WHAT BUD IS WHAT?

The illustration below will assist you in recognising some common buds as they start to grow in Spring.
Click on the image to enlarge.

DAVID JONES - PART 2

On Wednesday 6 February David entertained us all with his demonstration of floral decoration. He makes it all look so easy, and yet we know it is far from the case. 
We do hope it encourages some of those present to "have a go". Maybe we should have a floral decoration "pop up" competition sometime?
In particular we learnt that using chicken wire, instead of Oasis, is a good way to create your display.
David created two displays, one with spring flowers, and the other with willow.
The Spring Flower arrangement was donated to the raffle. The winner with winnings is pictured below with a selection of other images from the demonstration

WEDNESDAY 6 FEBRUARY - DAVID JONES

Our first Monthly Meeting of 2019 takes place on Wednesday 6 February at 8pm in the Red Cross Hall, Oxted.
We are delighted to welcome back flower arranger DAVID JONES, with his almost mesmeric ability to produce a wonderful display as if by magic.
Whats more, the exercise is undertaken in an entertaining manor.
We do hope you will join us.

David, with demonstration in progress

One of David's arrangements

Pruning shrub roses with Ian le Gros of RHS Hyde Hall

We thought this video will assist with your pruning activities this winter.
It is best to get shrub roses pruned before February.

AGM & CHRISTMAS PARTY

On Wednesday 5 December at 8pm we shall have our AGM, followed by the Christmas Party. The latter a chance to relax after the formalities which we hope will not take too long.
The AGM is a chance for Members to have their say about the future of the Society and we hope many will come along and contribute.
The Agenda is set out below. Click on it to enlarge.

WINTER COLOUR

Walking through Limpsfield last week I came across this stunning acer. The red really was something to see, and the photo does not do justice to the reality.
Passing again a few days later all the leaves had dropped.
So it seems that Autumn need not always be depressing if you happen to catch some of the wonderful examples of colour that are round and about.

John Waller - Willow Weaving

The preparation

On Wednesday 7 November we were treated to a willow weaving demonstration by an expert at the craft, John Waller.
Unusually, we were requested to make sure no one was seated nearer than 10 feet from the demonstration, and once John got cracking it was clear why this had to be.
Just look at the length of those willow branches, and you can see the need to keep clear.
Before the start of the demonstration the scene was set by what appeared to be  a wigwam made out of willow. A rather unusual setting for the start of one of our meetings.
However when John got to work, the evolution was almost magical. With manipulative dexterity the willow branches of varying widths were weaved into the frame work all accompanied by an explanatory commentary.

The final product can be seen in the image below.
John runs courses at the Greenwood Workshop at Bore Place between Edenbridge and Sevenoaks. His website is here.

The start

The finished product

The coppiced willow tree

Monthly Meeting 3 October 2018

 The speaker at our Monthly Meeting on Wednesday 3 October at 8pm in the Red Cross Hall, Oxted is Andrew Fisher Tomlin, and his topic is Putting on a Show. He is well known for creating gardens and landscapes around the world. He has won many awards for his work on both gardens and creative projects in a number of countries including Australia, the USA and New Zealand as well as in the UK. His design approach focuses on creative solutions combined with sound horticultural practice. This has been recognised not just by private residential clients but also on larger infrastructure projects such as advising on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and designing for the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Andrew is a Chartered Horticulturist and a Fellow and former Chair of the Society of Garden Designers, the UK’s professional body for garden design. Until recently he served as Chairman of selection for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and has been a visiting lecturer at The Victoria & Albert Museum, London and The Smithsonian in Washington DC amongst other places. He has also curated shows and festivals in Amsterdam, Istanbul and Sydney.