The April Garden Club meeting is on Thursday 11th April, at 7.30pm in the Community Centre and we would like to remind you that our speaker this month is nurseryman, Rob Potterton from Caistor N. Lincs, giving a talk about Alpines & Bulbs – From Mountain to Market.

As usual there will be hot drinks and a Raffle , with hopefully, some plants to buy as well. Please do come as everyone is welcome, including non-members.

Below is the list of Speakers booked until May 2019.

Please note that it is the Christmas Social Gathering/Quiz, on Thursday 13th December at the usual time of 7.30pm in the Community Centre.  Everyone is welcome to this relaxed and friendly evening.  Drinks and food will be available and we hope you will bring a plate of  your favourite food to share.

Programme 2018/19

13 December 2018   Christmas Social and Quiz Evening

10 January 2019   ‘Over the Garden Wall’ – learn about all that goes on in a walled garden
Joe Whitehead, experienced head gardener for many years, including broadcasting, writing and being a panellist on gardening programmes.

14 February 2019     ‘A Garden for All Seasons’ – a detailed look at the planting in Diane’s garden at all times of the year, with practical ideas for increasing the flowering season    Diane Clement, Director of the Seed Exchange for the Alpine, Garden Society, with many years experience growing, showing and judging.

14 March 2019    ‘The Wonderful World of Salvias’ – sharing her extensive knowledge, also covering the rise in popularity of the genus and the origins of many of them.       Janet Buist, Formerly of Pennycross Plants

11 April 2019   Alpines & Bulbs – ‘From Mountain to Market’.   Rob Potterton, Nurseryman, Pottertons Nursery  

9 May  2019   ‘There’s More to that Flower than You See’.   Stephen Ashpole, from North Luffenham, again sharing with us his lifelong experiences of gardening and wildlife            

The first meeting of our Autumn Season will be on Thursday 11th October, 2018, with guest speaker Jo Bennison, a specialist Peony nursery grower from Market Rasen, Lincs, talking on “Peonies – covering species peonies and how breeders have improved on older varieties” (http://www.bennisonpeonies.co.uk) 

The following meeting on Thursday 8th November, 2018,  will be with Joe Sharman from Monkslivery Nursery on Snowdrops.  

At meetings we start at 7.30 pm in the Community Centre with refreshments, a raffle, the guest speaker, and sometimes plants for sale.           Annual membership is £10 per person, payable from the October meeting, or £2 per guest for each meeting.  All are welcome, so do bring along a friend.

The Committee regret that due to current circumstances the Autumn Show, scheduled to be held on Sunday 9th September, has been cancelled for this year.  The Show’s success relies on the efforts of the organisers, volunteers & helpers, and we need more of you!

As a Club we are currently looking for someone to take on the role of Secretary, and for more people to join the committee in general.  If you feel you would like to step forward, please contact Katy Ellis by calling 01780 722173, or e mailing:  ktellis1606@gmail.com

The Club has a full, interesting and varied programme of speakers arranged for our monthly meetings from 11th October 2018 through to May 2019 – see  details below.

SCHEDULES (Entry Forms)

Schedules are now available from The Fox and Edith Weston Village Shop,  OR ring Katy Ellis on 01780 722173

North Luffenham Garden Club will be holding its Christmas social with quiz (optional, being put out on tables, not read out). Please bring food to share. Wine & soft drinks – first glass free then donations.

Time and place: 7.30pm at the Community Centre

Date: Thursday 14 December

Once again, just a reminder, it is time to pay annual membership fees of £10.00 for which we have interesting speakers from October to May each year and organised outings each summer.

Sally Lambert has again kindly agreed to run a workshop on Sat 25th November from 10am – 1pm @the Community Centre, where she will guide us in making our own wreath, and other arrangements.

Cost is £5 per person, which includes tea/coffee & a mince pie.

You will need to bring any equipment you have – oasis, secateurs, vase/container you intend to use, pine cones, ribbons, decorations – plus foliage & flowers. Prunings of woody clematis stems, dogwoods etc make a great basis for wreaths – we all share bits and pieces too.

Please book your place with Katy Ellis on 01780 722173 as soon as possible.

November Meeting

NB:  The next meeting is to be held a week later than usual, on Thursday 16th November, at 7.30pm.

It is also the AGM, followed by Stephen Ashpole from the village, to present a talk on Organic Gardening, which will be full of information about the whys and wherefores on this subject.

The Show is a celebration of local talent and is Open For All to enter with many categories: plants, painting, needlework, card craft, woodwork, photography, baking, jam making, vegetables, flowers and fruit for example.

At North Luffenham Community Centre

On Sunday 10th September

Entries are open to everyone and if possible should be made before the show using the attached Schedule or you can get a hard copy of the Schedule from The Fox or Edith Weston Village Shop.

There are some simple guidelines in the Schedule and we will help you with any queries beforehand and on the day (contact details inside back page).  We’d love to see what you can do – be proud and show it off!

Photography.   Here are this year’s categories to keep in mind over the coming month so you can get snapping:                                                                                                                                 Flowers and Plants,  Gardens,  Sky,  Countryside  Activities,   Animals (wild or tame),  Linked theme (one set of three phtos linked together in some way),   Open (includes anything not already covered already).    There is a also a class for U16s, which is free, for any of these themes.

How to enter:

1. Complete the entry form in the middle of the Schedule
2. Take your Entry Form and money, either to Katy Ellis, 24 Sycamore Road, North Luffenham,  before show day, OR to the Community Centre between 2pm – 5pm on Saturday 9th September
3. On Show day bring your entries to the Community Centre between 8.30am and 10.30am. Judging starts at 11am,  then open to the public from 2.00pm for viewing, afternoon teas and Prizegiving.

Autumn Show Schedule 2017 V3 copy

Easton-on-the-Hill Horticultural & Crafts Society have some spare seats available for their visit to Coton Manor on Saturday 22 July departing 10.30 from Easton-on-the-Hill Village Hall and returning at 16.00 from Coton Manor.

Tickets are £17.50 for non-members for entry to Coton Manor and include transport.

Please contact Joy Forster on 01780 762156 if you are interested.

Colton Manor is a peaceful 10 acre garden occupying a hillside position extending down from the 17th century manor house. Landscaped on different levels, it comprises a series of distinctive smaller gardens, providing variety and interest throughout the season, and enhanced by flowing streams, fountains and ponds. Beyond the confines of the garden there is a magical 5 acre bluebell wood and colourful wildflower meadow at its best in June and July.

The Stableyard cafe offers a great selection for lunch. You may bring your own food, however picnicking is not permitted at the garden.

The Garden Club are running an outing to Hidcote (morning) & Kiftsgate (afternoon), two stunning gardens in the same village in the Cotswolds on Sunday 9^th July, leaving Empingham @ 8.30am/North Luffenham 8.45am.  Open to all – take a picnic or eat at either of the gardens.

Tickets are for coach travel plus entry –  £22.50 if you have National Trust membership (you must bring your own card on the day) or £33.50 without.

For information or to book places on the trips, please contact Katy Ellis on 01780 722173 or email ktellis1606@gmail.com. BY FRIDAY 30th June

At the Garden Club Autumn Show, to be held on Sunday 10th September 2017, there will once again be a photography section. Here are this year’s categories to keep in mind over the coming months so you can get snapping!

• Flowers & Plants
• Gardens
• Sky
• Countryside Activities
• Animals (wild or tame)
• Linked theme (one set of three photos linked together in some way)
• Open (includes anything not already covered)

There is also a class for under 16s for photos on any of these themes.

The next Garden Club Meeting will be on Thursday 9th March @7.30pm in the Community Centre when we welcome Mike Davey with ‘A Suburban Garden throughout the Year’ .  Tea/coffee and biscuits served at the start of the evening with a raffle after the speaker.   £2 for guests – all welcome.

Please note it is definitely on the Sunday which is the 16th October. (The original post said Sunday 15th)