Bexrose Bulletin

March 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 7, Harold Ave, Belvedere, Kent DA17 5NN (01322-445010)

Hon Treasurer:- Mrs. Z.Neale 28, Herbert Rd, Bexleyheath, Kent DA7 4QF (020-8304-8183)

Show Secretary:- Mr. A. Neale 28, Herbert Rd, Bexleyheath, Kent DA7 4QF (020-8304-8183)

Membership Secretary:- Mrs. M. Cornell, 4, Lyndhurst Close, Barnehurst, Kent DA7 6DH

(01322 525267)

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

Webmaster Tony Dixon Email:- postmaster@bexrose.org.uk

88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Next Meeting Tuesday 25th March 2008

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 is our Spring Show and once again John Hughes will be Judging for us. Do try and put an entry in particularly the purchased bulbs which are free to enter. John has praised our shows in the past for the quality of our spring flowers so lets make this year even better. Karen Sutton is the warden of Crossness Nature Reserve and she is coming to give us a talk about her work and what type of flora and forna can be found in the reserve.

Obituary

We were sorry to hear of the death of Mrs. Rose Jermin. Our condolences go to her husband Arthur and family.

Sadly Vanessa passed away peacefully with her family around her on Monday February 18th. She will be greatly missed by all our members as she worked tirelessly for the Society on the holidays and the lovely spreads she would put on for the Quiz night and the Summer Show. Her funeral will be on Monday

10th March at Eltham Crematorium at 10- 45am. Any members who wish to attend, I am sure the family will be pleased to see you. Flowers will be from the family only but if anyone wishes to make a small donation this will go to the Pilgrims Hospice Canterbury where she had been since just after Christmas. Please send them to Janet who will then pass them on to the undertakers.

The Rose Growers Calendar by kind permission of Don Charlton

February

1. The main pruning commences this month, postpone if the rose stems are frosted. Assuming that your new plantings and budded stocks have been dealt with then start by pruning Cluster flowered varieties first, then Hybrid Teas, and then Miniature roses. Do not compost prunings, burn them preferably or dump them as they may be diseased.

2. Weed and generally tidy the rose beds. Firm the ground around each bush.

3. Apply a winter wash solution to the pruned bushes and surrounding ground, such as Jeyes fluid. Use strictly in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

4. If you suddenly get the urge for some more roses to plant out then now is one of the best times to search for some pot roses ideally from a rose nursery. Potted roses can be planted out at any time of the year but the earlier the better, so plant them out this month when the ground is not water logged or frosted.

March

1. Complete any pruning, tidying and ground firming.

2. Apply the first application of rose fertiliser, hoe in and if the ground is dry water in.

3. Apply a good thickness of mulch to the rose beds.

4. Buy and plant potted roses preferably for the last time this season.

Dates for your Diary

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

April 27th Plant Fair Belmont Gardens, 4 Miles SW of Faversham 11am - 5pm

May 8th - 11th Malvern Spring Gardening Show Show Ground Malvern

May 17th Open Garden & Plant Sale Saltwood Castle Saltwood Nr. Hythe £4

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 7th Plant Fair Hadlow College Nr. Tonbridge Kent 11am -4pm

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 " " "

Ellenor Lions Open Gardens 2008

March 30th Sunday 11am to 4pm The Orangery, Turkey Mill, Ashford Road, Maidstone ME14 5PP

Admission £5, Children £1 Turkey Mill is located 1-5miles from Junction 7 of the M20 and a 10 minute walk from the centre of Maidstone via the Len Valley footpath. Turkey Mill is adjacent to and connected by footpath to Mote Park. The Orangery at Turkey Mill represents and preserves the true natural beauty of Kent. The estate offers a spectacular 9 acre parkland set beside the River Len and surrounded by sweeping lawns. There are huge Wellingtonia Pines and Blue Cedars and a beautiful tumbling waterfall. A gardeners paradise.

April 6th Sunday 2pm to 5pm St. Johns Jerusalem, Main Road, Sutton at Hone Dartford. 2 miles from Dartford on the A 225. Admission £3 Children 50p. Entertainment includes West Hill Morris Dancers and St. Clements Ladies Clog Dancers. Also a nature quiz for the children.

Day Trips 2008

Tutankhamun Exhibition and Lunch Cruise Wednesday 14th May £35 - 50p

We still have a few places left on this trip. Contact Janet if you are interested. We meet at Waterloo Pier next to the London Eye no later than 11-15am. The pier is easy to find. Leave the train at Waterloo East, walk up the slope and through to the main line station. At the bottom of the escalator turn right and walk right across the concourse and out to the Shell building. Take the stairs on the left that go down to street level and the London Eye can be seen just across the little park area. There are toilets on the station if you need them. After our cruise down the river with commentary and a two course hot lunch with coffee, we will disembark at the O2. After our guide has given as a short talk about the exhibition we are free to wander around and then leave at about 4pm. Afternoon refreshments are available at the O2 . I have not booked a coach as most members have their freedom passes and a coach will put another £10 on to the cost. There is a bus link to Woolwich or Greenwich where buses to Bexleyheath and Eltham can be picked up.

Spalding 3rd May £17

As we were too late to book a hotel for a spring weekend in the Spalding area we have booked a coach for a day trip to the flower festival. It will be a long day (times to be advised at a later date) but hopefully an enjoyable one. We are booked into the Springfields showground where there are show gardens built by Chris Beardshaw, Kim Wilde and Charlie Dimmock. There are also trade and plant stalls and gardens to look at. The floats will be at the showground until 2pm when they move off through the streets of Spalding. The town centre is about 1 mile from the show ground so you can take a walk there if you wish. This year is the 50th anniversary of the festival so hopefully they will put an extra special show.

Holidays

Cornwall 22nd June to June 29th ( 7 nights 8 days )

We will be staying at St. Michael's Hotel Falmouth. The cost will be £568 single. Twin / Double sharing will be £456 each. This will be on a Bed Breakfast and Evening Meal basis. The cost includes coaching and tips. The hotel is situated very close to a Blue Flag beach and about 10 to 15 minutes walk from Falmouth town. There are 4 acres of tropical gardens and both indoor and outdoor swimming pools. There is also a spa with Jacuzzi and steam rooms and also pamper yourself treatment rooms so there will be plenty for you to do on the drivers day off. We will be visiting the Eden Project as we were there when it first opened. I am sure we will see a great change in the area particularly the outside planting. We are endeavouring to find gardens that we have not visited before but may include the Seal Sanctuary which was very interesting and the inmates were so cute. Please contact Janet if you are interested in this trip. We would like £100 each deposit to secure your place. Once again the Hotel has asked for a large sum up front which the Society has paid on your behalf.

Oxfordshire 5th to 8th September

We will be staying at Milton Hill House Conference Centre, Steventon, Oxon. The cost will be £252 single. Twin / Double sharing will be £177. This will be on a Bed Breakfast and Evening Meal basis. The cost includes coaching and tips. The hotel is situated in parkland and has a gym and swimming pool. There are plenty of attractions and gardens in Oxfordshire so we should have a good weekend. A deposit of £25 each is required for this trip. Please contact Janet if you are interested in this trip.

On both holidays we will take care of the drivers tip but if members wish to leave a tip for the chamber maid it is at their own discretion. As usual we will let you know the cost of entry fees in the itinerary nearer the date and collect them on the coach. When booking your place would you please include a contact name, address and telephone number of someone we could contact should there be any serious problems during any of our trips. Please obtain the persons permission first.This will be held in confidence. Janet will have one register with her and Dorothy Carr will hold an identical register while we are away. Would all members who have not yet supplied this information do so at your earliest convenience.

Secretary's Report on the February meeting and AGM.

The Chairman Mr. A. Nunn opened the AGM by welcoming members and thanking all those who helped in the Kitchen at meetings, he also thanked everyone who helped on the Friday evening and on Saturday of the Summer Show. He also thanked his wife on behalf of the Committee for providing tea and biscuits at the Committee meetings.

The minutes were put to the meeting for approval as a true record and were proposed by

Mr. D. Reynolds and Seconded by Mrs. J. Palmer. There were no matters arising. The Secretary's Report can be found at the end of this Bulletin. This was proposed by Mr. R. Rider and seconded by Mrs. M. Cornell.

Treasurers Report. Mrs. Neale advised us that Advanced Entry Tickets were down last year by about £100. She stressed that the prizes were really a side incentive, the main aim of these tickets was to encourage more people to visit the show. Trading Account We do not buy in trading any more but sell gardening books and magazines donated by members. The Bulbs for the Spring Show made a small profit. General Account. The Society's expenses dropped last year, there were several generous donations and the holidays made a profit. The Society hold a large stock of stationary as there was a generous discount for buying in bulk and postage stamps are bought in sheets of 100. Mrs. Neale thanked everyone who helped at the meetings and the show and also thanked the Auditors

Mr. R. Pulling and Mrs. P. Portch for their work auditing the accounts. The report was proposed by Miss J. Davis and Seconded by Mr. J. Cleall.

Election of Officers.

Vice Chairman Mr. M. Andrews took the chair and asked the floor to re- elect Mr. Nunn. Proposed by Mrs. J. Palmer Seconded by Mrs. D. Cox. The Secretary was proposed by Mr. R. Rider and Seconded by Mrs. B. Andrews. The Treasurer was proposed by Mr. D. Reynolds and seconded by Mrs. D. Carr.

The Vice Chairman was proposed by Miss M Agar and seconded by Mr. L. Beadle. The Committee were returned on block proposed by Miss J. Davis and seconded by Mr. B. Rainsbury. Mr. A. Neale asked to stand down as Show Secretary and Mr. A. Dixon and Mrs. J. Dixon have agreed to take over the job. There are 2 places vacant on the Committee and members were asked if anyone wished take up these places. No response from the floor. Mr. Nunn suggested that if anyone changed their minds they could approach the Committee at a later date and could be co opted onto the committee.

Any other business

The matter of the membership fee was discussed and also an idea that we should charge £1 or £1-50p entry to each meeting to include refreshments. The members felt that this might discourage members from attend meetings and preferred an annual membership. They thought the rise to £1 was derisory and voted on mass that the annual fee should be raised to £5 next year. This would cover the Society's costs.

In discussing the Society's expenses The Secretary explained Vanessa Rochester's generosity in the past of not claiming back her expenses for refreshments at the Summer Show and also the buffet at the Quiz Night. Mr. M. Andrews advised the meeting that he had spoken to Mrs. Peggy Jemmott's daughter who is a professional chef about making the sponges for the Summer Show. She agreed to make and decorate 12 charging only for ingredients.

The meeting closed at 9-03pm.

After refreshments the Secretary gave a slide show of the 2007 holidays.

Note from The Chairman about the Annual Fee

As you will appreciate, due to rising costs for running the Rose Society we had to increase membership this year, 2008, from 50p to £1 per annum. However, the cost of hiring the hall for monthly meetings, payment of speakers, printing, paper and postage for newsletters etc. are continually rising and our annual expenditure vastly exceeds the income from membership fees. We cannot rely on holidays alone to keep our head above water. At the AGM in February the membership proposed that the annual fee should be £5. It was everyone's considered opinion that this was a more realistic amount in this day and age. The various holidays the Society have arranged have mainly made a profit but if one or two make a loss this could be a serious drain on our reserves. The action now taken at the AGM puts the Society on a road to move forward for the benefit of all and will be fair to all members. Thankyou all who attended the AGM A.R. Nunn Chairman.

Website

Member Tony Dixon has kindly agreed to take over the running of our website. We look forward to his input and hope that we can expand the information on the site. Our thanks go to Chris Newton who stepped into the breach after Martin Double's death but is unable to continue due to work and study commitments.

Meeting Dates

Would members please note that some dates have been changed due to the hall being used for Blood Donors and also our holiday to Cornwall.

MARCH 25th Spring Show Judge Dr. John Hughes, Speaker Karen Sutton, Crossness Nature Reserve

APRIL 22nd Speaker Fred Booth, The Seashore and Coastline of Kent.

MAY 27th Speaker Mr. E. Leeds Clematis.

JULY 1st Speaker Mrs. J. Talboys Perennial Plants for Continuous Colour.

JULY 29th Speaker Mr. Laurie Manser Roses.

AUGUST 26th Speaker Heather Handgrave Unusual and Rare Plants

SEPTEMBER 23rd Speaker Mr. J. Goddard Growing and showing Daffodils and Narcissi

OCTOBER 21st Speaker Jackie A'Violet Asters.

NOVEMBER 25th Speaker Mr. M. Bundock Floral Clocks

Joke of the Month

A very dirty little boy came in from playing in the garden and asked his mother "Who am I?"

Ready to play the game, she said, "I don't know. Who are you ?"

"Wow!" cried the child. "Mrs. Smith next door was right. She said I was so dirty that my own Mother wouldn't know me!"

The UK has the second highest consumption per person of chocolate in Europe, with a market value of £4 billion. And we love our Easter Eggs! An estimated 80 million festive eggs will be sold this year, worth £220 million. Hold some more chocolate parties Jill and then we will be number 0ne!!!