Bexrose Bulletin
JULY 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 Dixon
Membership Secretary:- Mrs M Cornell
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
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Next Meeting Tuesday 29th July 2008
We meet once again at St. John Fisher Parish Hall, Thanet Rd, Bexley where the hall will be open from 7-15pm for setting up. The meeting will start at 8pm until 10 pm with a break at 9pm for refreshments and the raffle and of course a chance to chat to other members. Please note that this meeting has also been rescheduled like last month because of the Blood Donors, The new date is 29th July. This has worked out well for us as Laurie Manser has been able to come and speak to us on “Roses”. He is Chairman of a Society that also meet on the 4th Tuesday so has had to refuse my request for the past couple of years, He has spoken to us in the past on Daffodils and Sweet Peas but he is a good all-rounder having been a head gardener for many years. We hope that members will enter our Rose Table Show, 1 HT Bloom, 1 Cluster Bloom, and a vase of 3 stage miniature blooms may be entered. There is a class for our Experienced members or the Novice Class if you are just starting out. Vases will be provided. Do come and have a go, there are members here who can help you.
Welcome to new members
Mrs S Pickles Belvedere
J. Maker
Mr & Mrs Ayers Bexley
G Bright Barnehurst
Obituary
We were sorry to hear of the death of Fred Turner, our condolences go to his family.
We have also heard from Peter Turley in Australia, telling us that his mother Elsie had died earlier in the year. She was the wife of George Turley who was one of the first members of the Rose Society.
The Rose Growers Calendar by kind permission of Don Charlton
JULY
1. Keep the rose beds tidy by weeding, disbudding. Watch out for insects and fungal diseases.
2. Deadheading will be one of the main activities this month. Cut the dead blooms off to an appropriate leaf node. Cut the stem at about the second set of leaves down from the bloom, this will do for quick repeat flowering, or cut a bit lower down the stem if later, better quality blooms are required.
3. The third and last feed of the season ought to be applied this month this should be well watered in if the weather is dry.
4. Continue to bud rootstocks, but ensure that the sap is flowing well beforehand. Bud wood of different and interesting varieties can usually be obtained from rose shows, but always ask for the exhibitor’s permission before taking any stems at the end of the show.
Green Bottle Top Collection
We have made a good start collecting green milk bottle tops. We are saving for a free wheelchair for a disabled gentleman so please tell all your friends and relations, we have a long way to go. Janet or Jill Palmer will be glad to receive your collection.
Coach Outing Wednesday 20th August 2008
The Greenfingers Gardening Club invite you to join them on their outing to Bressingham Gardens near Diss. As well as the gardens and plant centre there is a chance to see and ride in their steam trains and carousel. The cost of coach and entrance is £20. The coach leaves Bexleyheath at 8-30 am sharp. To book this trip, please contact Philip Pilbeam on 0208 304 2682
Dates for your Diary
July 23rd -27th RHS Flower Show Tatton Park Knutsford Cheshire
September 7th Plant Fair Hadlow College Nr, Tonbridge Kent 11 am - 4pm
September11th -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 Hospice Open Gardens Sheme
Sunday 27th July 2pm tp 5pm Admission £2-50 Children 50p
St. Margarets, Manor Drive Hartley DA3 8AW
The garden has many attractive features and is landscaped with lawns, shrubs, mixed flower beds and a large bridged pond, home for some extremely large Koi Carp.
Wednesday August 6th 11am to 4pm. Admission £4 Children £1-50 including National Trust Members.
Ightham Mote, Mote Road, Ivy Hatch, Sevenoaks TN15 0NT Family Picnic Day.
Whilst the extensive grounds are open the house is not open to visitors on the day of this event.
Greenwich & Bexley Hospice Open Gardens Scheme
Sunday 20th July 2pm to 5pm Admission £2 Children free.
Merton Court Preparatory School, 38, Knoll Road, Sidcup, Kent.
This lovely school has three different areas to look around. Firstly there are the delightful surrounding grounds with a picnic area, hobbit house, and wigwam. Here you can stop and have a cup of tea and refreshments. Have a ramble around the wildlife area and then move onto the wooded area with its own medieval style lake, a natural habitat for wildlife. Please note that all children need to be supervised in the open garden due to the water features.
Sunday 27th July 2pm to 5pm Admission £2
3, Tavistock Road, Welling, Kent
The immaculate spectacle that this garden achieves truly reflects the reason for it’s impressive successes over many years in the London Garden Society Competition. The superior quality of the lawn enhances the vibrant, massed colours of the bedding and containers and is certain proof of the meticulous care which the owners devote to every aspect of their garden. It is a delight to include this in our programme once again, and is a certain “must” for those who have not previously had the chance to visit.
Sunday 10th August 12 noon to 5pm Garden Party Tickets are available in advance only for £6 from the Hospice Fundraising Team on 0208 312 2244
Our Garden Party is a very special event in our calendar. Do join us for a wonderful afternoon with live music and a delicious clotted cream tea.
Rose Table Show Results for June
Experienced
HT 1st D Lemon 2nd R Harris 3rd E Purnell
Floribunda 1st D Lemon
Miniatures 1st D Lemon 2nd E Purnell
Points D Lemon 12 E Purnell 3 R Harris 1
Novice
HT 1st A Nunn 2nd R Dowdall 3rd J Rider
Floribunda 1st V Pulling 2nd R Dowdall
Points V Pulling 4 R Dowdall 4 J Rider 1
Before our speaker began her lecture members were awarded their prize money from the Summer Show. Roy Harris was presented with the Banksian Medal, Joan Dixon won the Junior Members award and Silvia Page won the Kay Beaman Trophy for the Floral Art Champion.
Secretary’s Report on the June Meeting
Over 100 members attended this months meeting to hear Mrs Talboys speak on Perennials for continuous colour.
She showed us slides of the bungalow that she and her husband bought as he was in a wheel chair and told us of the struggles they had with the local planning department to get a garage built into a bank at the bottom of their garden. Finally they were able to plant the bank with alpines and shrubs for ground cover and it looked very nice with lots of colour. When they first moved in there was a problem with a very wet lawn area so they planted trees and now there is a dry shade problem. They built 2 raised beds for some tender plants and put a plastic roof over it in winter, very ingenious. Mrs Talboys went through the seasons showing us which plants were good flowering plants for that season. Unfortunately being a Botanist she only told us the latin names.
She started off with autumn showing us miniature asters which spread well and autumn crocuses. Winter there was a clematis and of course the dog woods came into their own. Japanese quince made a bright splash of red against a very boring wall and there were cyclamen and hellibores. Apparently ants transport the seeds of the cyclamen around the garden. For spring she showed us slides of perennial wallflowers which bloom through to the autumn. Perennial geraniums of all kinds and rosa banksia Lutia which is thornless and has great clusters of tiny yellow flowers. Vibernum, purple berberus, mock orange, daphnia, herbaceous clematis, astrantia and seedum, and many more all gave good colour to the garden. Very thoughtfully
Mrs Talboys had prepared a fact sheet with all the plants named that she had shown us, each in it’s season, this will be a very helpful guide to members especially if plants are needed for flowering through autumn and winter. A most interesting lecture.
Holiday to Oxfordshire September 5th to 8th (3 nights -4 days)
We still have some twin rooms if there are any members who would like to join us on this trip. The cost is £177 for Bed, Breakfast and Evening meal, all coaching and drivers tip. I would like the balance of the money, no later than the July meeting being July 29th. This will be £227 for a single room and £152 each for sharing.
Christmas trip to Cochem Germany and the Christmas Markets December 5th to 8th (3 nights - 4 days)
We still have places for this holiday. A twin room will be £230 each and a single room will be £245. This is on a Bed, Breakfast and Evening meal basis, all coaching and drivers tip. We will be staying in a traditional German hotel, one of the oldest buildings in Cochem. Our Christmas trips are good fun with mince pies and sherry on the journey home. Call Janet to book your place.
Society holiday to Cornwall
As usual it was an early start and we made good time to Fleet services for breakfast. Once again we had Glen as our driver and he suggested stopping for lunch at Buckfast Abbey. We stopped for just over the hour and had time to eat, wander round the gardens with their lavenders and herbs before looking round the Abbey. We were treated to a short service with the monks chanting in latin. A must see was the newer chapel behind the altar which had the most glorious modern stained glass windows.
Glen took us on to our destination the pretty way and we reached our hotel at about 3-30pm. What we had expected to be a very tiring journey had passed quite effortlessly thanks to Glen’s driving. We had difficulty getting the coach near to the hotel entrance so the poor lad who was on case duty had a tiresome job getting the cases to our rooms. He was very cheerful about it , but then it was only his second day on the job. I suspect after a couple of weeks of dragging cases up that hill he won’t be so jolly. After settling into our rooms and freshening up we made for the dining room and our evening meal. Most of us then retired to bed as we had a busy day tomorrow.
Monday and we were off to Trebah which has featured quite extensively in magazines of late. They had refurbished the shop, garden centre and the restaurant and made it all very up to date. We remembered the gardens from our visit with Bert but we had a young lady tell us all about the garden instead of Tony Hibbert himself. He must be quite old now. This was a typical Cornish garden with a ravine going down to a small cove and beach from which the Americans left for the assault on Omaha beach during WWII. There were lots of protecting trees around the edges of the garden, many of which were in situ when the Hibberts bought the estate. I remember Mr. Hibbert telling us that his wife’s penance was to dead head all the Hydrangea bushes during lent. She won’t have so much dead heading to do next year as they had all been cut back and there were not so many blooms. After raiding the garden centre we all piled back on the coach rather sheepishly but fortunately Glen likes gardening so he didn’t mind, a state of affairs which may change by the end of the trip. Our next stop was the Seal Sanctuary at Gweek. The land train took one lot of us down to the pools whilst one of the workers, Margaret entertained us, or was it us who entertained her? Her son Paul drove the train and her husband was also one of the senior warders so it was quite a family affair and they all had lovely Cornish accents. Down at the pools we saw a whole lot of seal laying out in the sun convalescing. It was soon feeding time, the first half of our party had seen the Otters being fed and now it was the turn of the seals. Bodecia was blind and had to be made aware of her food by big splashes and she didn’t miss one although the sea gulls were after them. The empty bucket was banged on the ground to let the seals know that feeding was over. Another seal in the next pool was fed and he had been rescued from a wildlife park. Unfortunately like Bodecia his mate had died and the sanctuary were hoping to get mates for both of them as seals like lots of company. Sadly we soon had to leave our charming friends and make our way back to our hotel for our evening meal where we found that the meat was rather tough and the soup look the same as last night, beige.
Tuesday and we were off to Helston but Glen took us via Pendennis Point where we had a good view of the bay, The lighthouse and the ships that were anchored waiting for fuel. Falmouth Harbour is the third deepest in the world and ships from all over the world come in to be refuelled. There is also a coast guard station at Pendennis which works with the Fleet Air Arm Station at Culdrose for air sea rescue. We spent the rest of the morning at Helston where most of us visited the Town’s Folk Museum. The lady was very kind and let us all in free as we were a party although we turned up in dribs and drabs. We felt obliged to put a donation in her box. They have tidied up the museum since I was there in the 70s, it was quite a jumble then, but now everything is in a designated section with plenty of information about the objects. Our garden for this afternoon was Bonython Estate Gardens and the owners wife Mrs. Sue Nathan was there to meet us and show us around. She was South African and had used many plants from that country, particularly grasses. Her walled garden was wonderful with roses and clematis and lots of other herbaceous plants packed in together. The best bit I liked was the garden where she had vegetables planted in raised beds with flowers and grasses in corresponding beds. It all blended in beautifully. Mrs. Nathan took us further down the estate to show us the two lakes, here there was a lot of African planting. Clearly a lot of money had been spent on the property. She told us of her tame builder who had restored the pool house, built a single storey extension to the main house where they could entertain, built a thatched propagation house and also a little thatched house where she served tea and cakes. And what cakes!! We rounded off the afternoon with tea and Mrs Nathan’s home made sponges and Mick showing her how to dress a rose bloom for exhibition, reason being she served the tea in polystyrene cups which Mick asked if he could take home with him and she was curious as to what he was going to do with them. She had never heard of rose protectors. Back at the hotel we were faced with the same colour soup as the last two nights and those who had the meat found it very tough. The vegetables were getting a bit boring too particularly if you didn’t like courgettes and those horrible round beans.
Wednesday Today was Glen’s rest day so we took advantage and had a leisurely breakfast, then some of us had a treatment in the spa whilst others had a swim. Some went down to the town to shop or visit the National Maritime Museum which was very interesting. The afternoon saw quite a few of us take a boat trip up the Helsford river passing Pendennis point, and Trebah gardens, also Trelisk and Glendurgan. We passed Frenchmans Creek featured in the Daphne De Maurier book and also the house that featured as Mandalay in the film of Rebecca. The Tennis player Roger Taylor also has a large house on the river. It was a very interesting trip with a commentary all the way and we passed some very expensive looking boats. Dinner that evening was becoming a talking point with the same colour soup, beige, under another name, not cauliflower, and the same boring vegetables, Oh for the sight of a pea!!
Thursday The day everyone was looking forward to, our trip to Eden Project. The Tropical bio dome we went into had not changed it was still full of lush planting and the water fall and puffs of misty water came out at you at intervals to give it that tropical feel and create the humid atmosphere that the plants required. The temperate bio dome was much better as the plants had grown and covered their areas. They were divided into countries or areas such as Mediterranean, wine growing, rice, flax, Spanish, English. The most change we saw was in the outside planting with a large area in front of the domes set aside to herbaceous planting. Another pavilion had been built with a Heath Robinson type contraption that let balls drop down when someone turned the handle, the kids loved playing with that. There was also an exhibition upstairs of images of leaves and flowers taken without a camera. There were many more places to eat, with a long queue at the Cornish pasty stand. The plant centre was worth a visit and I bought an olive tree,(miniature) and an unusual euphorbia. Soon we were making our way back to the hotel where we were surprised with green pea soup and raw lamb which we kept sending back and in the end some of us only ate carrots and potatoes for our main course. We were all sick of fruit salad too, its there for breakfast and as a choice of sweet, the chef in this place really lacks imagination. I began to feel sorry for the waiting staff who are very nice, cheerful people but had to keep bringing this stuff out to us, it was worse than school dinners.
Friday We changed our minds about Truro as Glen said we could park the coach at the top of St Ives and take the bus down to town. We found a café on the harbour for our reviver coffee and then took a walk round the town. Some of us visited the town Church but we found a nice public park where we sat for a few minutes to get out breath back after climbing the steep lane to get to it. We decided not to visit the Barbara Hepworth Museum which was close by as we thought it would be too modern for us. After a wander through the lanes we found our way to the Tate Gallery. The building was very modern and not at all in keeping with the little fishermen’s cottages around it. We had to pay to get in! In hind sight, quite a nerve I thought. We went through the first door which we thought was a cloakroom as there were lots of coats hanging on rails but then we noticed there were workman’s overalls and hard hats hanging on the walls so we presumed that this was art. There were several other galleries which baffled us and some that I thought were an insult to our intelligence but we did find a gallery with some proper art in it but this was spoilt by the reflection from the large curved window which looked out over the bay so that you had to view the paintings from the side. We decided to have lunch in the café but it was full and only seemed to serve coffee. We ventured out on to the balcony to look at the view but had to retreat from the foul smell of sewerage. On trying to find our way out of the building we also came across the toilets which smelt so badly they permeated the hallway. I shall put Tate St. Ives down as one of the least pleasant experiences of my life!! By now it had started to rain that fine rain that soaks you through so we repared to a pub for half of bitter shandy and a discussion on how pretentious the Tate was. After a spot of lunch, in my case a Cornish pasty (my first) we went down to the harbour to watch some fishermen feed a seal. Soon it was time to find the bus back to the coach park and we were lucky that a town bus was waiting so we showed our bus passes and got the ride back for free. We now had to make our way to the Cornish Mines and Engines site just outside Redruth. The weather took a turn for the worst by the time we reached the site behind Morrisons. We split into two groups and one half had to trudge about 100 yards down the road and across to the working engine. After a short talk and a climb up and down several flights of stairs we trudged back across the road to look up a chimney. The inclement weather really took the edge off this visit and we were all quite glad to get back on the coach. The evening meal did not cheer us up although the soup was green! I have to say some of the deserts were not bad but there was always the dreaded fruit salad.
Saturday Our visit today was to Pine Lodge Gardens near St Austell. Could our balcony take any more plants. Apart from our purchases others had parked their plants there too, could it take any more? We were met by Mr, Clemo the owner who gave us a short talk about the garden and his wife’s vision of what she wanted. We had the usual cup of coffee to liven us up and then started on our tour round the various areas of this wonderful garden. The pond with its bridge and fountain was peaceful and then a short walk through a wooded area took us to the sunken and cottage garden with a bronze frog spouting water from a niche in a wall. We wandered down to the pinetarium and then to the winter garden which looked as if it was a fairly new area. Finally after a bit of hunting we found the Japanese garden which was full of shrubs and bamboos and not the usual gravel and stones type of garden. The site like Bonython had the luxury of running water so there were several ponds and streams to add interest. After lunch we raided the nursery and even Glen bought a grass to go in his front garden. Our afternoon visit was to the China Clay museum at St. Austell where we wandered through the old workings following the process as the clay would have laid in the beds of water and then had blue die added to it. It all gradually went down hill pushed by water and a pumping engine run by water to where it was loaded onto wagons and then dried. It was finally shipped out in either barrels, sacks or loose in wagons. Boys started work at the mines as young as 10 and were called Kettle boys because they made the tea but they ran all the errands too. They would work their way up to the drying beds which was the best job on the site. Some of the more energetic of us walked up the hill to see the area that is still working. After a cup of tea we were back on the bus and wondering what we were going to have for our dinner . I think the chef had been down to Tesco’s as there was tomato soup on the menu. The vegetable were better too I think there was a pea knocking about somewhere and some roast potatoes. It was a pity that food was not loved in this hotel as the rest of it was excellent and the staff were very nice and ready to please. The rooms were beautifully kept and the gardens were lovely. Well it was time to pack our bags, we would have an early start in the morning.
Sunday Glen managed to get the coach quite near to the hotel entrance this time so it was not so far for us to drag the cases. Everyone was good and had their bags out on time but the porters didn’t realise we had a system and so we had bags piled up in the street until we had the correct number in that colour to put into the lockers. Finally all was ready and we started our journey home. Glen decided to take us over Bodmin Moor and we made coffee and hot chocolate on the way to help out on the time. We made it to West Bay in Dorset for lunch and ate lovely fish and chips sitting on a wall overlooking the river. After a wander round when some of us visited the boot fair which was being held in the field next to the car park it was all back on the bus with a quick stop a Fleet before we reached Bexleyheath at about 5-30pm. Everyone had enjoyed the trip but were glad to get home. I am sure this was one of our best holidays. Apart from one day the weather was good although a bit windy at times. Glen as usual was an excellent driver and joined in with all our visits. He even organised another bowling match one evening down in the town and organised all the taxi’s to take us and bring us back. Dave Reynolds won this time.
Rose Orders
Mick and Brenda Andrews have a Cants Rose Catalogue if members are interested in ordering some new bare rooted roses. Unfortunately there is only 1 catalogue at present so would ask members to look at it at the meeting. They are trying to get some more so that they can be borrowed and looked at at home. Mick and Brenda will be sitting at the table at the back of the hall at the next meeting.
August Meeting
Would members please note that due to holidays the next edition of the Bulletin may not be ready in time for the August meeting. The date is Tuesday 26th August and our speaker will be Heather Handgrave. Her subject will be Rare Semi Tropical Plants. Heather runs “The Old Walled Garden Nursery” near Hadlow College in Kent with her parents. She has travelled extensively collecting rare plants from all over the world and propagating them in the nursery. She regularly shows at the RHS Flower Shows at Westminster and also at all the major events during the summer. She is very enthusiastic about her subject so it should be a good evening with hopefully some plants to buy.
The Poem Falmouth Frolics
1 We’re off with driver Glen, on time, 2 Three hour drive to Buckfastleigh,
Showers die out, the weather fine. Glen chose the Abbey for us to see!
Have a short comfort stop at Fleet, Stained glass window a true delight,
Where Dave leaves his rucksack on seat! Gardens & lunch, but save room for tonight!
3 On arrival the coach could not get on site 4 And Glen caught a touch of terminal 5
With no lifts too, moving cases a plight! Jane’s case he loaded had failed to arrive!
Meal’s have to be ordered in advance- After searching hotel, he found it with glee
Can we remember our choice? Not a chance! Behind water he sells for 50 pee.
5 The gardens of Trebah reach down to the sea, 6 In Helston a church coffee morn overwhelmed,
With tropical plants and perfect cream tea! A folk museum showing things we had owned!
Getting to Seals, a very torturous route. Eat pastie or bap, drive down Cornish lane
A ride on land train to see faces so cute! Narrow bends & tight drives to give Glen more pain!
7 Garden owner gave a conducted tour 8 A taxi took bowlers seven by three
Of Bonython Garden- and what’s more, To Ocean TenPin Bowling Alley.
For tea Mike lectured on showing a rose Was won by Dave, with Glen number two,
To explain the ’styrene cups he chose. Maureen third, but no one was blue!
9 Was Alec’s first try at this great sport 10 Free day to do things that you choose
“What heavy balls” was his first thought! Spa, shops, boat trip, or other must do’s
At score 84 his worth has been proved, Terry won a lion in raffle on pier!
“Though elegant” was not the way he moved! Using the bus routes confusion I fear!
11 A great trip to Eden to see each dome 12 Evenings and meals always full of mirth
And get the green message to take on home! Tonight we celebrate date of Janet’s birth.
Glen lost his wallet on the shuttle bus, ‘Though some say the veg give them the pips
But he got it all back without any fuss At last Ron & Roy have had their chips!
13 We go to St. Ives, though weathers dull 14 Redruth Beam Engines took some time
Margaret’s sandwich and finger was nicked by a gull Telling history of Cornish mine.
Alec didn’t do Tate ’cos it’s not free- At evening meal poor Cyril & Peggy
And brought his party back via the cemetery! Got only the lamb, no gravy or veggie!
15 It’s Zeana’s birthday! For Scottish thrill- 16 Garden’s interesting story the owner told,
Alan went a’kilter down hotel hill! Mike bought giant plant and all filled the hold!
Pine Lodge Gardens were such a treat, Next we see how china clay is obtained,
Rare plants to buy and great things to eat! And wonder at conditions old workers sustained!
17 Hol nearly over, we’re told the sad fact 18 Coach has split hose, repairs Glen to make
Breakfast at seven with cases all packed! Sellotape and duck tape not a cure for the break!
Cyril & Peggy lost each others sents- We stop at West Bay for ice cream & chips
He searched in ladies while she searched in gents. Look at boot sale, sea front and ships!
19 On last leg home and thanks are now due
To the team members who plan what we do!
Brenda & Mike and of course Janet too,
Committee and Glen, we all do thank you!
With thanks for a wonderful holiday Dave & Ann Reynolds
Joke of the month
A curate consistently arrived late for work until his long-suffering vicar asked him what was wrong. “My problem,” explained the curate, “is that I sleep too slowly.”