Bexrose Bulletin
January/February 2008
Published by the Bexleyheath & District Rose Society.
Patron:- Dr. David G. Hessayon MBE.
President:- Mr. B. Rainsbury
Vice President:- Mr. J. Elliott
Chairman:- Mr. A. Nunn
Vice Chairman:- Mr. M. Andrews
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, Mrs. E. Cleall.
Web Site:- www.bexrose.org.uk
postmaster@bexrose.org.uk
Next Meeting Tuesday 22nd January 2008 26th February 2008 AGM
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. There will be a raffle during the evening and of course a chance to chat to other members. The January meeting will be our Cheese and Wine Quiz evening. Please do not forget to bring your own drinks and a glass as there will be no tea or coffee provided. The February meeting is our AGM. If you have any questions you would like to put to the meeting please advise our Secretary. The second half of the evening will be a slide show of last years holidays.
Vanessa, Janet and Pat would like to thank members for the many Christmas cards that they received. It was not possible to reply to them all but they were most grateful for your kind thoughts and wish everyone in the Society a happy new year.
Dates for your Diary
January 15th & 16th RHS London Show Horticultural Halls Westminster.
February12th & 13th RHS London Show " " "
March 11th & 12th RHS London Show " " "
March 15th & 16th RHS London Orchid Show " " "
April 15th & 16th RHS London Show " " "
April 18th -20th RHS Spring Flower Show Cardiff
May 8th - 11th Malvern Spring Gardening Show Show Ground Malvern
May 20th - 24th RHS Chelsea Flower Show Royal Hospital Chelsea
June 7th Bexleyheath & District Rose Society Summer Show BB Hall Bexleyheath
June11th - 15th BBC Gardeners World Live NEC Birmingham
July 8th - 13th Hampton Court Palace Flower Show Hampton Court Palace
July 23rd - 27th RHS Flower Show Tatton Park Knutsford Cheshire
September 11th - 13th RHS at the Inner Temple Inner Temple London
September 27th & 28th Malvern Autumn Show The Show Ground Malvern
October 7th & 8th RHS Great Autumn Show Horticultural Halls Westminster
November 14th & 15th RHS London Show " " "
The Rose Growers Calendar by kind permission of Don Charlton
1. Continue planting new rose bushes and rootstock when the soil is not too wet or frosted. Water in new bushes and rootstocks if the soil is at all dry.
2. For those who have budded their own rootstocks, now is the time to start heading back last years buddings.
3. Sharpen and clean old tools and buy new if necessary.
4. Renew your membership to Bexleyheath & District Rose Society, the RNRS and RHS etc.
5. Discard out of date supplies and renew supplies of fungicides, insecticides and fertilisers.
Little known facts about our most popular winter plant, the Poinsettia.
The Poinsettia is a native plant of Mexico which the Aztecs called "Cuetlaxochitle". In Chile and Peru it is known as the "Crown of the Andes". Poinsettias are part of the Euphorbiaceae family, many of which ooze a milky sap but they are not poisonous. In nature they are a perennial flowering shrub that can grow to ten feet tall. The coloured part of the plant that most people think are the leaves are actually coloured bracts ( modified leaves ). The flowers or cyathia are in the centre of the bracts and you can tell a fresh plant to be one with little or no yellow pollen showing on the flower clusters. The plant was discovered by Joel Poinsett and introduced into America in 1825, and National Poinsettia day in the United States is December 12th. California is the top producing state and the Paul Ecke Ranch grows over 100 varieties and produces 80% of the Poinsettias in the US wholesale market. 90% of all flowering Poinsettias in the world got their start at the Paul Ecke Ranch and they represent over 85% of the potted plant sales during the Christmas holiday season. 74% of buyers still prefer the red variety with 8% going for white and 6% for pink. 80% of Poinsettias are purchased by women and they make a wonderful thank you gift for friends or neighbours. They like room temperatures between 62 and 70F and like to be kept moist. Feed after the blooming period with a balanced all purpose feed. DO NOT place them in draughts or near excessive heat or let the temperature drop below 50F. Like most plants they don't like being water logged. Don't feed your plant while it is still in bloom. The big question is can you keep your plant throughout the summer and make it flower again next Christmas? Try keeping it in the correct temperatures and in a room that will not have a light on when it gets dark, they like the natural lengths of summer and winter days and nights. If you must use the room put a large black plastic bin liner over the plant before you put the light on and remove it when you leave.
Tombola
Its that time again!! Don't put those unusable or unwanted Christmas presents in the back of the cupboard. Bring them to the meeting and Joan Raggett and Maureen Cornell will hopefully have a cupboard where they can keep them until the summer show. The Tombola stall earns quite a lot of money towards the running of the show and this year the girls are going to dispose of older items so we need as many nice new articles as you can spare.
Lecture by Tom Hart-Dyke
Dr. John Hughes has been in touch and advised our Secretary that he has been very lucky to persuade Tom Hart- Dyke to speak to Eltham Cactus Club in exchange for some plants for his world garden. The club has only a tiny membership and John has extended an invitation to our Society for members to come and swell the numbers at this meeting. It will be held in Eltham so is reasonably easy to get to. The date is Monday March 10th, the Cactus club members pay £1 entry to their meetings which includes a raffle ticket and a cup of tea and piece of cake. If you would like to go to this meeting please ring Janet to get your name on the list. We do not know the maximum number of seats that we can take up yet so it will be on a first come first served basis and you will be issued with a ticket to show when you pay at the door.
Jill Palmer's Chocolate Day
If you missed Jill's last chocolate day, fear not, she is having another one on Wednesday 6th February from 10 am to 8 pm at 91 Mayplace Road West, Bexleyheath. Come and see the wonderful variety of home made chocolates, and have a taster before you buy. There is St. Valentines Day, Mothers Day and Easter coming up shortly so there is every excuse to indulge.
Tutankhamun Exhibition and lunch cruise. Wednesday 14th May 2008 £35- 50
Don't forget to book your place on this once in a lifetime chance to see this wonderful exhibition at the O2 plus a lunchtime cruise down the river Thames. If some members feel this trip is too expensive for them they can meet us at the O2 at 1-15pm and just visit the exhibition at a cost of £11.
HELLIDON HEAVEN
1. Bright breezy morning to start our tour 2. A comfort stop, poor Margaret's ill,
With driver Glen with us once more But Alec ate full breakfast still!
Ben's lift suffered a big flat tyre To Canons Ashby house and ground
That he was in time we did admire. Where Christmas past was all around.
3. The neat gardens invite an early walk, 4. Time at the hotel to view the lot
Do it later & a shower you caught! The bar, the pool or brew a pot
Round up troops for leaving soon, View superb, most rooms just fine
To sound of organ's sunshine tune. But did you see the price of wine!
5. The attic rooms that had no view, 6. Where's Alec? Oh no! he got up late!
Had blinds so difficult to do! Getting lost in Hotel his next fate!
And Margaret missed the evening meal Detour via Boots for Reg to go--
Glad that Sunday she did better feel. At last! Wicksteed Park for Xmas show.
7. The meal and show was lots of fun, 8. We love Wilma! The bra for three!
Yvonne and Joan the Bingo won! Surprise in Santa's sack to see!
What will Yvonne call that bear? Parts of show were even in rhyme,
Religious name she will not dare!! Yes, we had a wonderful time!
9. The evening meal again a treat, 10. Graham won prize for the top score,
So hard to choose the things to eat! In the second team t'was Les got more.
The Bexrose tenpin club was formed-- For best improver Mick looks set
Two teams of seven the lanes adorned. But don't give up the roses yet!
11. During the night Wendy & Ann are ill 12. So our Christmas trip is nearly done,
And Margaret takes turn for the worse as well. Mince pie and sherry to seal the fun.
In St. Albans town while we looked around! Thanks Janet, Glen & the backroom firm
Then on the coach and homeward bound. We all wish Vanessa a speedy return!
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year Dave & Ann Reynolds.
JOKE The Makeover Mistake
A woman named Shirley from Beverly Hills had a heart attack and was rushed to hospital. While on the operating table she had a near death experience. She saw God and asked, "Is this it" God said,"No Shirley you have another 30 to 40 years to live"
Upon her recovery, she decided to stay in hospital and have collagen shots, cheek implants, a face lift, liposuction and breast augmentation. She even had someone dye her hair. She figured since she had another 30 to 40 years she might as well make the most of it.
She walked out of the hospital lobby after the last operation and was killed by an ambulance speeding up to the hospital. She arrived in front of God and said, "I thought you said I had another 30 to 40 years"
God replied, "Shirley ?!! I didn't recognise you!"
Annual Subscription
Don't forget those of you whose subs are due in 2008 the new amount will be £1 for one year only. If you are paying at the meeting, I don't suppose Maureen will refuse your money at the January meeting but it would be more convenient for her to collect it at the AGM in February.