Thanks to all who came to the AGM on the 18th March; we hope you enjoyed the beautiful floral demonstrations from Freya from The Flower House, and congratulations to the lucky raffle winner who took it home with her! We also launched our brand new, contemporary website with loads of new features which we hope you will find useful, more user-friendly and interactive.

Membership of Mayfield Horticultural Society runs from March to February each year, so if you haven't yet renewed your membership for 2025/26, please make a transfer of £7.50 to: Mayfield Horticultural and Gardener's Association, Sort Code: 20-88-13, Account No.: 10685259, reference: your name and 'Fee'. You can, of course, also renew in person at any of our events.

Trip to Bateman's

On 26th March a group of 17 people were given an interesting and exclusive tour of the gardens at Bateman’s by Head Gardener Len Bernamont. He spent over an hour and a half showing us different areas and outlining plans for redevelopment in the future. He also gave some fascinating insight into the Kipling family and how the gardens had evolved since the early 1900s. One of the main problems faced is flooding from the river running by the rose garden and lower lawns which is becoming a real issue. The meadow area to the south was a picture of daffodils, narcissi and scillas. Len told us they would be even better next week! Afterwards everyone took the opportunity to have a further explore and some looked inside the house which is full of artefacts and momentos sourced by Rudyard Kipling over many years of living and travelling abroad. The café provided welcome refreshments and a chance to sit outside on a beautiful sunny spring day.

April Talk

On Tuesday 15th April, 7.30 for 8.00 pm at Colkins Mill Church, Station Road, Tessa Crowe will be discussing ‘We’re making a Garden’ - an illustrated journey of the past 17 years of renovating and developing her and Mike’s country garden in Mayfield; lessons learned, their successes and failures. For the last ten years, Tessa and Mike have been regularly opening their garden in Mayfield twice a year as part of the National Gardens Scheme charity and have had articles written about it in The English Garden magazine and Gardening Which. Their next open weekend is the 26th & 27th April when the garden should be awash with tulips and other spring flowers; their homegrown plants will also be for sale over that weekend. Non-members are also welcome to attend our talks, entry £5.

Cuttings Demonstration

On the same evening, Tessa will also be doing a short demonstration on propagating a couple of different types of cuttings, stem and basal, which can be a useful way of increasing favourite plants in your garden for just the price of the compost!

Plant Sale

SATURDAY 10th MAY - PLANT SALE: This annual, much anticipated event is your chance to buy locally grown plants at great prices. There will a range of annuals for the garden, pots and hanging baskets; perennials grown by Mayfield gardeners; a range of vegetables; herbs and loads of different tomatoes. There will be plenty of advice on hand as well. Watch out for more specific details nearer the time, but get that date in your diaries, set the alarm because the early grower really will get the best choice. Opens 9am till 11am on Saturday 10th May, Memorial Hall car park or the Scout Hall if it’s wet. Don’t forget to bring us any extras you may have from your own garden!

Call out for pots!

It’s that time of year again when we are growing on lots of plants and veg for the Plant Dale on 10th May. This year we are looking for all sizes of pots, but particularly 2 litre (the ones on the right), small and six-packs (the type you buy bedding plants in from the garden centres). We would be most grateful if you would recycle your plant pots (cleaner than those illustrated please!) by leaving them inside the gate at The Oast, Fletching Street TN20 6TN when you’re next passing. Thank you!