Newsletter
Winter 2014/2015
Chairman: Angela Armstrong Tel 02392 477815
Editor: Mike Rogers Tel: 0750 8637441
Annual General Meeting 2015.
All members are invited to the 95th AGM of the Emsworth Horticultural Society to be held at the
Emsworth Community Centre on Thursday 19th February 2015.
The current management committee members are: President Lyn Davies, Chair Angela
Armstrong, Vice-chair Colin Falla, Secretary Sarah Sanderson, Treasurer Michael Ponsonby,
Show Secretary Jan Butler, Chair of Show Sub-committee Colin Falla,Chair of Distribution
Sub-committee Lyn Davies, and committee members ZenaChaddock (Membership secretary),
Jan Beynon and Daphne Tomsett.
All members of the Management Committee retire at the AGM but are eligible for re-election,
subject to the rule that they may serve in one post for three year. Both Angela Armstrong and
Sarah Sanderson do not wish to stand for re-election. Michael Ponsonby is willing to continue as
treasurer, with the approval of the members. All other committee members are willing to continue.
Nominations for Chairman and Secretary and further committee members are urgently
sought. Please contact the Secretary by phone (01243 373831) or email
(sandersongardens@hotmail.com) by Monday February 2nd 2015.
Minutes of the previous AGM will be available in the Hut on January 25 th 2015. Any proposals for
inclusion on the agenda should be sent to the Secretary by February 2nd 2015.
After the AGM business at about 8.15pm, Liz Smout from The New Blendworth Centre will give a
talk on the horticultural work it does with people with learning disabilities.
Amendment to the Constitution
Clause 4.8 A quorum shall consist of 7 Management Committee Members
To be amended to:
A quorum shall consist of half of the number of Management Committee Members. If this is an
odd number, the number will be rounded up.
Talks
15th January talk entitled "Ponds" by Ray Broughton from Sparsholt.
19th February AGM followed by The work of New Blendworth Centre. They were the recipients
from the Show surplus in 2013 and have since bought special flooring for a poly tunnel. Their
manager is Liz Smout.
19th March talk entitled “Growing Vegetables on the Allotment and in the Garden” – Barry
Newman, grower, exhibitor and judge.
16th April talk entitled “The Flora and Fauna of Chichester Harbour” – an update by Judi Darley.
Mulled Wine and Mince Pies Although the weather was not kind to us we had a turnout of about
40 members. A special thanks to Allan Stewart Fitzroy and Lucy Watson who each donated 4
bottles of Mulled wine.
Plant Sale at the Hut Sunday 17th May 2015. 9.30 - 12.00
A date for your new diary!
When you are tidying your borders and dividing your perennials remember to pot up a few more
plants to sell at our annual plant sale.
Look out for seedlings that have popped up in paving cracks or on the veg patch, which can be
grown on for the May sale.
Full details in the next newsletter.
Daphne Tomsett
Winter at the Hut 2015
Seed potatoes. The following varieties have been ordered: Lady Christl (1st early), Casablanca
(2nd early/maincrop), Charlotte (salad), Romano (maincrop) and Sarpo Mira (maincrop). Sharpo
Mira is a new one for us and has been chosen because it has very good blight resistance. It is
red-skinned, white fleshed and floury so good for roasting, baking, chipping. It stores well too!
More information and an order form are at the hut.
Onion sets, shallots and garlic. Two white varieties, Hercules and Stuttgarter, and one red
variety of onion set, Red Baron, have been ordered along with Golden Gourmet shallots and a
limited number of Solent Wight garlic bulbs. They should also arrive in early February. The garlic
should be planted as soon as possible because they need a cold experience to develop well. The
shallots can be planted outside in February or March, but it’s probably best to plant them in pots or
modules then transplant them when the roots have started to grow. The same goes for onion sets
but they should be planted out a bit later, in March or April.
Reminder - last date for seed orders Sunday 18th January 2015!
The hut is open from 10 till 12 noon every Sunday for all your gardening needs. Visit
www.emsworthhorticulturalsociety.org.uk for directions.
EHS Archives The Emsworth Horticultural Society was founded in 1919 as a result of the need
to grow food after the First World War. In those days it was the Emsworth and District Allotments
Association Ltd. I have been going through the archives for several years and have minute books
going back to 1922. I am summarising the minutes but am missing some minute books. Does
anyone know the whereabouts of the following minute books:
1950 – December 1966 and July 1968 – February 1973
Most of the early minutes deal with the reprobates who would not cultivate the ground or did not
pay their allotment rents. The problems with the approach lane to the Washington Road
Allotments go back to the 1930s when Warblington Urban District Council were unable to help
deal with the road surface and the allotment holders got together to fill in the potholes with
whatever hardcore they could get hold of.
Anyone who has won the Potato Cup may like to know its history. During the 1930s depression
the Secretary of the Association was a naval officer and he came up with the idea of a potato
competition. He provided the seed potatoes and they were all planted on a day in April decided by
the Committee. They were all harvested in a day in July, also decided by the Committee. The
terms of the competition were that the crop would go to the Victoria Memorial Hospital to be used
in their kitchens although there were small monetary prizes for the three largest crops. Lady White
was Chairman of the Hospital Trustees and she decided that the person who grew the largest crop
also deserved a cup. She commissioned ‘The Lady White Hospital Potato Cup’ which continues
to be presented to the winner of the best plate of potatoes at the Emsworth Horticultural Show
each year.
If anyone knows where the missing minute books are I can be contacted on
suzholroyd@denvilles.fsnet.co.uk
Suzanne Holroyd
Open Gardens (dates for you diary)
Bosham, Chichester, Sussex Sunday 7th June 2015. 11.00am to 5.00pm
23 New Brigton Road and 42 Horndean road Sunday 21st June 2015. 1pm -5.30pm in aid of the
National Garden Scheme. Tea & cakes and plant sales. Entrance ticket £5 (to visit both gardens)
Trips
Trips Co-ordinator - After 3 years in the post we say a sad farewell to Annette Wood who is
leaving because of increasing family commitments’'
We need a replacement for 2015. Preferably someone who has run a trip at some time. It is an
easy job . If you would like to have a go give me a ring for more details.
Angela Baldry ( temporary Trips Coordinater) Tel 01243 372253
Jan Morgan has volunteered to organise a trip for us in April. Please support her to make this trip
a success. We still need more members to help if we are to have a full compliment of trips in 2015.
Kensington Palace and Gardens in the Spring Wed 15th April 2015. Price TBA
Designed by Sir Christopher Wren around the original Jacobean manor house for William and
Mary this beautiful Palace was extensively restored in 2012. Birth place of Queen Victoria, it now
has an extensive exhibition of her life including her Wedding Dress. Several members of the
Royal Family have Apartments here including William and Kate. Will we catch a glimpse of the
Royal Baby being pushed around in his pram in the lovely gardens that surround the Palace. At
this time of the year they will be at the Peak of Spring Flowering.
To express an Interest phone Jan Morgan 01243 378794.
Gardens of the Peak District Thurs 11th - Sun 14th June 2015 £359 SPS £75 Only a
few places left.
Price includes 3 nights B . B and Ev meal. at the 4* Palace Hotel Buxton, Coach, and visits to
interesting and unusual gardens. Biddulph Grange, with its authentic Chinese garden, Consall
Hall, Gamesley Fold, Calke Abbey containing the bizarre lifetime collections of 2 batchelor
brothers who lived an impoverished existance as the grand house slowly crumbled around them
and finally Trentham Gardens featured recently on TV and .restored to designs by 2 of the most
famous garden designers in England today both Chelsea Gold Medal Winners, Tom Stuart Smith
and Piet Oudolf. Also included is a tour through historic villages and a drive over the desolate
Snake Pass.
Do join your Emsworth friends on this inspiring Summer Holiday.
Gardens of Morocco 18th - 24th March 2015 £1,449 for 2 sharing . £1779 for a single
person.
Leave behind the dreary cold of England and jet away with us to the sunshine of exotic Morocco.
Price includes 5* hotels in Marrakesh and Touradante , transport to private gardens including the
world famous Majorelle garden, a day tour of the Atlas Mountains, a visit to an Argon oil factory,
most meals and flights
Check out www.individual-holidaysgardentours.com for full itinerary Open to family and friends.
Any questions or for a hand delivered itinerary for either trip phone Angela Baldry 01243 372253
Natter Mornings
Welcome to the 2015 natter mornings. For those of you new to the Society, natter mornings are a
great opportunity to meet other members. They are held in member’s gardens, between 11am and
12.30pm, and you can enjoy a free cup of coffee and biscuits while you look around and chat.
There is also a plant swap table where you can ‘swap’ a plant that you bring with one left by
another member – you never know what you may pick up!
Tuesday 12th May – Marjorie Jones, 158 Stein Road, Southbourne (North side of Southbourne,
opposite the thatched cottage)
Thursday 18th June – Margaret Jay, 5 Creek End, Emsworth (off bottom of Bath Road)
Wednesday 22nd July – Audrey Mount, 17 Valletta Drive, Emsworth (off Warblington Road)
Allotment Meeting HBC 26th November 2014 A meeting was held to discuss the allotment
holder’s role in management of sites.The attendance was full to overflowing necessitating opening
up another room together with extra chairs. The main point of the meeting was to discuss
devolvement or self management which allows for shared responsibility for managing allotment
sites to the allotment gardeners themselves. The simplest arrangement being to elect or appointed
by the Council a Site Steward who liaises with the allotment authority and the association/plot
holders. The Interim Administration Model is where an Association (formed by the plot holders)
takes responsibility for a range of duties which include : collecting rents ,administering the waiting
list, routine maintenance and payment of all running costs. Full self control is where the
incorporated allotment association leases the site from the council, arranges tenancy agreements,
collects rent and uses the funds for maintenance, repair and capital items. After discussing the
pros and cons of each model and the fact that it would need the acceptance of at least 95% of the
plot holders for each site, the audience was not won over.
Further details can be obtained from the National Allotment Society website under the heading of
Allotment Management.
2015 Emsworth Show Preparations are now well underway for the 2015 Emsworth Show.
Most of the Arena events were secured within days of last years rather damp show (!). We plan
this year to be bathed in glorious sunshine .... but at least we know that if the heavens descend
like 2014, we will weather the storm with good spirits.
We have been fortunate to receive four new recruits to the show organising team so far, but I'm
always looking for additional management help from a wide range of skills and backgrounds. We
shall be running a "recruitment evening" for the show to which all volunteers are most welcome to
come along. The aim of the evening is to confirm links with existing volunteers and perhaps recruit
more managers to the organising team. We will also be opening up invitations to the wider
community who have assisted the running of the show for many years, and without whose help we
couldn't operate. Please watch our website: www.emsworthshow.org.uk for details on the date
and timings of this recruitment event which is likely to be after the date of our AGM.
Otherwise look forward to seeing you all on Bank Holiday 31st August 2015.
Colin Falla, Show Chairman, 01243 379422 chairman@emsworthshow.org.uk
EHS Garden Competitions 2015
The 2015 the Garden Competitions will take place outside the show schedule with main cups presented at
the Show on August 31st. We have an Allotment Cup which has been in a cupboard for some years and so
we have re-introduced allotments hoping that we can encourage a good entry from local growers. There
are new judges for each of the sections
Full details and forms available in the Distribution Hut in January and all previous entrants will be notified by
post
Gardens: Date of Judging: July 14th or/and16th
Class 1: Small Gardens (Less than 400Sq Metres)
Class 2: Large Gardens (More than 400Sq Metres)
Allotments: Date of Judging 25th June
Class 1: Up to 5 rod
Class 2: 5 – 10 rod and over
Basket and Containers: Dates of Judging 28th or 30th July
Class 1: Small Hanging Baskets up to and including 30cm/12” diameter
Class 2: Large hanging baskets over 30cm/12” diameter
Class 3 Containers including window boxes, hanging pouches etc. any size/style
Novices - Judges to award the Novice Cup across the whole competition
Janet Butler, Show Secretary January 2015
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SUBSCRIPTIONS 2015
These are now payable and can be paid at the Hut, at the talks, or by post to the Membership Secretary
using the tear off slip below. The 2015 membership card is red, and the annual subscription is £5 per
household. Payment is possible by standing order if you wish.
If you are already paying by standing order please check your first statement after 1st January 2015 to make
sure it has been paid. You will be sent your new membership card in a few days.
To Mrs Zena Chaddock, 41, Warblington Road, Emsworth, PO10 7HG, email zenachaddock@hotmail.com
Membership Secretary
2015 subscription £5 enclosed (cheque payable to Emsworth Horticultural Society) please send me a
standing order form * *delete as applicable
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