope this range appeals; we have asked all speakers to bring plants for sale where possible. If you have been to any other clubs or venues and listened to a good speaker, let us know and we’ll book him/her. Or if there’s a subject you find of particular interest, tell us and we’ll try to get a speaker for next year.

SOCIAL: Tea and coffee will be available from the kitchen hatch before each evening’s meeting, free and for nothing, except for 27 March when we will buy posher biscuits and charge 50p. As 22 November is our pre-Christmas meeting, we will offer coffee and mince pies (and clotted cream!) in the interval. Your committee much enjoys the opportunity to circulate and chat. We hope you do too, and will join us again.

FEES: This year’s membership fee is £5.00, representing very good value for money. We would be grateful if you could pay at the first meeting (or send a cheque). If you know of friends, neighbours or family who enjoy gardening and the company of like-minded people, do invite them to join us. We are now asking visitors for £1.00 per visit, except for the Keith Wiley evening (when it will be £2.50 as he’s very expensive!)

SEEDS: You also have the opportunity to buy top quality flower and vegetable seeds at heavily discounted prices from Kings of Kelvedon. Catalogues will be available at the September meeting. All you then do is spend an enjoyable hour choosing next year’s extravaganza, fill out the order form and follow our simple instructions (NB there is no minimum order). You can also order onion sets, grass seed, plant food and nets. With luck, we will have the orders for distribution at the November meeting (plants and cold frames will be delivered direct to you). This scheme raises money for the Club, and so keeps the membership fee down.

OUTINGS: Earlier this year we visited Caerhays Castle (magnificent magnolias) and Pinsla Nursery (quirky), had a guided evening around Sherwood garden (just fabulous) and spent a lovely day with the staff at Knightshayes (including the working areas normally off-limits). No decisions have yet been made for this season’s outings, but we’ll keep you informed. If you have recently been to a garden that you feel the Club would enjoy (and is accessible by coach) please mention it to Molly or Peter Fillingham. And if there is anywhere you particularly enjoyed on a previous Club outing, tell us and we’ll consider repeating it.

PLANT SALES: The main event has been booked for Friday 2 May 2008 in Belstone Village Hall and we will invite the usual professionals with their treasures. Bear the Club in mind when you plan your seed sowing, or get to grips with perennial-splitting in the spring, and pot on extra for the Club Stall. The Plant Table will continue at monthly meetings, where you can bring any surplus bits to pass on to other members: these plants will not be priced, but if you would like to make a donation the Club will gratefully receive it!

Regards, and best wishes for the coming season, from your Committee 2007-8:
Barry Starling (Chairman), Roger Bowden (Vice-Chairman), Marion Walpole (Secretary, 01837 840498), Robin Hill (Treasurer), Keith Badman (Programme Secretary), Molly & Peter Fillingham (Outings Organisers), Phillipa Allom, Amy Coles, Lyn Evans, Keith Mansfield and Jacqueline Yeates.

Marion Walpole, 3 September 2007