Bexrose Bulletin
APRIL 2007
Published by the Bexleyheath & District Rose Society.
Patron:- Dr. David G. Hessayon MBE.
President:- Mr. W. Skinner
Vice President:- Mr. J. Elliott
Chairman:- Mr. A. Nunn
Vice Chairman:- Mr. B. Rainsbury
Hon. Secretary:- Mrs. J. Newton
Hon Treasurer:- Mrs. Z.Neale
Show Secretary:- Mr. A. Neale
Membership Secretary:- Mrs. M. Cornell
Miss V. Rochester
Other Committee members:- Mr. R. Jones, Mr. R. Pulling, Mrs. D. Carr, Mrs. D. Lemon, Mrs. J. Dyer.
Web Site:- www.bexrose.org.uk
Webmaster email:- postmaster@bexrose.org.uk
Next Meeting Tuesday 24th April 2007
We meet once again at St. John Fisher Hall, Thanet Rd, Bexley where the hall will be open from 7-15pm for setting up. The meeting will start at 8pm until 10pm with a break at 9pm for refreshments and the raffle and of course a chance to chat to other members. This month we have the "Bert Powell Lecture" which will be given by Bill Bossom on his favourite subject "Roses". Bill has been a member of our Society for many years and raised the rose "Tender Loving Care", which we dedicated to Greenwich and Bexley Cottage Hospice and is grown in beds at the Hospice and also at Eltham Crematorium. Bill also judges our Summer Show.
Dates for your Diary
April 13th to 15th East of England Garden Show Peterborough Showground.
April 20th to 22nd RHS Spring Show Cardiff.
April 20th to 22nd Newark & Nottingham Garden Show Newark Showground
April 24th & 25th Daffodil competition Wisley.
May 5th to 7th Southend Garden Show, Garon Park, Southend.
May 10th to 13th Malvern Spring Show.
May 22nd to 26th Chelsea Flower Show.
1st to 3rd June Cambridgeshire Garden Show Godmanchester.
June 13th to 17th BBC Gardeners World Live NEC Birmingham.
June 16th Bexrose Summer Rose Show.
July 3rd to 8th Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.
July 18th to 22nd Tatton Park Show.
July 25th Royal Sandringham Flower Show. Sandringham Estate, Norfolk.
August 21st to 23rd Wisley Flower Show.
September 11th & 12th London Flower Show. RHS Halls Westminster.
September 29th & 30th Malvern Autumn Show.
October 9th & 10th Great Autumn Show Harrogate.
November 9th & 10th RHS London Flower Show.
The Rose Growers Calendar by kind permission of Don Charlton.
April
1. Keep beds tidy, thin out excess shoots from the base and stem of rose bushes.
2. Look for any signs of die back and cut back stems to good wood.
3. Keep a look out for the first sign of insect build-up and spray only if necessary.
Ann & David's Open Garden day.
Ann & David Reynolds would like to thank everyone who visited their garden on Sunday 25th March. £176 was raised and they hope to Gift Aid this to make the sum even bigger. Thanks also to all those who turned up to help, despite the cold wind it was an enjoyable afternoon.
WMH Leisure Garden Shows for 2007
The Weald of Kent Garden Show, Saturday & Sunday 28th & 29th April The Hop Farm Country Park, Paddock Wood Kent Tickets ring 01622 872068 or pay on the gate. Children & Parking free. Price includes all Hop Farm attraction.
The Herts Garden Show, Saturday & Sunday 19th & 20th May Knebworth House, Stevenage, Hertfordshire. Tickets ring 01438 812661 or pay on the gate. Parking Free. Price includes all attractions. The house is open but at extra cost.
The Kent Garden Show, Saturday, Sunday & Monday 26th 27th & 28th May. Detling Show Ground Maidstone, Kent. Tickets ring 01795 474660 or pay on the gate. Children & Parking free.
The South East Garden Show, Saturday, Sunday & Monday 25th 26th 27th August The Hop Farm Country Park, Paddock Wood, Kent Tickets as above. Children & Parking free. Price includes all Hop Farm attractions.
The Autumn Kent Garden Show. Saturday & Sunday 8th & 9th September Detling Show Ground Maidstone Kent. Children & Parking. Tickets as above. Children & Parking Free.
Ellenor Hospice Open Gardens Scheme
Sunday April 1st. St. John's Jerusalem, Sutton at Hone Dartford. Admission £2 includes an Easter Egg Hunt.
Sunday May 27th, Conifers, Frensham & Crawden Bank, Ash Road, New Ash Green. Admission £3 for all gardens.
Hardly a Rose in Sight A holiday saga from Brian Christie.
Ever since 1947 when the Royal Family visited Cape Town and cinema newsreels showed the majestic beauty of Table Mountain, I had always wanted to see for myself this memorable sight.
At the beginning of August 2004 we began our holiday by flying to Cape Town. It was of course midwinter there with the average temperatures expected to be 20 deg C, average monthly rainfall of 8cm and we could expect up to six hours sunshine a day. In 1652 Jan Van Riebeeck established a market garden at the Cape to supply fresh fruit and vegetables to the Dutch East India Co. Originally the gardens covered 43 acres (now it is only a 7 acre site ) and was maintained by slaves brought from the east. Today these gardens have been landscaped into a public botanical garden with exotic plants, trees, shady pathways leading to statues, fountains, formal rose gardens and an aviary.
A statue of Cecil Rhodes dominates the main path. He introduced the grey squirrel to Cape Town more than a century ago. Many South Africans, it appears, have not forgiven him as the modern day squirrel descendants are very numerous, aggressive and quite willing to confront passers-by.
Unfortunately the roses were not in bloom, nor were there labels to indicate the varieties, but some bushes of "National Trust" were being planted in an existing bed. It is not advisable for the visitor to walk about too much in Cape Town, but the flower market at Trafalgar Place is quite safe. Here thousands of bunches of flowers of all colours and forms, including roses from Zimbabwe and Kenya, leave a dazzling impression on the visual sense.
No visit to Cape Town would be complete without a trip to the Cape Peninsular lying 77km to the south. A leisurely escorted drive along the Atlantic coast to Hout Bay, Constantia (noted for its wineries) Muizenberg, Fish Hock, Simonstown and Boulders gave tantalising views of public and private gardens, many bedecked with colourful exotic blooms on trees and bushes. Eventually we were able to walk to the tip of Africa at the Cape of Good Hope, gazing out across thousands of miles of sea to the next landmass of Antarctica. What courage sailors of old must have had sailing around this cape, where two oceans meet and the seas can be treacherous. The Indian Ocean is at least 8oC warmer than the South Atlantic. This temperature difference contributes to the diverse marine life found around the coast at this point.
A visit to Kirchenbosch National Botanic Garden was also high on the list of places to see. Cecil Rhodes gave it to the state in 1902. Today it covers an area 2 square miles, of which 7% is cultivated and 90% is covered with finbos (literally fine bush) and forest. It was not a good day to visit, we heard that heavy rain through the previous night had caused up to 15,000 residents to be affected by flooding across the Cape Flat to the east. upon entering the garden we gladly accepted an offer to tour the garden on a golf buggy. Our guide was an experienced horticulturist, with extensive knowledge of the indigenous plants and of the best views. Slowly we progressed to the star attraction- the Protea collection. Situated at one of the highest points in the garden under the southern face of Table Mountain, hybrid Proteas, Queen Proteas and the largest of all, King Proteas, showed their full beauty despite inclement weather. The iridescent plumage of the Sugarbirds shone as they darted from flower to flower in search of nectar. Occasionally, as the cloud lifted, we could see heather patches high up on the slopes of the mountain turning the drab landscape bright purple in the sunlight. There were no roses to be seen but they are not native plants. Apparently Cape Town is not noted for its roses. We were told that the place to see roses was Bloemfontein where a Rose Festival is held each October.
Although we had been in Cape Town for seven days, low cloud and mists had denied us the opportunity to properly view the grandeur of Table Mountain. We were about to begin the next leg of our holiday on board the Royal Mail Ship "St. Helena" to visit the South Atlantic Islands, as the ship cast off its moorings we watched as the clouds lifted and Cape Town was bathed in bright sunshine. For more than 45 minutes we took in the magnificent view of The Table and surrounding hills lit up by the setting sun. At the very last moment we had not been disappointed. As dusk approached we watched the fading view finally disappear.
1,700 miles to the Northwest lay our next stop- the Island of St. Helena.
Join me next month Brian Christie.
Wiltshire Holiday 4th to 7th May
Your final payment for this trip is due on the 20th April 2007 that is £210-00 per person for a single room and £150-00 per person if sharing, ( this allows for the £50-00 deposit already paid.)
We would ask you to ensure your cheque is made out to Bexleyheath & District Rose Society. Cheques made payable to BEXRose Society which some of you have used in the past is not acceptable now to our bank.
Please send your remittance to either Miss Vanessa Rochester, or Mrs. Janet Newton, Addresses at the head of this Bulletin. A newsletter detailing this trip will be coming your way very shortly.
We have 1 twin room still available. If anyone would like to join us on this trip please let Janet or Vanessa know.
There are also still some places available for Northumberland.
Pot grown Rose for Sale
This years pot grown rose went on sale at this months meeting at the cost of £4. It looks a very healthy and vigorous plant unlike last years specimen, so we should have some good results. There are still a few available if you were not able to get to the meeting. Ring our Secretary if you are interested and she will obtain one for you.
Secretary's Report on this months meeting.
This month was our Spring Show and despite the Daffodils being so early our Judge John Hughes was ecstatic about our entries saying they were the best he had seen for a long time. There certainly were some lovely blooms that sat up and took notice. Everything being so early meant that we had more Tulips than usual and quite a few Hyacinth's including a good number of our pot grown variety.
Baskets and vases of spring flowers made a jolly show and even the foliage pot plants were of a high standard. The overall winner of the show was Mrs. Margaret Stone.
Whilst the judging was taking place Dr. John Mercer from Bexley Civic Society and the Friends of
The Red House kindly came along to give us a short talk about The Red House and William Morris.
Dr. Mercer told us that William Morris had the house built in 1860 by his University friend Philip Webb and it cost £4,000. When Ted Hollanby bought it in 1952 he also paid £4,000. A lot of the internal work was done by another of Morris's friends Edward Burn-Jones. When the house was taken over by the National Trust Medieval stained glass was found, a ceiling was exposed to reveal Morris designs and also a bold black and red design was discovered beneath wooden panelling. Many people have owned the house since Morris and his wife Jane lived there, their stay only being 5 years, so many alterations have been made over the years and the National Trust does not have the money to restore it to its original state. Little is known about the garden which is quite large. It is thought that the front area was sectioned off into individual gardens. If you wish to learn more about the house and how it was rescued you can book a tour by ringing the number in the National Trust Guide Book. The tours are guided by Dr John Mercer, Linda Hubbard and several other members of the friends of Red House who are all very knowledgeable.
Day Trip to Detling Garden Show 26th May Probable cost £14 - £15
I have had several requests to run another trip to this show. If interested please let Janet know as soon as possible so that a coach can be booked. There is a vast array of stalls for plants, garden equipment & crafts all at very reasonable prices, also a flower show. There are also plenty of food outlets.
The Bicentenary Glasshouse Wisley.
Following successful fund-raising to support construction of the main features of the Bicentenary Glasshouse and Learning Centre, work remains on schedule and within budget: (they should have got the RHS to build Wembley stadium !! ED. ) the building's framework is complete and work is currently underway on the internal and external planting. Work has also started on plans for the Teaching Garden, which is being designed by Cleve West. Fund-raising to complete these projects is still in progress.
Behind the Scenes. On 26th October 2006, 24 large palms and other mature trees were moved in. The glasshouse garden team at Wisley led by Nick Morgan, Superintendent for glass, have been preparing for this moment for a long time. As well as newly purchased and propagated plants, the "old favourites" from the previous Wisley glasshouses are being moved in over the coming months, including the 100+ year old staghorn ferns, which were first displayed in the Society's gardens at Chiswick and then moved to Wisley in 1903. Other challenges will include moving the RHS's collection of orchids, some of which will be permanently displayed in the new glasshouse in the temperate and tropical sections. The remainder of the collection will be used to create seasonal displays within the glasshouse.
The Grand Opening. The RHS Bicentenary Glasshouse will be ready for visitors in summer 2007. The new world-class glasshouse will mark a new chapter in horticultural excellence with life-long learning at its heart. It will provide the catalyst to harness the 200 years of resources, expertise and skills within the Society.
The RHS Bicentenary Appeal is continuing to do well. We would like to thank all individuals, members and supporters who have helped to raise more than £4 million towards this inspirational project. We still need to raise funds to ensure that our vision becomes reality, so if you would like to support us, please contact the Development Office on 0207 821 3125 or log on to www,rhs.org.uk/helpus
This article was first printed in the RHS Affiliated Societies Newsletter January 2007.
The Salmon Poem From Mr. Youell
I hesitate to be unkind
But the salmon has a one track mind
Once every season full of fire
He swims upstream higher and higher
Up rocks and rills, up glassy glades
Through canyons steep, through waters deep
Up stones and rocks, up dams and locks
From day to night, from dark to light
Until at last on one bright dawn
He gets there, just in time to spawn
Now having done his Salmon duty
And having wooed his Salmon cutie
And weary from his trip uptown
In quiet waters he will drown
Pondering with his dying bubble
Just why is sex so much dam trouble.
Anon.