August 2023 Newsletter
Welcome to the August Newsletter,
Summer Show Review
Well, it was an exhausting but exhilarating day for the organisers at the Summer Show on the 15th July. The forecast 50 mph winds and rain never really materialised but it was breezy enough to require us to hold the teas indoors, making it just a bit of a squeeze in the afternoon!
The Show holds a very special place in the hearts of Mayfield villagers, who are a gritty bunch and despite the weather, it was thrilling to see so many entries in the different classes: from flowers and veg, photographs and baking to jam-making and children’s classes. The judges were very complimentary about the standard of the entries, and the Scout Hall looked beautiful, so well done to all who participated. It was super to see so many new names amongst the winners, we hope it has inspired you to enter again next year! So many people came through the Show in the afternoon - thank you all for your support and generous donations of £200. The raffle raised £120 as well, it all helps to keep the Show going.
A big thank you must go to Shirley Holland and her Show Team of Nicky and John Cluny, Sarah Ratcliffe and Sue Lancaster, as well as the main committee, who worked hard throughout the year to make it all happen.
The cupwinners are:
Perpetual Challenge Cup (Tray of Vegetables): Andrew Ratcliffe
Hulbert-Powell Cup (Best Veg exhibit): Nicky Cluny
Perpetual Challenge Cup (Best fruit): K. White
Perpetual Challenge Cup (Sweet Peas): Victoria Clarke
Wolstenholme Cup (flowers, novice): Kate Burgess
Margaret Walsh-Atkins Rose Bowl (Roses): Nicky Cluny
Sneyd-Kinnersley Cup (Best Flower exhibit): Tessa Crowe
Perpetual Challenge Cup (Floral Art): Jessica Wood
Monteith Cup (Floral Art): Madelyn Meredith
Godber Cup (Best domestic exhibit): Barbara Norman
Allchin Cup (Best craft exhibit): Idske Hartley
Newington Memorial Cup (Best photo): Shirley Holland
George Day Memorial Bowl (Posy of flowers-children): Rex Wood
Perpetual Challenge Cup (Miniature garden-children): Rex Wood
William Wicken Cup (Vase of wildflowers-children): Arwen Huxtable
The Children’s Cup (Best exhibit-children): Rex Wood
Sew Inspired Cup (children): Robyn Yea
Minibus trip to Pineview Plants and Great Comp on Wed 27th September
We had a great talk from Colin Moat of Pineview Plants last autumn, and so we have arranged a visit to his nursery on 27th September, combined with the wonderful gardens at Great Comp just around the corner, and which should be looking good at this time of the year.
We will depart Mayfield at 10.00 (High Street bus stop facing towards Tunbridge Wells), arriving Pineview Plants approx.10.45. There will be coffee/tea, talk and a tour of the nursery (opportunity to buy plants!).
Depart Pineview Plants 12.15, arrive Great Comp 12.20. Wander through the gardens, enjoy the late season colour from salvias, dahlias and asters plus their nursery, eat in their cafe (not included in price - picnics not permitted). Depart Great Comp 3.15, arrive Mayfield approx. 4.00. Price: £12.00 per person, max. group of 20.
Contact Tessa Crowe at chair@mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk or on 872726 to book. Payment must be made with booking to confirm your place.
Tessa Crowe
July 2023 Newsletter
Mayfield Horticultural Society Summer Show
It's summer show time! Saturday 15 July from 2.30pm in the Scout Hall opening with a fancy dress parade by the children.
Come and spend the afternoon seeing a lovely showcase of flowers, vegetables, craft items, jams, chutneys, cakes, photographs and the fantastic children's entries. Enjoy homemade cakes and tea prepared and served by the Friends of Mayfield Primary School.
You can enter an actual exhibit including your own printed photograph for the photographs 2 classes ("Something beginning with I" and "Summertime and the living is easy"). Everyone loves attending the show, but it is only as good as the entries we get. If every member entered just one item, that would mean over 120 entries!
So, go on, pick up a schedule from The Flower House, The Post Office, Sew Inspired, or from our website (www.mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk) and see more details.
Why not enter, it’s FREE! You have nothing to lose, and you might just surprise yourself and win something! You can enter on the day, but you must bring us your entry between 9 and 11am on Saturday 15th July so the judges can do their bit. If you need advice or help, please contact us beforehand or on the day. We are very happy to answer questions, advise you and generally help in whatever way we can.
For more information please email us at showcommittee@mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk
Shirley, Nicky, John, Sarah & Sue (The show committee)
June 2023 Newsletter
Hi everyone,
Plant Sale
It was a bit nippy to start with, but it didn’t deter the hardy folk of Mayfield who turned out in large numbers for our annual Plant Sale on Saturday 13th May. We sold out of practically everything and had our best year yet, with a surplus after expenses of £1240.11, thus ensuring that we have enough in the kitty to fund another year.
So a big thank you to everyone who grew or donated plants, bought plants or helped out on the day, and especially to all of the committee who worked hard to make it a success. We hope you all enjoy and have success growing your new plants.
We also gained some new members on the day: welcome to you all and hope to see you at some of our events this year.
Open gardens in June around Mayfield
Tidebrook Manor garden in Tidebrook is open in aid of Wadhurst Church on Sunday 4th June, 2-6pm. This is the garden of which Ed Flint, who gave us such a splendid talk on container gardening in April, has been head gardener for over twenty years. Well worth a visit.
Mayfield Gardens are open again for the National Gardens Scheme over the weekend of 10/11 June, 11-5. Just £8 gains you entry to six beautiful gardens this year, and a great way to while away an afternoon (or two, your ticket is valid over the whole weekend!). Teas provided at Hoopers Farm (Pre-School) and The Oast (Primary School).
Coach outing to RHS Wisley on Tuesday 20th June
Your last chance to book for this event, just a few seats remaining. There is so much that is new at Wisley, if you haven’t been in the past few years, you definitely need to pay a return visit and check it all out! Only £20 a head including entry. Non-members are also welcome. Contact Claire Montagu at claire.montagu@icloud.com or 01435 872648.
News from the Show Team:
It's Summer Show time! Saturday 15 July from 2.30pm in the Scout Hall opening with a fancy dress parade by the children.
The fantastic virtual show is making a welcome return this year, alongside the main, vibrant show of vegetables, flowers, craft, jams, cakes, pictures and photographs.
So, pick up a schedule from The Flower House, The Post Office, Sew Inspired or from our website (www.mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk) and see what you, your children or grandchildren can enter. It’s FREE to enter.
The categories for the virtual show are 'Bloomin' Marvellous', 'Around my garden and beyond', 'Too good to Eat' and 'Here's one I made earlier'! Each category has some really great ideas for you to photograph, things like: tallest sunflower, hanging basket, oops a disaster!, my veg plot, a decorated cake, a large craft item, my flower border plus many more! The really important bit is: WE NEED YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS EMAILED TO US BY FRIDAY 30 JUNE to showcommittee@mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk This is because we are getting them all printed and they will be on display at the show on 15th July. This also includes the photographic category in the show, if you want us to print your picture.
Go on, pick up a schedule, enter the show in whatever way you wish and let's celebrate summer, our gardens and our hobbies.
For more information please email us at the address above.
Shirley, Nicky, John, Sarah & Sue (The show committee)
So, plenty to keep us gardeners occupied during flaming June!
Regards
Tessa Crowe
President
May 2023 Newsletter
Hi everyone,
Our latest talk on 18th April from Ed Flint and Annie Barnes on container planting and the Stunning Summer Pots demo was a resounding success: so many people turned up it was standing room only and we gained 11 new members; welcome to you all! The raffled pots were a big hit and thank you to everyone who attended. Looking forward to seeing photos of your pots (including the raffled ones) in the Virtual Show in July!
Ed has asked me to mention that he is talking to another society this coming week in case you want to attend: Wednesday 3rd May at Sandhurst Old School Hall, 7.00 for 7.30 on “Companionable Annuals “ - annuals in the mixed border. Sure to be a winner and very entertaining.
COMING UP:
Saturday 13th May, from 9.00am till 12.00
Annual Plant Sale - Our busiest morning of the year! We will have all the usual suspects for sale, lovingly home-grown for you: hundreds of fruit and veg plants, tomatoes, beans, peas, courgette, squash, strawberries etc. There will be annuals for pots, hanging baskets and borders like petunias, cosmos, geraniums, sweet peas, lobelia and more, plus lots of perennial plants too: in fact everything you need to make your garden or pots sing this summer. Still the best value plant sale going. The early bird definitely catches the worm here: last year half our plants had gone within the first half hour!
As always, we would be very grateful to receive donations of your excess annuals, perennials and veg plants for the Sale. We have been allowed to use the Memorial Hall again to store our plants overnight on Friday so please bring your donated plants to Court Meadow at 2.00 pm on Friday the 12th, or VERY EARLY ie 8.00 am on Saturday the 13th - thank you.
This day is without doubt our biggest fundraiser of the year and helps us keep the subs down, so please support. There will also be an opportunity to renew your membership and pick up a Summer Show Programme on the day. The MAYFACS Shedders will be there to display their wares.
Dates for your diary:
Tuesday 20th June, annual coach outing to RHS Wisley, £20 per person, non-members welcome. See the flyer attached. Travel in comfort in a luxury coach. Book early to avoid disappointment. Contact Claire Montagu at claire.montagu@icloud.com or 01435 872648.
Saturday 15th July, Summer Show, to include both Virtual (photographic) and physical entries
Tessa Crowe
April 2023 Newsletter
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Hello everyone,
We hope everyone who attended enjoyed our AGM last week at Colkins Mill Church. We were pleasantly surprised just how cosy and comfortable it all was - and good acoustics too - no need for a microphone! Those of you who did attend were treated to a very interesting talk from Graham Holland on composting, and we hope it has encouraged you all to get out there and make your own, if you don’t already. There were some really good questions for our Gardener’s Question Time session too, thank you to the panel, hope you found the suggestions useful.
We’d be interested to get your feedback on the evening: venue as well as content.
If you haven’t already renewed your membership, please go to our website www.mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk for details on how to renew. You can also renew at our next meeting or at the Plant Sale, see below.
Next meeting
On Tuesday 18th April, 7.30 for 8.00pm - Colkins Mill Church Ed Flint and Annie Barnes, Pots and Container Gardening: a presentation from the Tidebrook Manor gardeners on container gardening and pot displays, inspiration for those with the smallest gardens as well as large. Many of you will know Ed, who has spoken to us a few times over the past few years on a variety of subjects and is always very entertaining as well as an excellent speaker. He lectures at The English Garden School in Chelsea as well as Great Dixter, East Sussex and is one of England’s most talented horticulturalists.
He and Annie will also do a demonstration of Stunning Summer Pot: each person attending the talk will receive a free raffle ticket to win the pot afterwards.
Future Dates for the diary
Saturday & Sunday, 22nd and 23rd April, our garden at The Oast, Fletching Street, will be open again to visitors in aid of the National Gardens Scheme. Entry £5, children under eighteen free, dogs on a short lead welcome. There will be homemade teas from Mayfield Primary School mums, and plants for sale, both from Rapkyns and our own home-grown plants.
Come and see our ever-increasing display of tulips and spring flowers, shrubs and trees, and support nursing and caring charities at the same time.
Thursday 27th April, an exclusive event at Borde Hill for members of societies affiliated to the RHS - so all of you paid up members are eligible! Our affiliate number is 10561963 for those of you interested, please book direct at www.bordehill.co.uk/events/RHSAffiliated.
Saturday 13th May, from 9.00am: Annual Plant Sale - good news, we have received permission to use the Memorial Hall car park once again. As always, we would be very grateful to receive your excess annuals, perennials and veg plants for sale. This day is without doubt our biggest fundraiser of the year and helps us keep the subs down, so please support. There is a slight change to normal procedure this year for those donating plants. Because of the proposed building works, we are unlikely to be able to store plants in the Hall overnight as in previous years; please therefore bring your plants, labelled and already priced, to the Sale early on the day, preferably well before 9.00 - there will be someone there from about 8.00 am. Many thanks.
Tuesday 20th June: Coach outing to RHS garden Wisley, see flyer attached. As an affiliated society to the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) our members receive free entry to an RHS garden once a year. This makes for a very affordable day out at £20 with the comfort of a luxury coach, and no need to drive! With all the new developments at Wisley over the past few years, this is bound to be an extremely popular day out and is strictly first come, first served. Please contact Claire Montagu to book (details on flyer attached). Payment is required to confirm your seat.
Phew, if you’re still with me - that was a lot of news! Plenty to look forward to …
Tessa Crowe
March 2023 Newsletter
Tuesday 21 March AGM, Colkins Mill Church. Doors open 7.00pm, AGM starts 7.30
Membership of Mayfield Horticultural Society has many benefits: free regular meetings with professional speakers, many from the top flight of horticulture; a chance to make new friends with a shared interest; outings, shows, an annual plant sale plus 10% discount at local gardening outlets using your membership card - just one visit could pay for your annual membership!
Everyone is welcome to our AGM - doors will open at 7.00 pm for membership renewal, still an absolute bargain at £5. FREE glass of wine and nibbles. The AGM will start promptly at 7.30, usually lasting less than half an hour, quickly followed by our very own MHS Gardeners Question Time with our home-grown panel of experts - your gardening queries answered, plus a compost demonstration. Non-members £5.
Please submit your gardening questions for the panel ahead of time to chair@mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk.
Parking for Colkins Mill Church is along Station Road, please park considerately or walk if you live locally! Please note we have received kind permission from the Roman Catholic Church to use their car park for our meetings.
Future dates for the diary:
Tuesday 18th April, 7.30 for 8.00pm
Ed Flint and Annie Barnes, Pots and Container Gardening, presentation from the Tidebrook Manor gardeners on container gardening and pot displays plus demonstration of a Stunning Summer Pot, to be raffled afterwards.
Saturday 13th May, from 9.00am,
Annual Plant Sale, location to be confirmed
Tessa Crowe
February 2023 Newsletter
Hello everyone,
It’s been a grisly past few weeks of weather for us gardeners but there are definite signs that Spring is on the way, the garden is getting ready ever earlier, it seems. As I write this in mid-January, snowdrops are urgently pushing their snouts above ground regardless of what the elements hurl at them; crocus and narcissus aren’t far behind. Plenty to get excited about, but plenty of preparation to do as well! Time to cut everything back in readiness for the new season.
There is a chance to sit back and relax, however, on Tuesday 21st February at 7.30pm, as Raz Vanchisu transports us to Greece in our Zoom talk entitled ‘Walking on flowers in the Peloponnese’. Raz has been leading botanical tours to far-flung parts of Europe for many years - “Be prepared to be amazed by carpets of annuals and bulbs, sometimes as far as the eye can see”. It’s an area of Europe I’ve long wanted to visit, and it should be a cracker. The Zoom link will be sent out to members a few days beforehand, hope you can join us. Non-members will need to register and pay £5 for this - just go to our website www.mayfieldhorticulturalsocety.org.uk and click on Upcoming Event to register and find instructions on how to pay.
Other dates for your diary:
Our friends at Framfield & Blackboys Horticultural Society are having a quiz night on Wednesday 8th February (see attachment)
Tuesday 21 March AGM, Colkins Mill Church,Doors open 7.00pm, AGM starts 7.30pm
The AGM is followed by our very own MHS Gardeners Question Time (GQT) with a home-grown panel of ‘experts’ - your gardening queries answered, plus compost demonstration. Non-members £5. Don’t forget to send us your gardening questions to be put to the panel by 28th February to chair@mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk. No questions, no GQT!
Tuesday 18 April, 7.30 for 8.00pm, Colkins Mill Church
Ed Flint and Annie Barnes, Pots and Container Gardening, presentation from the Tidebrook Manor gardeners on container gardening and pot displays plus demonstration of a Stunning Summer Pot. Non-members £5.
Tessa Crowe
January 2023 Newsletter
A very happy New Year to all our Members. Let’s hope the weather is kinder than last and our gardens & allotments flourish this year.
A plea for help!
Does anyone in the village have a greenhouse - any size - they are not currently using? We would be extremely grateful to have the use of a greenhouse from March through to early May so we can bring on all of our little plants for the Plant Sale! Please contact either Tessa Crowe (chair@mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk) or Shirley Holland (treasurer@mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk) if you think you can assist.
Feedback about Pineview Plants visit
Thank you to those who responded positively about the proposed visit to Pineview Plants nursery and Great Comp Gardens in our last email. About 20 people said they would like to go if the date suits. We will therefore definitely be organising something later in the year - at the moment the end of September seems a good time, so watch this space for further details.
Dates for your diary in early 2023
Tuesday 21 February via Zoom 7.30
Raz Vanchisu (The Transylvanian Gardener), Walking on Flowers in the Peloponnese. Raz has been leading botanical tours to far-flung parts of Europe for many years. “Be prepared to be amazed by carpets of annual flowers and bulbs, sometimes as far as the eye can see” Transport yourselves to Greece for an hour on a cold winter’s evening from the comfort of your own home. Promises to be fabulous. FREE to members, non-members £5. The link will be sent out to all paid up members, non-members will need to register on our website and pay by bank transfer.
Tuesday 21 March AGM, Colkins Mill Church, Doors open 7.00pm, AGM starts 7.30. The AGM followed by our very own MHS Gardener’s Question Time with our home-grown panel of experts - the opportunity to have your gardening queries answered, plus a compost demonstration. This will follow the familiar format of the famous BBC Gardener’s Question Time radio programme with questions invited from members. All questions should be submitted ahead of time, so please email your gardening question(s) for the panel to me by 28 February at chair@mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk. FREE to members.
Please also note that Colkins Mill Church in Station Road will be our new temporary venue for talks whilst the Hall is being re-developed.
Tessa Crowe
November 2022 Newsletter
Well, I’m very sorry I missed the delightful Colin Moat from Pineview Plants in October. It sounds as though it was an excellent talk, everyone had a thoroughly good time and bought a few plants as well! Colin mentioned the possibility of touring his nursery next year (specialising in shade loving plants) and combining it with a visit to the nearby Great Comp gardens which we think is a great idea! Quite a few people have stopped me in the street since about it.
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Pineview Plants and Great Comp are both near Sevenoaks which would only be about a 40 minute journey from Mayfield, so very convenient! The seven acres at Great Comp are a delight year-round but especially in late summer when many varieties of salvia are in bloom.William Dyson, the head gardener there, has his own specialist salvia nursery on site where he breeds exciting new varieties each year. It also has a lovely tearoom! Check out their website at www.greatcompgarden.co.uk. It will make for a very inspirational and exciting day out.
Just so that we have an idea of the numbers that would be interested in going (as to whether we organise a coach or minibus trip) please reply to this email if you think you might want to go - no obligation of course!
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November Zoom Talk
For the winter season, we move back to Zoom talks in November and February where you can watch and learn in the comfort of your own home. So on Friday 18th November, we welcome Fiona Weymuss of Blueleaf Plants who will inspire us to successfully ‘Grow Succulents in the Garden’.
Succulents are enjoying a massive revival at the moment, and can make a big impact in your garden, but not many of us have the expertise to know which will survive the winter or how to look after those that do. There will be an opportunity to ask questions as we go through or please email me a question beforehand to ask.
Sign in a few minutes before 7.30pm on the night, it’s FREE to members and £5 to non-members. A link will be sent out a few days before. If you haven’t renewed your membership for this year yet, you’ll need to make a bank transfer of £5 ahead of time to our account Sort Code: 20-88-13, Account No. 10685259, Mayfield Horticultural & Gardeners Association, ref zoom talk.
October 2022 Newsletter
We greatly enjoyed Philip Oostenbrink’s talk last month where he introduced us to some of the more unusual hardy and not so hardy foliage plants to create a jungle atmosphere in our gardens. I have persuaded myself to buy a Tetrapanax Rex, with huge leaves and a big presence in the garden (supposedly hardy) - watch this space!
Tuesday 18th October in the Memorial Hall
The nights are drawing in as the clocks go back in October, but it doesn’t mean we have to hibernate!
If, like me, you have struggled in the past to select plants for those shady areas of your garden, come and listen to Colin Moat of Pineview Plants on Tuesday 18th October discussing “Fifty Greys of Shade” - the wonderful choice of perennial plants suitable for an area of the garden often considered ‘a problem’. This will be our last evening in the Memorial Hall before it is demolished, let’s make it a good one by supporting. Colin will be bringing plants for sale as well.
Doors open at 7.30 for refreshments and the talk will start at 8.00 pm for approximately one hour. It’s FREE to members and just £2 for non-members. If you’re new to the village and/or interested in joining, come and see what we’re all about.
Future dates this season for your diary:
. Friday 18 November 2022 via Zoom 7.30pm: Fiona Weymuss of Blueleaf Plants, “Growing Succulents in the Garden”
. Tuesday 21 February 2023 via Zoom 7.30pm: Raz Vanchisu (The Transylvanian Gardener) “Walking on Flowers in the Peloponnese”
. Tuesday 21 March 2023 AGM and “Gardeners Question Time”, plus compost demonstration. Doors open 7.00, AGM starts 7.30 pm Colkins Mill Hall.
Tessa Crowe
September 2022 Newsletter
A Mayfield Horticultural Society Mystery
Calling all the budding Poirots or Miss Marples! Over the last few weeks, the current committee has been actively pursuing, "The Mystery of the Missing Cups". It appears that two cups that were awarded at the former annual Rose Show, have gone AWOL. The last show was in 2011. The Newsletter Archives provided the names of the winners, but there was a further twist as the recipients of the two cups were given the incorrect cups! One cup was donated by Mr John Hancock and the other is an ornate, chinese style patterned small cup that was a pain to clean!
The complication comes that the organiser of the Rose Show died in 2017, and the recollections of past members of the main committee can help no further.
So, if anyone reading this has a random cup gathering dust in their house, or can shed any light on the mystery, we would be very pleased to hear from you.
Sadly, we have no way of contacting the family of the deceased organiser and, unless any readers can shed any light, we have to conclude the family disposed of the cups on the death of their relation.
Please contact either Shirley Holland 872163 or Tessa Crowe if you can help.
September Talk in the Memorial Hall
With all the rain forecast for the next couple of weeks, I’m sure we’ll all be chomping at the bit to get out and enjoy a bit of social interaction.
We’re back in the Memorial Hall on Friday 16th September at 7.30 for 8.00pm to hear Philip Oostenbrink, head gardener at Walmer Castle and extremely knowledgeable plantsman, talk about The Jungle Garden: looking at the important role foliage plants can play in the garden and how to create that dramatic tropical effect. This is particularly effective in gardens at this time of the year.
Philip will be bringing copies of his book The Jungle Garden, as well as plants for sale too! It’ll be a fun evening - free to members and just £2 for non-members. See you there,
Tessa
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August 2022 Newsletter
SUMMER SHOW
The sun shone on the 16th, and the Show basked in the reflected light of a hot July summer’s day. Entries were well up this year, especially in the flower categories, and the Hall was heady with the perfume of sweet peas and roses. Local celeb Ann Martin (Mrs Lollipop) judged the fancy dress parade, The Mayfield Band played some of our favourite tunes and the Friends of the Primary School mums served delicious tea and cake. Just a perfect day out.
Thank you to everyone who entered and made the Show such a success, without you there would not be a Show. We had many first-time entrants this year, gained new members - welcome to you all! - and I believe lots of people discovered how much fun this day is. Major thanks must also go to Shirley Holland and her Show Team for all their hard work throughout the year to put on the Show, it was a triumph. Thank you too, for your generous donations on the door - we raised almost £300 which will help keep us afloat.
If you’ve never entered an item in the Show, why not give it a go next year? You just might surprise yourself and win something! It’s not all about flowers and veg (although they are important!) but there are also categories for photographs, jams and marmalade, baking, crafts and needlework, plus children’s classes as well. Something for everyone.
The Cup winners were:
Perpetual Challenge Cup (Tray) Ken Audsley
Hulbert-Powell Cup (Best veg) Nicky Cluny
Perpetual Challenge Cup (Best fruit) Tessa Crowe
Perpetual Challenge Cup (Sweet Peas) Sarah Ratcliffe
Wolstenholme Cup (Novice) Sarah Boorman
Margaret Walsh-Atkins Rose Bowl Sarah Ratcliffe
Snyed-Kynnersley Cup (Best flower exhibit) Tessa Crowe
Perpetual Challenge Cup (table decoration) Mary Prall
Monteith Cup (Novice) Jessica Wood
Godber Cup (Best Domestic exhibit) Sarah Ratcliffe
Allchin Cup (Best Craft exhibit) Kate Burgess
Newington Memorial Cup (Best photo) Shirley Holland
George Day Memorial Bowl (Flower Posy) Arwen Huxtable
Perpetual Challenge Cup (Miniature Garden) Brodie Wood
William Wicken Cup (Vase of wildflowers) Rex Wood
The Children’s Cup (Best exhibit) Mayfield Pre-School
Banksian Medal (Most points in Show) Tessa Crowe
September Talk
We’re back in the Memorial Hall on Friday 16th September at 7.30 for 8.00pm to hear Philip Oostenbrink, head gardener at Walmer Castle and extremely knowledgeable plantsman, talk about The Jungle Garden: looking at the important role foliage plants can play in the garden and how to create that tropical effect. Plants for sale too. It’ll be a fun evening - free to members and just £2 for non-members. See you there,
Tessa Crowe
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July 2022 Newsletter
Hi everyone,
Summer outing review
It was universally agreed that the coach trip to Arundel Castle Gardens on 14th June was a great success. Everything worked splendidly from start to finish.
Starting quietly with lakes and woods, the gardens wend their way up the hill amongst frothy banks of oxeye daisy and orchids, wildflower meadows, plus an exquisite rose garden, to explode in a riot of colour at the top with Italianate gardens, fountains, follies, walled gardens and glasshouses filled with peaches, pelargoniums and other exotics. A triumph and a must-see if you haven’t already been. Tulip season there is spectacular too.
Thanks to Claire Montagu for doing all the organising!
Summer Show, Saturday 16 July
Only two weeks away, our Summer Show promises to be a really fun-packed event, with classes to enter for adults and children (not just flowers and vegetables, but crafts, baking, photography, etc) and a NEW fancy dress competition to kick it all off at 2.30 pm. There will also be delicious teas provided by the Friends of Mayfield Primary School. Posters advertising the event are already up around the village.
If you haven’t already got one, pick up a brochure (schedule) from the Post Office, Sew Inspired and The Flower House. Or look on this website and click on the Summer Show link. All the information you need is there, and you can print off entry forms.
Drop off your entries ahead of time by 4 pm on Thursday 14th to The Flower House, or bring them by 10.30 am on the day and fill in your entry form at the Hall.
Entries have been down for the last few shows. Please see what you (or your children, or grandchildren!) could enter and let’s make this year’s Show one to remember with a record number of entries. If each member entered just one class each, that would be over 100 entries!
Carnival night
Catherine Hawley of the Mayfield Bonfire Boyes and Belles (and also a member here!) has asked if members could help by dropping off any large empty compost bags they might have at the Mayfield Scout Hall on Saturday mornings during July and August, as they are great for storing the 5,000 torches they need for carnival night! Please help them out if you can.
Garden openings
On a personal level, I’d like to thank everyone who came to visit the Mayfield gardens that opened for the National Gardens Scheme in April and June. Thanks to your support and some lovely weather, we have raised over £7500 for nursing and caring charities so far over the two weekends, as well as lots of money for our local Pre- and Primary schools from the teas.
Don’t forget to support Hoopers Farm which opens again for the National Gardens Scheme on Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st July and will be looking stunning, Delicious teas in aid of the pre-school.
Do remember to take some time this month to sit back and enjoy your own garden. Hope to see you at the Show!
Regards, Tessa Crowe
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JUNE 2022 NEWSLETTER
Plant Sale
Thanks to everyone who made the Plant Sale such a success on 7th May, including all those of you who contributed and bought plants!
It was a manic couple of hours for those of us on the stalls, and just goes to show that the early bird really does catch the worm. We couldn’t believe it was only 9.30 am and half of the plants had already gone! After expenses, we raised a net total for the Society of over £1150 which is by some margin our best total to date and will greatly help fund our activities for the coming year. Thanks again for all your support.
Summer Outing to Arundel Castle 14th June
Our Summer Outing to Arundel Castle Gardens is on Tuesday 14th June (£25 per person), and is open to members and non-members. There are still a few spaces left on our luxury 50 seater coach but we need to know soonest if you want to come: contact Claire Montagu on 01435 872648 or email Claire.montagu@icloud.com. The gardens at Arundel Castle have featured in many TV gardening programmes recently, including the latest series of Carol Klein’s Great British Gardens, and should not be missed! Details are also on our website www.mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk.
Summer Show 16th July
Don’t forget to include our Show in your plans this summer on Saturday 16th July. It’s all free to enter again this year. Pick up a schedule from the Post Office, Flower House or Truffles, or look on this website and click on the Summer Show link, to see what you, your children, and/or grandchildren could enter! There are loads of different categories for adults and children, not just flowers and veg, but also photography, domestic (baking etc), crafts, children’s classes and creative writing. It’s not terribly serious but actually a really fun thing to do, one of the most enjoyable days in the Mayfield calendar.
Enjoy the glorious month of June in your gardens, hasn’t it been a wonderful Spring? (But we could really do with some proper rain now please!)
Tessa Crowe
May 2022 Newsletter
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PLANT SALE 7th MAY 2022
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Come and support us in the Memorial Hall car park from 9.00 to 12.00 when we hold our annual fundraiser. We’ll be selling the usual array of bedding plants, perennials and vegetables, everything in fact that you’ll need for your garden this year! Just a few examples: geranium, petunia, sweet peas, ammi majus, lobelia, verbena, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, broad and runner beans, lettuce, herbs. Many others.
Tessa Crowe,
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SUMMER OUTING TO ARUNDEL CASTLE GARDENS
There are still spaces available for our coach trip on Tuesday 14th June, price £25 per person. Non-members welcome. Please contact Claire Montagu on Claire.montagu@icloud.com or 872648 to book or for more information. Payment should be made by 16th May please.
SUMMER SHOW 2022
The clock is ticking towards 2.30pm on the 16th July and
THE WONDERFUL MAYFIELD SUMMER SHOW!!
The format is similar to last year but with
LOTS MORE ENTRY CATEGORIES FOR ADULTS & CHILDREN!!
Cups and prizes for the best vegetables, fruit, flowers, cookery, creativity and craft.
PLUS, there’s a fun FANCY DRESS PARADE for anyone to enter.
Pick up your free copy of the Show programme from the Post Office,
the Flower House or Truffles Bakery -
and don’t forget to put the date in your diary,
– that’s 2.30 on 16th July. See you there!!
John & Nicky Cluny, Show Team at Mayfield Horticultural Society
April 2022 Newsletter
Talk on Tuesday 19th April 2022: The English Love Affair with the Iris
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On Tuesday 19th April, we welcome back Sue Marshall.
Sue owns and runs Iris of Sissinghurst: a nursery in Marden specialising, unsurprisingly, in irises! A regular exhibitor at Chelsea, Sue won a gold medal for her Iris display in 2015. She will be bringing plants for sale with her and as it will be very nearly peak Iris time in April, I anticipate plenty of interest!
Memorial Hall, 7.30 for 8.00 pm start. FREE to members, non-members £2.
Summer Coach Outing, Tuesday 14th June to Arundel Castle Gardens
Arundel Castle has nearly 1000 years of history and its glorious gardens have magnificent views over the Sussex countryside and the river Arun. There are a wonderful variety of landscapes to explore from the Stumpery to the Collector Earl’s garden. Planting interest includes fruit and vegetables, lupins, delphiniums, irises, roses and wildflowers. There are paths wide enough for wheelchairs with a gravel surface and moderate slopes.
Refreshments can be obtained at either the Refectory or Coffee Shop or you are welcome to bring your own picnic.
SCHEDULE: 10am pick up in Mayfield High Street. Leave Arundel at 3pm and arrive back in Mayfield about 4.30pm. COST: £25.00 per person for the cost of a coach and admission (NOT including the castle). Places are limited to 50 people and are open to MHS members as well as non-members.
NB The castle is set on a hill and there are steep paths from the car park to the entrance. Those needing mobility assistance should indicate to Claire when booking so that prior notice can be given to the reception staff who have a small motorised buggy.
Tessa Crowe
