HUNSDON GARDENING CLUB

(Established 1958)

Who we are and what we do...

Hunsdon Gardening Club welcomes anyone interested in gardening, whether beginner or experienced gardener with the aim of sharing such experience between members. The club started life as the Village Allotments and Gardens Association on May 21st, 1958. In 1961 the name was changed to Hunsdon Gardening Club and in 1966 the control of the allotments was handed over to the Parish Council.

Since 1969 we have been affiliated to the Royal Horticultural Society and our autumn show is run according to RHS rules using one of their approved judges. This affiliation provides free entry to an RHS garden once a year for a club outing, free advice on gardening problems and plant identification and the Banksian medal for the Autumn Show, awarded to the exhibitor with the highest marks in the horticultural classes.

The club is administered by a committee of nine members under the direction of the chair person who arrange outings, the annual plant sale and autumn show. All this has been provided with the annual subscription of £1 held at this level since 1992 ., but in keeping with the times raised to £2 in 2009.

So what do members get for their money?

The club publishes a booklet each year which is circulated to every house in the village outlining the programme together with full details of the schedule for the autumn show.

The first event of 2009 was the Annual General Meeting held on 16^th April, the formal business being followed by .an entertaining gardening talk by June Clew.

On June 20th the club organised a trip jointly with Much Hadham Gardening Club to Glen Chantry gardens and nursery at Wickham Bishops, Essex. Although the club has paid previous visits this was the last chance to see it as it was to close down later in the year. Both lots of members enjoyed the morning there before going on to pay a visit to Wilkins & Co jam factory at Tiptree. Here they went round the factory museum before finishing the day with a cream tea.

June 13^th saw the club’s plant sale where we had our stall at the village fete. All the plants were, as usual, donated by members and we maintained our usual high standard of quality plants at realistic prices! Thanks to those who gave plants and the members manning the stall we raised £322 towards Village Hall funds The picture shows the plant stall at the fete and gives some idea of the wide range of plants that members contribute for sale.

A further outing was organised on 3rd August, jointly with the Hunsdon Local History and Preservation Society, to Copt Hall, near Epping. The largely Georgian house was destroyed by fire in the 1st world war. A Trust is now in the course of rebuilding the house but for the club members the highlight was the extensive gardens in particular the huge walled garden all of which is in the course of being replanted.

The Autumn Show this year was held on Saturday 5^th September in the village hall. Although slightly down on the number of record entries in our anniversary year, 43 people submitted 195 entries and the show was a great success. To see prize winners go to Pictures and list of prize-winners from the 2009 Autumn Show

The last event of 2009 was an evening talk by Mrs Pennington who is an RHS Show Judge and regularly judges the club’s autumn show. She spoke on two subjects. How to propagate plants and How to prepare fruit and vegetables for showing. Members were invited both to try their hands at propagation and give their opinions on the standards of various potential fruits and vegetables for showing.

The club continues to hold a spring and summer front gardens garden competition as well as that for the best allotment

In the autumn of 1999 the club planted 3000 daffodil bulbs in the village to celebrate the Millennium. These were so popular that we planted 3000 more in 2000, and another 1000 in 2003.

The displays around the War Memorial and Hunsdon Village Sign are topped up regularly and 250 further bulbs were planted this year to fill any gaps in the display.

In common with other village organisations the Gardening Club has made up a specially illustrated hassock for St Dustan’s Church. It was embroidered by committee member Jackie Carthy and depicts the pump in the centre of the village with its colourful summer floral display maintained on behalf of the village by John Ashley, another of our committee members,

A further benefit of club membership is the arrangement we have for special discounts from Parkers Dutch Bulbs and Thompson & Morgan Seeds. Members can order bulbs, shrubs, roses and perennials from Parkers Dutch Bulbs and seeds from Thompson & Morgan. From Parkers, purchases are at wholesale prices and this year orders were placed for bulbs and plants to the value of £650. From T&M a 40% discount on the normal catalogue price encouraged members to order nearly £400 worth of seeds.. There is no minimum order for these concessions so members can order as little or as much as they like.

So that’s who we are and what we do so why not come and join the club. If you are just starting in the gardening world this is the place to learn. Everything we do is on an informal basis with a free exchange of gardening advice between members.

If you fancy joining contact any of the committee and they will be only too pleased make arrangements for you to become a member.

Committee Members 2009/10 are: -

Chair	Morag Pummell	01279 842786
Treasurer	Gill Harris	01279 842789
Plant Sales, Bulb & Seed Orders -Web Site	John Ashley MBE	01279 843848
Show Secretary	Jackie Carthy	01920 872597
Show Steward	David Clayson	01279 842318
Minutes Secretary	Sheila Simons	01920 871038
Events Secretary	Daphne Toll	01279 842783
Membership Secretary	Edith Threadgold	01279 843702
	Carol Batten	01279 842815