GORING GARDENING SOCIETY
News
2024
Our January speaker was the local historian Chris Hare. His subject was Worthing in the Bad Old Days.
Who knew that this staid old town had such a bad reputation in the 1880’s. We drove people out with Rough Music, fought the Salvation Army and even had the Riot Act read on the steps of the Old Town Hall.
Check out Chris’s book if you want to know why we were so badly behaved. A very entertaining afternoon whilst the rain hammered down outside the hall.
2023
The annual social in December was great fun with light hearted quizzes on books and records breakers. We played stand-up sit-down bingo and helped ourselves to a plentiful spread of M&S food.
Our November coach outing to Sheffield Park was very nearly cancelled due to the threat of stormy weather. Neverthless, stalwart members set off and managed to enjoy the park.
Despite the grey skies there was a wonderful display of vibrant autmn colours, as you can see from the pictures here.
At our October meeting, we were entertained by the well-known gardener and broadcaster Jim Buttress, famous for his double act on BBC Radio Sussex Dig It programme on Sunday mornings with the much missed Joe Talbot. Jim regaled us with funny stories of his apprenticeship as a gardener, his connection to Worthing, his love of Crystal Palace, judging at Chelsea and broadcasting with giggles! He answered any gardening queries we had and even signed a couple of books.
Autumn Show
September is the time
to celebrate the year's growing achievements.
At this year's Autumn Show members provided a beautiful array of colours of the season with exhibits of flowers and vegetables and fruits.
The floral exhibits were both inventive and impressive.
Harvest Festival
Alice in Wonderland
Thank you to all of those who entered this time.
There was lots of fabulous planting on display at this time of the year, including the dry garden, cottage garden, vegetable garden, rose garden and the herbaceous beds.
In July members had the pleasure of another lovely outing, this time to RHS Hyde Hall in Essex.
Summer Show
After a mild panic on Wednesday morning when very few members had entered the show, Wednesday evening brought a deluge of forms.
On Saturday, the hall was full of colour. Visitors enjoyed wandering around and we had several enquiries about joining the society. Ken Franks did a roaring trade at his plant table.
People were able to vote for their favourite photos and flower arrangements. One class “Finding King Tut” was very popular and the two ladies who crafted their designs should be congratulated for letting their imaginations run riot.
Thank you to everyone who put an entry in, even if it was just a photograph.
In June a coach outing took place to visit the National Trust house Chartwell in Kent, the family home of Winston Churchill.
Members enjoyed seeing the house as well as the beautiful gardens surrounding it and some of Sir Winston's own artwork.
At our May meeting, Alex New spoke of his work as Curator at Highdown Gardens.
He talked of Sir Frederick and Lady Sybil Stern and their work in developing this unique chalk garden and creating a National Plant Collection of plants and trees that will grow in chalky soil.
We heard how they were brought plants from far off places in remote parts of the world by plant collectors of all kinds, some with wonderfully colourful backgrounds.
The work at Highdown today is focused on cataloguing and preserving the original plants to maintain the Stern legacy.
Members attending the May meeting were delighted to find that Ken Franks had brought in a variety of some 200 plants that he had grown.
These he generously offered for sale at bargain prices.
Spring Show
Despite a very dry February and days of wind and rain during March, the floral displays at our Spring show were colourful and to the relief of the committee, in abundance.
By 11am when judging started, the tables were full and our judges from Highdown Gardens were delighted with the displays. Our cookery judge was also impressed by the number of scones, cakes and jams she had to judge.
After lunch when we opened the doors to visitors, the footfall was steady and by 3pm, the hall was filled with the sound of people enjoying a wander around the hall and chatting over a cup of tea and homemade cake (including bread pudding!).
Prizes were handed out and the raffle drawn in the late afternoon. Then it was clear-up time as we said goodbye to members and visitors.
Only three vases left behind this time.
Now we can start planning for the Summer Show in July
Jacqueline Aviolet who has run her own nursery for over 20 years, shared her expertise about rose growing in her talk Roses - All About Roses to members in January 2023.
Her bubbly personality and enthusiasm for roses and other plants was inspiring. She gave us lots of different tips and advice and had some excellent plants for sale.
2022
The Edith Cobb's Memorial Cup being presented to Ken Franks for the most points gained in the vegetable classes at the 2022 Autumn Show.
This cup was first presented in 1947 in memory of Edith who died the previous year after moving to Goring with her husband William.
With Ken are Edith's grandsons John and Richard who visited the show in September and presented the cup in its 75th year.
Chairman Carol Sullivan presenting a cup at the Autumn Show 2022.
An unusual looking vegetable entered in the Autumn Show 2022!
Some of our members on a trip to Follers Manor near Eastbourne in 2016. That's Ron and June in amongst the daisies. What a beautiful garden that was.
GORING GARDENING SOCIETY
Email: carolandboris@btinternet.com
