Roehampton Garden Society

Category Archives: DiaryDates

Dates for your Diary


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A tale of giant gooseberries

The north of England is host to a number of Gooseberry Societies where the annual contest for the ‘heaviest’ gooseberry is hotly contested. Bryan Nellist of the Egton Bridge Gooseberry Society won their competition this year by a fraction of a gram at 26 drams 18 grains. The variety grown was ‘Belmarsh’, a white gooseberry.

The current world record was set in 2019 by Graeme Watson of the same society at 36drams 12.5 grains for a yellow gooseberry – variety ‘Millennium’ .

Egton Bridge (near Whitby) was delighted that the show could go ahead this year after last year’s Covid cancellation was the first in a 220 year history. The Gooseberry Society competition still strictly abides by the hand written rules from 1823.

Sadly, on the other side of the Pennines, Terry Price of the Goostrey Gooseberry Society in Cheshire, found that his prize bushes had been poisoned ahead of the competitions. He suspects by a rival grower!

Sources: The Guardian ; Guiness Book of Records.


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Plants and Plant Lore at the Weed Walk and Talk

Who would have thought there were so many weeds on our Allotments?!!

Some of us were lucky enough to accompany Roy Vickery, Associate Scientific Officer to the Natural History Museum, on a walk along a path on plot 2. Roy worked as a botanist at the Natural History Museum for over 40 years and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of plant folklore. His eagle eyes swooped down and plucked specimens from the path and borders and he held his audience with tales of yesteryear. Knowledge he has collected by word of mouth, spanning back to the beginning of the last century. Some tales of country superstition, others of medical uses of common plants, but all fascinating and delivered with an obvious love of subject and dry sense of humour.
We felt privileged to have learnt so much from an hour in the company of a very knowledgeable and interesting man. Thank you, Roy.

Contributed by Shan Karwatowska


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Get ready for our Summer Show 2021

In spite of the double challenge of Covid and the coldest April this century, the RGS will hold a Summer Show by the store on Site 2 on Sunday 13th June.
Many allotmenteers may not have entered the show previously, so the ‘preparing exhibits’ section below may help. Find the forms you need on this page.
Even if you don’t enter we hope to see you there from 3pm. The auction of produce will start at 4pm.

There will be a Plants and Produce stall and Tea and Cakes to enjoy.
If you have some spare plants/seedlings or produce, or could make a few cakes (in paper cases, like muffins, please) please bring them to the store between 10am and 1pm on the day.
Please do wear a mask, and bring cash for the tea and cakes stall.

Entries and Staging 11.30-13.30 – Judging 14.00- 15:00 – Open to All 15:00

Summer Show Classes and Entry Form

FInd a printable copy of the classes and entry form here

How to Enter

Entries for the Summer Show 2021 are to be made

  • At the store on site 2 between 11.30 and 13.00 on the morning of the Show (13th June)

Staging

  • All exhibits are to be staged between 11.30 and 13.30 on the day of the Show.
  • Wherever possible give the name of the variety with each exhibit
  • All exhibits should be removed at 16.15 on the day of the Show (not earlier) or it will be assumed they are for donating to the auction.
  • A sticker will be available to put on entry card to say the item is not for the auction.

Be careful!

Please study the rules governing entry to the Society’s shows.

Failure to follow the rules and regulations will result in disqualification.

Preparing exhibits for display – do it right!

Some helpful guidance can be found here.

Rules for this Show

Here are the rules for the RGS Summer Show – which follow RHS Show rules here .

The store will be open as usual from 10 – 12.

Want to know more about our shows? Look here: http://www.roehamptonallotments.co.uk/category/shows/


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Social Space for Site 3

Thanks to a generous bequest from Sonia Sawyer, a new tea cabin and social space, “The Potting Shed”, is now open for all on site 3. A very welcoming place to take a much needed break. Many thanks to all the volunteers that worked so hard to create this lovely spot.


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Sharpening event 22nd May

Adam of Surrey Sharpeners will be working next to the Store on Site 2. Please bring your tools, kitchen knives and scissors  to be sharpened from 9.30 am. You may have to come back to collect them later. There may be time for some mowers, but this can’t be guaranteed.
Full Price List here

CASH ONLY, please.


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Free food growing Webinar with the RHS – 20th May

Event runs from 4-5pm, Thursday 20 May 2021

Join the panel of gardening experts as they discuss the benefits of growing, cooking and eating food as a community as well as giving their top tips on creating and maintaining a productive patch.

Sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/free-webinar-community-food-growing-tickets-154406143933 If you can’t make it they will send you a link to view afterwards.

If you have an interesting question for the panel, please email it to communities@rhs.org.uk


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Spring Plant Sale 24th April

Our plant sale will have two sessions to avoid queuing.
Similar plants will be on sale at 2 pm and again at 2.30 pm outside the store on site 2.
Bring your own bags. Masks must be worn.
Please pay by contactless card or cash into a bucket – but we are not able to give change.
All proceeds go to the Wandsworth Food Bank.

We much appreciate your plant donations. Please leave them, clearly labelled, on the tables outside the store on Saturday morning between 11am and 12 noon.


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Organic Gardening Course

Starts again for 2021 on Saturday 24th April at Carshalton Community Allotment

The course and runs over 6 consecutive Saturdays.
From beginners to the more knowledgeable gardener, you’ll have the chance to learn eco-friendly gardening methods, including crop rotation, no-dig methods and organic planting techniques.
Teaching is a mixture of theory and practice, allowing students to try out the skills they learn, understanding how to plan, so they can make the most of their veg patch at home or their allotment.
Our course is Covid-safe, with theory taught live via Zoom and students learning the practical elements outdoors, with social distancing observed on the Community Allotment.

The course is organised by EcoLocal, a Carshalton based charity.
For further information and to book visit:
www.ecolocal.org.uk/highlight/organic-food-growing-course/ or facebook.com/ecolocal
Enquiries email: food@ecolocal.org.ukor telephone 020 8404 1522
Cost £80 per person


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Click and Collect – how it works

While the store is closed – why not click and collect?

  • Order composts, fertilisers and a full range of Kings seeds using our web order form. The link to use is sent out by email each Monday.
  • You will be sent a time to come to the store to pay by contactless card and collect your order. Pickup is always on a Sunday morning.
    Please do bring a bag with you.
  • If you are on site 2 please use and wipe down a trolley, if necessary, for heavy items.
  • If you are on site 3, your composts will be delivered to your plot on Sunday morning.

We look forward to seeing you there…….


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Banksian Medal for Helen

In normal times the Banksian medal is awarded to the member with the most points in RGS shows. This year the committee voted to award the medal to our chair, in recognition of her hard work and achievement in keeping the allotments open safely for us all. After the distanced presentation Helen said:

” I was very surprised and delighted to receive this award. I had no idea that I was going to a presentation today! Thank you for thinking to give me the Banksian Medal and for your kind words all done in such a wonderfully conspiratorial way. However, I must stress that nothing would have been possible without our fantastically resourceful and positive committee so many many thanks should go to them too”.


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Autumn show cancelled due to coronovirus increase

The Autumn show planned for Sunday September 13th is cancelled. In a message yesterday, Helen Finch, chair of the RGS said:

Very regretfully we have decided to cancel the Autumn show. The R number has gone above 1 and there are reports of Covid cases within West Putney, so we feel that the responsible action is to cancel.

The store will still open on Sunday morning