STEVE EDNEY TALK

We had a great talk from Steve Edney last month with over thirty of you tuning in to watch. It can’t be easy as the speaker ‘talking to yourself’ for an hour on Zoom, but as someone said afterwards, he’s so easy to listen to and made it all very interesting. We’re thinking about organising a trip to his nursery and garden in Sandwich, Kent next year, if you’re interested in going please get in touch. It’s about a two hour journey each way.

WINTER GARDENING

Whilst some folk feel that stepping out into their garden in winter is a chore to be avoided, others relish the opportunity to get the garden ready for spring and summer the following year. As long as you’re dressed for the task, (no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing!) there’s plenty to do and it will reap rewards next year.

Planting hardy perennials whilst the soil is still relatively warm gives plants the very best chance to make good roots over winter encouraging bigger, healthier plants the following year - but avoid planting in frosty weather or the frost can lift the plants out of the ground. Any biennials you have grown from seed, like foxgloves, hollyhocks, sweet rocket, sweet williams etc should be planted out now for next year’s display (some of the less hardy shrubs in the picture above have been netted to provide some wind protection over their first winter).

Plant bulbs for a spring display - daffodils should be in by now but you can plant tulips as late as January.

Selectively cut back perennials but leave some still standing until early spring for overwintering insects, particularly grasses. Mulch your borders every year for a healthy soil: it’s so important! You can choose from your own home-made compost, council green waste, composted bark, leaf mould, well-rotted manure, spent mushroom compost (although this contains peat) - it all depends what you’re covering, but all will act as a soil improver for future years.

Winter prune for regeneration and shaping of trees, roses and shrubs - “Growth follows the knife!” Winter gardening can be very rewarding in so many ways, not least giving us a vitamin D boost on a sunny, crisp winter’s day.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Friday 16th January 2026 at 7.30 pm - Ken Thompson, ‘No nettles required, the truth about Wildlife gardening’

Ken Thompson spent most of his career as an academic at Sheffield University, but is now retired and lives in Devon. He teaches garden ecology on the Kew Horticulture Diploma, and was for 16 years a member of the RHS Science Committee. For ten years he wrote a regular gardening column for the Daily Telegraph, but now writes chiefly for Which? Gardening. His articles are always humorous as well as informative, so I for one am very much looking forward to this talk.

SEEDY SATURDAY 7th February 10.00 to 12.30

Our next Seedy Saturday takes place in the Scout Hall on Saturday 7th February 2026, from 10.00 to 12.30, a chance to try out some new and interesting seed varieties in our gardens next year, meet up with friends whilst warming up with tea and cake or biscuits!

We wish all our members a very happy Christmas and best wishes for a good gardening year in 2026.