Tag Archives: Gardening

North Luffenham Garden Club reopens its doors and launches ‘Seeds of Hope’ Sunflower Growing Competition to raise funds for the Ukrainian Appeal

It is with great excitement that the North Luffenham Garden Club is finally back this month after 2 long years.

We are planning to meet on the second Wednesday of every month. 

The first meeting will take place in the Community Centre on:-

Wednesday 13th April 7pm – 8.30pm

There will be a great guest speaker, plus other news and activities.
Wine, tea and coffee will also be available. 

Sowing Seeds of Hope – Sunflower Growing Competition for Ukrainian Appeal

An exciting project has been launched called “Sowing Seeds Of Hope”.  It’s a Sunflower Growing Competition to help raise money for Ukraine whilst at the same time drawing awareness to the newly revived North Luffenham Garden Club.  There are some great prizes to be won and seeds can be bought from The Fox, Edith Western Shop & Rutland Water Garden Nursery.

Saturday 21st May – Plant Sale @ The Fox

There will be a Plant Sale on Saturday 21st May @ The Fox.
Members, all keen gardeners, and allotment holders in the village are encouraged to plant a few extra seeds, save those thinning’s and generally grow to share what we have available. We are hoping to have sufficient contributions for the following sections:

Bedding Plants

Perennials

Indoor Plants

Herbs

Vegetable Plants

Want to Join Us?

Anyone can join a meeting – you could be in the early stages of gardening, live outside North Luffenham or just want to come along to see what it’s like.  We’re all here to encourage and support each other. There is a small fee per meeting or a half-year membership is available for new members.
Costs: £3 per meeting or £7.50 for half year membership (valid until Sept 2022)

For any enquiries regarding any of the above events, membership, or plant sale – please email us at:-
                                     northluffenhamgardenclub@gmail.com

Results from Annual Autumn Show 2014

The North Luffenham Garden Club held its 16th Annual Autumn Show this Sunday 14th September in the village Community Centre and school hall.

We were thrilled with the turn out, with 55 people entering one or more classes and a total of 389 entries overall, an all-time record! On Sunday morning when the entries were arriving, I was concerned we weren’t going to fit everything in! But that’s a brilliant problem to have!

Hall full of entries

Hall full of entries

The show has a really friendly, family feel to it. It really was a celebration of what everybody had achieved in their gardens, and a showcase of hidden talents with some stunning craft and photography entries.

We were also delighted that there were more children’s entries this year which included some from the School gardening club and the North Luffenham Beavers.

Entry into most humorous vegetable

Entry into most humorous vegetable

A campaign earlier in the year to encourage more flower arranging entries, with a series of free classes held in the village run by one of the members, Sally Lambert and a new prize of an RHS Grenfell Medal certainly paid off too, with 20 in total.

The hall was a wonderful sight – thank you to everyone who made the effort to put in entries, and to all the hardworking volunteers who helped the day run so smoothly.

Katy Ellis
Chairperson

Results

Overall Winner (most points in the show) – President’s Cup

  • 1st- ALan Lambert
  • 2nd – Finola Timmins
  • 3rd – Linda Ellis

Alan Lambert with prize winning marrows

Alan Lambert with prize winning marrows

Best in Show – The Freddie Clyant Trophy

Winner Jeanette Holdstock (stained glass lamp)

Jeanette Holdstock with prize winning lamp

Jeanette Holdstock with prize winning lamp

Alicia CLyant presenting bowl to Jeanette Holdstock

Alicia CLyant presenting bowl to Jeanette Holdstock

RHS Grenfell Medal (for most points in flower arranging categories)

Katy Ellis

Katy Ellis with Grenfell Medal

Katy Ellis with Grenfell Medal

Best Photograph in Show

Andrew Robinson (butterfly migration)

Andrew Robinson with prize winning photograph

Andrew Robinson with prize winning photograph

Under 16 Best Photograph in Show

Jessica Ellis (garden at Prebendal House, Empingham)

Children’s Best in Show

Jessica Ellis (homemade decorated cupcakes)

Overall Winner – under 8s joint 1st

George Morris, Sam Sheppard, Nat Conant

Overall Winner age 8-12

  • 1st Emily Barrett
  • 2nd Ellen Marson
  • 3rd – Jessica Ellis

Overall Winner age 13-16

  • 1st Emily Martin
  • 2nd Thomas Ellis

Gallery

Orchids and Foxtail Lilly

Here are details of Garden Club upcoming events…

Thursday May 8th – in a change to the published programme, the last speaker of the season will be Richard Baxter on ‘Orchids‘. Meeting starts @7.30pm in the Community Centre – please feel free to bring any spare plants you have for sale ( and some pennies to buy some!).

June’s evening outing has now been arranged for Thursday 12th June to Foxtail Lilly, a pretty country cottage garden, in Oundle – members are most welcome to bring friends with them, and should arrange transport between themselves, aiming to arrive at 6.30pm. There will be an entry charge of £2.50 per person, to be paid on the night, plus refreshments will be available to purchase.

Katy, Garden Club

Apple Tree Pruning and Grafting Workshops

If you would like some help and advice on how to look after your apple trees, Stamford Community Orchard Group (SCOG) are running pruning and grafting workshops in the next few weeks.

The pruning workshop is on Saturday 22nd February 10am – 1pm at Castor.

The grafting workshop is on Saturday 8th March from 10am – 1pm at Egleton.

Please see attached for prices and how to book.

Apple Tree Pruning Workshop 22feb14

Apple Tree Grafting Workshop 8mar14

 

via Katy Ellis, Garden Club

“The Captivating World of Plants” by Tom Hart Dyke

Gardening enthusiasts may be interested to know that the Rutland Hardy Plant Society has also arranged another interesting lecture by Tom Hart Dyke, plant hunter and garden maker speaking on “The Captivating World of Plants” to be held on Saturday 22 February 2014 at 7.30pm at Oakham School.

The Captivating World of Plants

via Katy Ellis, Garden Club

Want to know what’s happening in the village this month? Please go to the January What’s On Guide for North Luffenham.

Find out more about what is being done for the village by your Parish Council and attend the next meeting on Monday 20th  January 2014. 

Do you have one of these social media accounts?

  • Facebook – You can now add your own posts to the North Luffenham Facebook timeline.
  • Twitter – If you follow or mention North Luffenham on Twitter, we’ll follow you back and retweet all mentions. 
  • Google Plus – Follow the North Luffenham website’s Google+ page, or join and post to the North Luffenham Community page on Google+.

Keep it Snappy!

The photographic classes at the North Luffenham Garden Club Autumn Show, held every September, have continued to grow in popularity.

Here are the categories for this year’s show (Sunday September 14th 2014) so you can keep them in mind over the next 9 months.

  1. Flowers and gardens
  2. Landscape
  3. Portraits (includes pets/animals)
  4. Sports and leisure
  5. Doorways and gateways
  6. Open (any photo that doesn’t fit into the previous categories such as abstract)
  7. Under 16s (any subject)

Happy snapping and we look forward to seeing your entries!

via Katy Ellis, North Luffenham Garden Club

Want to know what’s happening in the village this month? Please go to the January What’s On Guide for North Luffenham.

Find out more about what is being done for the village by your Parish Council and attend the next meeting on Monday 20th  January 2014. 

Do you have one of these social media accounts?

  • Facebook – You can now add your own posts to the North Luffenham Facebook timeline.
  • Twitter – If you follow or mention North Luffenham on Twitter, we’ll follow you back and retweet all mentions. 
  • Google Plus – Follow the North Luffenham website’s Google+ page, or join and post to the North Luffenham Community page on Google+.

“Companion Planting” Talk by Andrew Sankey

Our programme of speakers continues on Thursday January 9th @ 7.30pm in the Community Centre with the return of Andrew Sankey to talk on ‘Companion Planting’.

Andrew is a garden designer/landscaper, nurseryman and lecturer with a special interest in cottage gardens. He regularly runs series of lectures for the WEA in Stamford & Oakham, with one starting in Oakham in May on Elizabethan Gardens and Shakespeare’s Flowers.

The talk is guaranteed to be entertaining and packed full of useful information.

Guests always welcome for £2 – annual subscription £10 per person.

Details of our full programme can be found on our 2014 Calendar and include a full day outing, run jointly with Empingham Garden Club on July 20th to RHS Harlow Carr, and for the first time on October 11th/12th a chance to bring along your own apples and press them into juice (with equipment borrowed from SCOG)! Let’s hope it’s a good harvest!!

Happy New Year – hope you have a blooming good 2014!!

via Katy Ellis, North Luffenham Garden Club

For more events happening this month, please go to the January What’s On Guide for North Luffenham.

Find out more about what is being done for the village by your Parish Council and attend the next meeting on Monday 20th  January 2014. 

Do you have one of these social media accounts?

  • Facebook – You can now add your own posts to the North Luffenham Facebook timeline.
  • Twitter – If you follow or mention North Luffenham on Twitter, we’ll follow you back and retweet all mentions. 
  • Google Plus – Follow the North Luffenham website’s Google+ page, or join and post to the North Luffenham Community page on Google+.

2014 Programme Calendar for Garden Club

The North Luffenham Garden Club programme for 2014 offers:

  1. Jan 9th – ‘Companion Planting’ by Andrew Sankey.
  2. Feb 13th – ‘Treasure Island’ by Stuart Dixon.
  3. March 13th – ‘Climbing through the seasons: Alpines in the Wild.’ by James Williams.
  4. April 10th – ‘Seeds in the corridor of power: an insight into the controls on seeds and seed quality.’ by Paul Rooke.
  5. May 8th – ‘So very versatile perennials’ by Ian Cooke.
  6. June evening outing to be confirmed)
  7. July 20th – full day outing to RHS Harlow Carr (joint with Empingham Garden Club)
  8. September 14th – Autumn Show
  9. Oct 11th/12th – Apple Day – equipment borrowed from Stamford Community Orchard Group available for villagers to press their own apple juice.

For more details on these events please contact the Garden Club.

via: Katy Ellis, Garden Club

Do you have one of these social media accounts?

  • Facebook – You can now add your own posts to the North Luffenham Facebook timeline.
  • Twitter – If you follow or mention North Luffenham on Twitter, we’ll follow you back and retweet all mentions. 
  • Google Plus – Follow the North Luffenham website’s Google+ page, or join and post to the North Luffenham Community page on Google+.

Garden Club Meeting – Thursday 14th November

Next meeting will be on Thursday November 14th @ 7.30pm in the Community Centre when the Club will be holding its AGM, followed by a talk on ‘The A-Z of bulbs’ by Johnny Walkers of Walkers Bulbs, Holbeach.

Annual subscriptions of £10 per person are now due, though guests are most welcome to any meeting for £2.

via Katy Ellis, Garden Club

Autumn Season commences for Garden Club

Roseraie de l'HayThe new season gets under way for the North Luffenham Garden Club next week on Thursday October 10th at 7.30pm in the Community Centre with speaker Ann Bird on ‘A Personal Look at the World of Roses’.

Ann Bird is a past president of the Royal National Rose Society, and is currently vice-president of the World Federation of Rose Societies, so is well qualified to talk to us about this popular British garden favourite!

Fun, informal meetings with a raffle and refreshments. The club welcomes plants for sale at all meetings. No horticultural experience or expertise required – new members and guests always welcome! Cost is £2 per event or join for an annual subscription fee of £10 per person.

Programme 2013/14

  • Oct 10th – ‘A Personal Look at the World of Roses’ by Ann Bird.
  • Nov 14th – ‘The A-Z of bulbs’ by Johnny Walkers.
  • Dec 5th – Christmas Social evening
  • Jan 9th – ‘Companion Planting’ by Andrew Sankey.
  • Feb 13th – ‘Treasure Island’ by Stuart Dixon.
  • March 13th – ‘Climbing through the seasons: Alpines in the Wild.’ by James Williams.
  • April 10th – ‘Seeds in the corridor of power: an insight into the controls on seeds and seed quality.’ by Paul Rooke.
  • May 8th – ‘So very versatile perennials’ by Ian Cooke.
  • (June evening outing & July full day outing to be confirmed)

via Katy Ellis, Secretary, Garden Club

Photographic Exhibition

The members held a Photographic Exhibition in the School Hall on July 14th to coincide with NGS Open Day at Mima and Jim Bolton’s garden.

We displayed all sizes and all subjects of our favourite pictures and there was a steady stream of visitors between 11am and 6pm.

The School very kindly lent us their display boards, as did the School Photographer who happened to be in the right place….

We were so lucky with our weather again, and we received many favourable comments on the display.

Thanks go to the many members involved.

via Pam Plant, Camera Club

Get growing for the Autumn Show!!

table of vegThe Garden Club Autumn Show is being held this year on Sunday September 15th – that may seem ages away but you can start your entries now!

Did you know that as well as the usual classes for fruit and veg we have a class for heaviest marrow, heaviest pumpkin and sunflower head with largest diameter (adult and children)? Get sowing this weekend and grow your entry, and get the kids involved too!

Did you also know that a new class was introduced last year for best ‘homemade alcoholic beverage’, so if brewing is your thing, make something in the coming months.

This year we have revamped the flower arranging classes – choose from:

  1. ‘A Celebration arrangement’ (accessories may be used.)
  2. ‘Simply Red’, an arrangement using plant material only i.e. Flowers, foliage, berries and twigs
  3. Small arrangement for a table.

And finally, if photography is your thing, get snapping – categories this year are Faces (any – people, animals etc), Flower Power, Village Life, Holidays, Light, Close up ( anything). Children (under 16 yrs old) can enter photos of all the above subjects which will be judged separately.

Full schedules should be available next month – to obtain one, please contact secretary Katy Ellis at the Garden Club.

via Katy Ellis, Garden Club

Please view the programme calendar for more Garden Club organised events in 2013.

sunflower heads

Find out more about Roses from an expert

Roseraie de l'Hay

Courtesy of RNRS

North Luffenham Garden Club – next meeting this Thursday 10th January @ 7.30pm in the Community Centre when guest speaker Ann Bird who is a director of the Royal National Rose Society will be speaking about Roses.

Friendly, informal evening with raffle and refreshments – guests welcome @ £2 each.

via Katy, Garden Club

2013 Programme Calendar for Garden Club

The North Luffenham Garden Club programme for 2013 offers:

  • Jan 10th – ‘Roses’ by Ann Bird.
  • Feb 14th – ‘Lunar Planting: fact or fiction?’ by Tim Rassell.
  • March 14th – ‘The trials of setting up a nursery’ by Helen Osbourne.
  • April 11th – ‘Wildflowers & Waterways’ by Mary Matts.
  • May 9th – ‘Colourful Geraniums’ by Mike Darch.
  • June 13th – ‘Romany Remedies & Garden Cures’ by Freya Trottman.
  • June evening outing – details to be confirmed
  • July – Full day outing – Sunday 7th July to RHS Hyde Hall – prices and booking details to follow
  • September 15th – Autumn Show

For more details on these events please contact the Garden Club.

via: Katy, Garden Club