We returned to the Hix Academy restaurant on Thursday 8th December for Christmas Lunch.
We all enjoyed a superb meal with excellent service in very pleasant surroundings. Highly recommended!
Author Archives: BUDHS
December Meeting
The school hall looked very festive for our last talk of 2016 with the Christmas tree twinkling and mince pies available with tea and coffee.
Tom Amery of The Watercress Company gave us a very interesting insight into the history of his company and watercress growing in general.
He answered a variety of questions during his illustrated talk and finished by giving us all a bag of delicious watercress to take home. A very good evening.
25 members will be having a Christmas lunch at the Hix Academy on the 8th December.
There is no meeting in January so we meet again on February 2nd when Sally Fielding will be speaking about Dry-stone walling.
Happy Christmas to all our members.
Next Events
The November meeting was very well attended when Nigel Hewish of Kingston Maurward College spoke to us about penstemons. He brought a good selection of varieties for us to see and spoke very knowledgeably about the subject, all without notes! His very informative talk was backed up with slides. He ended the evening by answering members’ questions.
On December 1st we welcome Mr. Tom Amery whose talk will be ‘My Life in Watercress’ We have decided to try changing the format of the evening this month, so refreshments will be available from 7.15 pm prior to the talk. If this is successful we will adopt this arrangement permanently.
Autumn News
Dorset Federation Show On 18th September the Society staged 35 exhibits at the show in Tarrant Keyneston village hall near Blandford.
Seven societies entered and we were delighted to win 13 firsts, 10 seconds and 9 thirds against strong opposition.
Apple classes
Sixteen members provided various items to make up the exhibits.
We were awarded three trophies for Best Exhibits in the pot plants, cactus and mixed garden flowers.
The trophies and full results will be displayed at the November meeting
Cactus collection
Harvest Supper This proved to be a very successful event. Forty members enjoyed a delicious Ploughman’s Supper followed by home-made Dorset apple cake with clotted cream. Mark Read then gave a talk on Autumn Colour while potting up two containers. He also created a beautiful floral decoration in a basket which was later raffled.
Ready to enjoy
November Meeting On 3rd November, Nigel Hewish, Head Gardener at Kingston Maurward, will give a talk on the National Collection of Penstemons.
Christmas Meal Due to the success of last year’s meal, we are again going for lunch at the Hix Academy, Weymouth College. The cost will be £18 per person. Menus will be available at the November meeting when places must be reserved.
A Busy September
On 3rd September several members successfully exhibited at the Dorset County Show. Congratulations to them all.
The 8th September was the first meeting of the Autumn. Ros Gant welcomed members old and new who enjoyed an entertaining talk on Gardening Folklore given by Mike Burks of The Gardens Group Gold Club. Some interesting and amusing examples were given. The Gold Club had supplied fuchsia and petunia plugs in the Spring for growing on and these were judged by Mike.
Eve Morris’s fucshia took first place and was presented with a voucher to spend at Poundbury garden centre.
Gill Wilkinson also won a voucher for her petunia.
Ros Gant announced the winner of the Flower and Plant of the Month competition for the previous year and this was won jointly by Gill Wilkinson and Dorothy Emblen.
They received the Mary Middlemas award , which is a plate beautifully hand painted by Mary, sadly no longer with us.
On 18th September the Society is entering the Dorset Federation Show at Tarrant Keyneston. We have entered most classes and hope for good results. A good number of members are contributing items from vegetables and flowers to cookery and preserves.
More details can be found on the Federation web-site dfhs.btck.co.uk
It is also time to book your place at the Harvest Supper on October 6th. The cost is £4 for a ploughman’s supper followed by Dorset apple cake and cream. Please ring 01305 814887 as soon as possible so that we know numbers to be catered for.
During the evening there will be a talk by Mark Read on Autumn Colour.
Summer Show Results
Our Summer Show, held on 2oth August, was our biggest for several years. Entries were up and the standard was high in all sections. It was pleasing to see new exhibitors adding to the overall success of the show.
The dahlia entries were well up on last year and made a beautiful display. Pot plants, cut flowers and vegetables all added to the colourful scene.
Ready for judging
The floral arrangements were lovely and no doubt hours of work had been put in to the skilfully executed handicrafts. The children produced some wonderful monsters and scarecrows.
A very good show enjoyed by all.
Cut flower section
Container of mixed flowers
Special awards.
National Vegetable Society Medal Best Exhibit. Mark Read NVS Runner-up to Best Exhibit Adrian Read
Silver Challenge Cup Best Vegetable Collection Mark Read
Charles Read Memorial Cup Highest Points (Veg.) Bill Howarth
Tomato Trophy John Morris
Produce Challenge Cup Best Mixed Collection Mark Read
Garden News Shield Lady with Highest Points in Vegetable Classes shared by Gill Wilkinson and Jean Wyman
Springfield Cup Best Exhibit, Fruit Classes Bill Howarth
National Dahlia Society Silver Medal Rodger Turner
National Dahlia Society Bronze Medal Frank Newbery
Beaton Challenge Cup Highest points, Flower Classes John Morris
Bincombe Cup Best Exhibit, Cut Flower Classes Bill Howarth
Gladioli Award Best Exhibit Matt Ings
Coronation Silver Challenge Cup Best Pot Plant Mark Read
Pelargonium Shield Best Exhibit Shaun Vallard
Begonia Award Best Exhibit Peter Read
Amateur Produce Challenge Cup Highest Points Novice Classes shared by P. Tyler and D. Caves
Pridham Rose Bowl Highest Points, Floral Dec. Brenda Woodsford
Sackville Hamilton Cup Best Exhibit, Floral Dec. Brenda Woodsford
Novice Floral Award Julia Sheffield
The Howard Cup Highest Points, Preserves and Cookery Chris Warner
The Richards Trophy Best Exhibit, Preserves and Cookery Chris Warner
Westbrook Cup Best Handicraft Exhibit Alison White
Redlands Cup Highest Points, Photography (Spring and Summer Shows) Adrian Read
Cup for Highest Points Group 1 Children’s Classes Dylan Virgin
Virgin Challenge Cup, Highest Points Group 2 Riley Virgin
Banksian Medal Highest Points, Horticulture Bill Howarth
Efco Trophy Highest Points gained in Show Bill Howarth
September Meeting
We welcome members back on September 8th for our first talk of the season. The speaker will be a member of the Gardens Group team.
The subject will be ‘Gardening Folklore’. The meeting starts at 7.30pm at St. Nicholas and St. Laurence School on the Wey Valley Campus, Dorchester Road.
We hold a competition for ‘Flower of the Month’ and ‘Plant of the month’. Points are awarded each month and a prize is awarded to the winning member.
There will be the usual refreshments and raffle.
New members always welcome, why not come along ?
July News
New Discount Scheme
We have recently joined the Little Groves discount scheme. If you are visiting this nursery in Beaminster, just show your current Society membership card before presenting your purchases at the till and you will receive a 10% discount.
Summer Show
Preparations are under way for our show on 20th August. Please go to the ‘shows’ link for full details
We are hoping for another successful show this year so please try to place some entries.
Summer Activities
Open Garden
On June 2nd members went along to The Dairy House in Watery Lane at the kind invitation of Immy and Bob Turner.
A very pleasant evening was spent in glorious weather with good company and excellent food provided by Immy and Ros Gant.
Looking at the river
The garden has been redesigned with patios, a greenhouse and easily managed borders. There is a wonderful line of pleached Hornbeams which form a very attractive screen across the garden.
Enjoying the food
Plenty of chat
The borders have been planted with a variety of perennials which will look superb when in full bloom.
The patios provide seating and dining areas to make the most of the sun throughout the day.
Ros Gant thanked the hosts for opening their lovely garden.
Our next event is of course the Summer Show on Saturday August 20th. See the Shows link for details.
Our Autumn meetings begin on 8th September with a talk on ‘Gardening Folklore’.
Up-coming Events
May meeting. We had a very informative talk on greenhouse growing and care by Mike Burks of the Gardens Group. He explained how to make full use of any size of greenhouse and the importance of pest and disease control. His inclusion of humour made for a very entertaining evening.
Plant Sale, Saturday 14th May. Please click on link for details.
Member’s Open Garden , June 2nd. Immy Turner has invited us to her garden at The Dairy House, Watery Lane. Arrive between 6pm and 6.30pm. A walk around the garden will be followed by drinks and nibbles.
The Dairy House Is easily found half-way along Watery Lane.
Summer Show August 20th. Schedules are now available from Eve Morris or click on the ‘Shows’ link. Please try to enter something as visitors to the show really enjoy seeing what can be produced. Whether it’s growing, sewing, cooking, painting or flower arranging, the exhibits inspire people to have a go.
DFHS Photographic competition. This is an opportunity to win a free talk for the Society, either by Neil Lovesey or Derek Luther, both exceptional speakers. Details on the categories and how to enter can be found on the DFHS web-site, dfhs.btck.co.uk, entries close November 1st..