April and May Events

Magnolia, Yellow River

Our AGM took place on April 2nd and all Officers remain in place. Following the AGM, our Chairman, Shaun Vallard gave us a talk on Begonias. This was very interesting and informative as he covered looking after the plants and taking cuttings. Shaun is a very successful exhibitor and explained how tricky it is to transport the plants to shows safely. I am sure that he has inspired others to have a go at growing these beautiful plants.

On Thursday April 23rd we have a visit to Poundbury Garden Centre. Please arrive by 6pm when there will be tea or coffee provided before a short talk. We can then shop with 25% discount on all horticultural products.

On May 7th, botanist Dr. Dave Aplin will speak to us about his career. He grew up in Dorchester and had an interest in horticulture from a young age, going on to university and working in botanic gardens both in the UK and abroad. A talk to look forward to.

May 9th is the date for our Plant Sale at the Memorial Hall, Victoria Avenue at 2pm. The hall will be open from 1pm to bring any plants you wish to sell. You are welcome to have your own stall and donate 20% to the Society, donate them to the Society stall or let the society sell them and donate 20% of the takings. Please clearly mark your plants.

Show Results and April Events

Our Spring Show was very successful with 270 exhibits on display. The daffodil section was particularly pleasing with 74 entries. The other flowers and pot plants provided a lot of colour, with interesting exhibits in other sections. There was plenty for our visitors to enjoy, including home made cake and cups of tea.

Daffodil section

Trophy Winners

Junior Cup , Highest Points, Children  Evie-May Warner  Downer Cup, BestPhotographic Print  Shaun Vallard  Nottington Cup  Best Exhibit, Handicrafts Carole Caple  Prospect Cup   Highest Points, Preserves & Cookery  Chris Warner      Ridgeway Cup Best Exhibit  Propagation Bill Howarth Novice Shield Best Exhibit      Novice Classes Vanessa Henman Society Rose Bowl  Best Exhibit, Floral Art Gina Marshall  Grandshaw Cup  Highest Points, Pot Plants Shaun Vallard  Silver Salver Best Exhibit, Pot Plants (excl. bulbs) Hazel Brooks Golds Shield Best Exhibit, Bulbs in Pots Bill Howarth Sheila’s Primula Trophy  Best Exhibit, Primula Classes Bill Howarth Spring Show Cup  Runner -up to Highest Points 1-6 Shaun Vallard  Benson Cup   Highest Points 1-6 Bill Howarth Silver Cup  Best Exhibit, Class 23 Shaun Vallard  Silver  Trophy   Best Exhibit , Other Cut Flowers Neal Hatch  Diploma  Best Vase, Daffodils  Latchley Meadows  Ron Benfield  Diploma  Awarded at Judge’s discretion  Miniatures  Shaun Vallard  Best Bloom in Daffodils Cape Cornwall Eric Salt Medal for Best Daffodil Exhibit  Eric Salt

Championship Salver Ron Benfield

Well done to all exhibitors

Our next meeting will be the AGM on 2nd April followed by a talk on Begonias given by Shaun Vallard.

On April 23rd we will be visiting Poundbury Garden Centre from 6pm – 8pm for a talk and discount shopping.

Our Summer Show will be held on 15th August, 2026 , the schedule can be downloaded from the ‘Shows’ link.

Spring Show Time

Entries are coming in for our Spring Show on Saturday 21st March. See the ‘shows’ link for all the details. Members; please remember to bring your pot of daffodil bulbs distributed in the Autumn and donated by the Gardens Group Gold Club by 10.30am.

Our March meeting was a talk about hedgehogs and how the numbers had fallen over the last few years. We were given tips on hedgehog friendly gardening.

Our next meeting on April 2nd will be a short AGM followed by a talk by Shaun Vallard on growing Begonias.

 

Looking Forward to Spring

It is encouraging to see snowdrops and daffodils appearing after all the dreadful weather.

Our February meeting held on 5th had a low attendance probably due to the bad weather. However, those who came enjoyed a fascinating  talk about beekeeping. Peter Begley and Mike Snuggs both have colonies either end of Abbotsbury village. Peter showed us the the equipment required and gave a full account of the process of keeping bees. Personally, I was surprised how clever bees are and how short their lives are. only a few weeks for workers and drones. The honey produced is sold locally in Abbotsbury. An excellent talk.

 

On March 5th, the talk will be about Hedgehogs. The speaker, Colin Varndell, is a wildlife photographer who is concerned about the survival of hedgehogs.

March 21st is Spring Show day. Please try to enter a few classes, we are also having a table especially for members who received the two daffodil bulbs from Poundbury Garden Centre. Bring them along and they will be judged to see how well they grew. No entry fee required, just bring them along before 10.30am. See the Shows link for schedules.

We have been sent this invitation from the Gold Club, if you wish to attend please reply direct to them as we have no meeting before the closing date.

Poundbury Invitation

 

February Meeting

Our first meeting in 2026 will be on February 5th when we will have a talk on bee-keeping. This has become a very popular activity and should be very interesting.

The meeting starts at 7.30pm and tea or coffee will be available prior to this. Members free and visitors £2. We are always happy to welcome newcomers.

Discount vouchers will be available for members to be used at Poundbury Garden Centre during February and also show schedules for our Spring Show in March.

Looking forward to Spring

November and December ’25

Our next meeting will be on December 4th when we will gather for a Christmas Supper and Quiz. We are currently taking names of members who wish to attend so that we have numbers to cater for. If you have not already booked your place, please ring 01305 813942 or email shows@budhs.org.uk and indicate whether you have any dietary requirements. The cost will be £8 for members and £8.50 for guests, payable on the night.

Our November meeting was really interesting when Alan Chambers spoke to us about Tumbledown Farm. This is a council owned and run piece of land (27 acres) off Radipole Lane which is being used as a community farm. The area has been cleared and old buildings taken down. Trees have been planted, new buildings erected and an area has been cultivated to grow vegetables. The vegetables are harvested and used in the new kitchen to make lunches for the groups who attend the centre. Groups include local schools, special needs people, etc.. Volunteers are also welcome.

We do not have a meeting in January so we wish you all a very Happy Christmas and New Year. We hope to see you all in February when the advertised talk will be changed. Details to follow.

October Report

Our October meeting on 2nd took the form of a ‘Gardener’s Question Time’. During the announcements , our secretary Neal, informed the meeting that Ros Gant was unwell and in hospital. We all hope she gets well soon. Shaun Vallard, Sarah Studley and Mark Read answered a variety of questions and also identified samples brought by the members.

The panel

Some of the members

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Identifying samples

Shaun then showed us his shaving brush plant and begonia and explained how he looked after them. A very successful and interesting evening.

The shaving brush plant pictured at the Federation Show, 1st prize.

On 21st September The Society entered the Dorset Federation Inter-Society Show at Tarrant Keynestone. We achieved fifteen first prizes, twelve seconds and five thirds. We also won the Harry Dawes Cup for the best pot plant exhibit and the shield for best cactus exhibit, we have won these awards for a few years now. The Society also won the Banksian Medal for highest points in horticulture.

Preparations

Judging in progress

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Pot Plant Collection
Harry Dawes Cup

September Meeting Report

Our Autumn programme of talks began on 4th September when Mike Burks from the Gardens Group presented ‘The Lighter Side of Plants’. Thirty Members were treated to an interesting and amusing evening. Mike always gives an excellent talk and this was no exception.

Following the talk, Mike judged the geranium and fuchsia plants donated to us by the Gold Club in the Spring. This was won by Shaun Vallard, our Chairman.

We will be entering the Federation Inter-Society Show on September 21st at Tarrant Keyneston Village Hall, open to view at 12.45pm.

Our next meeting will be on October 2nd when we will have an in-house Gardeners’ Question Time. Please write your question on a piece of paper and these will be drawn on the night. We will try to get through as many as possible.

August News and Show Results

Our programme of talks this Autumn begins on 4th September when a speaker from the Gold Club presents ‘The Lighter Side of Plants.’ We look forward to welcoming you all back at St. Nicholas and St . Laurence School at 7.30pm. New faces will be very welcome too.

Our Summer Show was held on 16th August. The hall looked lovely as usual with all the colourful flowers and plants. We were short on Handicrafts and Flower Arranging entries which was a shame. Perhaps we will have more in the Spring after people have been busy with hobbies during the winter.

Results 

National Vegetable Society Medal, Best Vegetable Exhibit – John Morris

National Vegetable Society Runner-up to Best Vegetable Award Mark Read

Silver Challenge Cup, Best Vegetable Collection – John Morris

Charles Read Memorial Cup, Highest Points, Vegetable Classes – Bill Howarth

The Tomato Trophy, Best Exhibit, Tomato Classes – Neal Hatch

Upwey and Broadwey Produce Challenge Cup  – John Morris

Springfield Cup, Best Exhibit, Fruit Classes – Bill Howarth

National Dahlia Society Silver Medal, Best Dahlia ExhibitNeal Hatch

Peter Read Memorial Trophy,  – Dahlia Championship Neal Hatch 

The Beaton Challenge Cup, Highest Points Flower Classes – Neal Hatch

Bincombe Cup, Best Exhibit, Cut Flower Classes – Graham Edwards

Gladioli Award Best exhibit, Gladioli Classes – Bill Howarth

Coronation Silver Challenge Cup, Best Exhibit, Pot Plants Shaun Vallard

Begonia Award Best exhibit Begonia Classes – Shaun Vallard

Upwey and Broadwey Memorial Amateur Produce Challenge Cup Highest points, Novice Classes – Hazel Brooks

Sackville Hamilton Challenge Cup Best Exhibit Floral Decoration- Fiona Penny

The Howard Cup Highest Points, Preserves and Cookery – Chris Warner

The Richard’s Trophy Best Exhibit, Preserves and Cookery –   Sue Brant

Westbrook Cup Best Exhibit Handicrafts – Sheila Snuggs

Redlands Cup Highest Points, Photography in Spring and Summer Shows – Shaun Vallard

Cup for the Highest Points in Group 1, Children’s Classes –  Henry Warner

The Virgin Challenge Cup Highest Points in Group 2, Children’s Classes –  Evie-May Warner

The Banksian Medal of the Royal Horticultural Society – Bill Howarth

The efco Trophy Highest Points gained in Show – Bill Howarth

OUR SHOW IN PICTURES

Dahlia Championship. Winning entry by Neal Hatch

 

Three Pot Plants

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July News

June garden visit. A dozen or so members visited Sarah Studley’s garden on the 12th June. We thank Sarah for an enjoyable afternoon.

Our next event will be the Summer Show on 16th August. Please try to enter as there are a variety of classes to suit all ages. See the ‘Shows’ link to download the schedule. Schedules will also be available from Read’s Florist on Dorchester Road.

Three Pot Plants – Shaun Vallard

Our programme of talks begins on September 4th at 7.30pm when the speaker will be from the Gold Club. Please remember to bring your geranium and fuchsia plants for judging.

You may also be interested in the following events organised by Beaminster Horticultural Society. Click below for details.

July meeting        Coach Trip Bristol Botanic Garden