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Review of April talk from Chris Brown

Chris Brown’s inspiring talk took us through some of his favourite plants over the different seasons. He has certainly created some beautiful gardens over the past few years and we look forward to seeing his latest project, Knowle House in Wadhurst, come to fruition. Suzanne Bowe has kindly written up her notes for us all to share, this will be sent as a separate email.

The Plant Sale

Saturday 9th May, 9-11, Five Ashes Village Hall

We will have our usual bonanza of colourful bedding, perennials, vegetables and an absolutely HUGE quantity of tomatoes. We have over 30 different varieties ranging from cherry to beefsteak size tomatoes, including some heirloom varieties.

Missed out on the runner beans, courgettes and cucumbers last year? - we listened to you and this year there will be more.

We’ll have flowers for every need: from trusty perennials for sun or shade, including some lovely homegrown salvias for the summer border, to annuals such as cosmos, petunias, nicotiana, sweet peas, antirrhinum, marigolds. A selection of bedding dahlias are NEW for this year. Want to make up pots or hanging baskets? There’ll be geraniums, lobelia, helichrysum, petunias, trailing verbena, foliage plants too to add that extra interest to a pot.

As an added bonus, MAYFACS Shedders will have a stall selling a big array of garden accessories all made by them - dibblets, dibbers, plant supports, trugs, insect houses and much more! Come and find out what a dibblet is!

So come and support us in this, our biggest fundraiser of the year. Our plants are good quality, decently priced and all are grown locally, either by us or from Cade Street nursery and growing advice will be freely available.

If you have spare plants to donate to us (thank you so much!) please drop them off at Five Ashes Hall between 2.30 and 4.00 pm the day before, Friday 6th May. Please label your plants just in case we don’t recognise what they are!!

Worried you can't make it for 9am? Don't fret - we will be making sure the plants are restocked on the tables.

There is plenty of parking, it will be well signed, cash, cheques or cards accepted. Look out for the bunting!

Do you need a lift to get there? We’re planning to have a shuttle between Mayfield and Five Ashes for those who are unable to drive there themselves. Contact chair@mayfieldhorticulturalsociety.org.uk to book a place.

Don’t forget!

Saturday 9th May, 9-11, Five Ashes Village Hall

Open Gardens Season continues…

More gardens to visit in May and June

Rapkyns Nursery, Street End Lane, Broad OK, Heathfield, TN21 8UB is open for timed visits on Wednesday 13th May at 11.00 and 2.00 pm. Pre-booked tickets only - visit ngs.org.uk for details. Learn behind the scenes how they propagate and grow all their beautiful plants, and help raise money for nursing and caring charities at the same time.

On the afternoon of Sunday 7th June, the Bonfire Society is holding a local Open Gardens. Five gardens will be open in East Street and Sandy Lane, Mayfield, with homemade cakes and refreshments at Gawain in Sandy Lane. These generous gardeners are sharing their private gardens to help raise the £15,000 needed to put on the Bonfire Celebrations this year. They have Fran's delightful "Meads" opening for the second time for them, together with four new gardens.

…and finally

Chris Buxton has loads more verbena bonariensis seedlings in Fir Toll Road this year. Please contact him direct at chrisj.buxton@btinternet.com if you would like to go and dig some up.

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