From the Editor
Hello Everyone
I write this newsletter with my head full of Succulents as I am on holiday visiting the Isles of Scilly for the very first time. As a gardener, I am totally amazed at the sub-tropical plants that grow everywhere on the Islands – even appearing like little bright green faces peeping out of hedgerows – as well as on the inspiring gardens of Tresco.
These gardens gave me so many ideas with their different walkways, meandering green paths, and granite paved areas full of Campanula, seating areas arranged with various aspects in mind, views, ponds and arbours full of stunning deep purple Jackmanii Clematis trailing over the top. So many beautiful shades of green in these gardens of spiky Agave and towering Canary Date Palms that it was evident form was definitely the king over flower here.
As an extra treat, I saw also for the first time, a Red Squirrel as they thrive here without their cousin, the more guerrilla-like Grey Squirrel! It was like going back to childhood and reading books about animals in the forest, Squirrel Nutkin, to see this red fluff scampering along the tree bough.
We were also very lucky to catch a sighting of a mega rare bird – a Cliff Swallow – that had been blown in by the hurricane that hit Penzance and the islands a few weeks ago. We were with two birdwatchers who spotted it and within an hour there were more than 30 twitchers there, and they kept arriving all week from all over the UK. Everyone watching the swooping and diving of this one little bird. Aah it is the simple things in life that give us pleasure sometimes (me watching the antics of the twitchers and they watching the bird!).
Well back to home and having missed the WAGS show, I feel I thoroughly missed out after seeing some of the amazing photos in the Herald and taken by Sandra's husband. Well done everyone – I can feel a little bit of competitiveness stirring within me and I hope to be there next year, even if it is just for the oddest shaped vegetable. See more news of the show from Sandra below.
This month's recipe comes with 'Seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness' in mind and some of the very impressive and beautifully Orange Pumpkins on show all over the allotments.
Pumpkin Biscuits
These biscuits are made at Thanksgiving time on the last Thursday in the month, in New England, USA. They readily use up all the pumpkins left over from Halloween and as pumpkins are a very good nutritious source, we can eat biscuits and feel smug at the same time.
300g (or 10 oz.) of self-raising flour 1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt 2 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
113 g (4 oz.) cold unsalted butter cut into small bits 450g (15 oz.) cooked pumpkin, pureed
2 tsp juice of a squeezed orange 2 Tbsp whipping cream
Enjoy them with the normal Halloween candles around and have a great pumpkin time.
Denise Irwin
I write this newsletter with my head full of Succulents as I am on holiday visiting the Isles of Scilly for the very first time. As a gardener, I am totally amazed at the sub-tropical plants that grow everywhere on the Islands – even appearing like little bright green faces peeping out of hedgerows – as well as on the inspiring gardens of Tresco.
These gardens gave me so many ideas with their different walkways, meandering green paths, and granite paved areas full of Campanula, seating areas arranged with various aspects in mind, views, ponds and arbours full of stunning deep purple Jackmanii Clematis trailing over the top. So many beautiful shades of green in these gardens of spiky Agave and towering Canary Date Palms that it was evident form was definitely the king over flower here.
As an extra treat, I saw also for the first time, a Red Squirrel as they thrive here without their cousin, the more guerrilla-like Grey Squirrel! It was like going back to childhood and reading books about animals in the forest, Squirrel Nutkin, to see this red fluff scampering along the tree bough.
We were also very lucky to catch a sighting of a mega rare bird – a Cliff Swallow – that had been blown in by the hurricane that hit Penzance and the islands a few weeks ago. We were with two birdwatchers who spotted it and within an hour there were more than 30 twitchers there, and they kept arriving all week from all over the UK. Everyone watching the swooping and diving of this one little bird. Aah it is the simple things in life that give us pleasure sometimes (me watching the antics of the twitchers and they watching the bird!).
Well back to home and having missed the WAGS show, I feel I thoroughly missed out after seeing some of the amazing photos in the Herald and taken by Sandra's husband. Well done everyone – I can feel a little bit of competitiveness stirring within me and I hope to be there next year, even if it is just for the oddest shaped vegetable. See more news of the show from Sandra below.
This month's recipe comes with 'Seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness' in mind and some of the very impressive and beautifully Orange Pumpkins on show all over the allotments.
Pumpkin Biscuits
These biscuits are made at Thanksgiving time on the last Thursday in the month, in New England, USA. They readily use up all the pumpkins left over from Halloween and as pumpkins are a very good nutritious source, we can eat biscuits and feel smug at the same time.
300g (or 10 oz.) of self-raising flour 1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt 2 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
113 g (4 oz.) cold unsalted butter cut into small bits 450g (15 oz.) cooked pumpkin, pureed
2 tsp juice of a squeezed orange 2 Tbsp whipping cream
- Pre-heat the Oven to 200°C (400°F) and butter baking trays
- Sift flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl; add brown sugar and salt
- Using a pastry cutter or knife, cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles a crumble or course meal. Stir in the pumpkin and orange juice to make a soft dough
- Wash floured hands and working on a well-floured surface, pat the biscuit dough till half an inch thick. Cut out with a cutter of your choice, and place biscuits on the baking sheet
- Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the biscuits lightly with cream. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
Enjoy them with the normal Halloween candles around and have a great pumpkin time.
Denise Irwin
Madam Chairman’s Piece
Another season comes towards its end; I hope you enjoyed eating the fruits of your labour and didn’t let the pests get you down. As I write this we come to the end of a very hot week with the mother of all thunderstorms, so at least I don’t have to water anything for a while!
The Autumn Show last Saturday (10 Sept) was a great day despite a bit of rain. We already have the Dobie’s catalogue in store this month, offering a great discount on seeds, as usual.
If you have any ideas for WAGS 2017, or would like to get involved, I would love to hear from you. Thank you to all WAGS members for supporting your society; if you know a keen gardener who is not a member, please mention us.
And one final piece of news, Ros Lester has kindly agreed to take on the role of WAGS President, so on behalf of the committee and all members I would like to welcome her to WAGS.
Sandra Halstead
The Autumn Show last Saturday (10 Sept) was a great day despite a bit of rain. We already have the Dobie’s catalogue in store this month, offering a great discount on seeds, as usual.
If you have any ideas for WAGS 2017, or would like to get involved, I would love to hear from you. Thank you to all WAGS members for supporting your society; if you know a keen gardener who is not a member, please mention us.
And one final piece of news, Ros Lester has kindly agreed to take on the role of WAGS President, so on behalf of the committee and all members I would like to welcome her to WAGS.
Sandra Halstead
Store News
The Dobies catalogues are now available in store. Remember the process is that the catalogue now contains a code that you need to put on your order form. This code identifies that you are a WAGS member. You then simply send your order form and payment directly to Dobies for processing and they deliver to your home address. You will still get your 30% on seeds and 10% on other items, so come and collect a catalogue and place your order soon. You can also use the code to order online if you prefer.
Potatoes should be available from the end of February 2017. The varieties will be listed in the January newsletter, along with details on shallots and onions.
WAGS is also still looking for someone to take over the role of Store Manager, if you think this might be of interest, please get in touch with the committee.
Colin Timmins
Potatoes should be available from the end of February 2017. The varieties will be listed in the January newsletter, along with details on shallots and onions.
WAGS is also still looking for someone to take over the role of Store Manager, if you think this might be of interest, please get in touch with the committee.
Colin Timmins
The Autumn Show
We had another great show this year, despite the weather. The Roke and Benson brass band entertained us all afternoon beneath their gazebo, and although there wasn’t the usual row of people sitting outside watching them, we could all hear the band indoors and it really made the day.
A big THANK YOU to everyone who helped with the show and to all those who exhibited; we had six new people enter classes in the show this year, across most sections, which was great to see. I have great expectations of them for 2017! I would like to thank all our judges who give up their time to carefully judge each exhibit, and to the Mayor, Ros Lester, for handing out the prizes and helping with the raffle.
Finally a huge thank you to our kind sponsors who support WAGS by covering some of the costs of staging the show; please give them your support:
Our Major Sponsor: Champions
Sponsor of the Floral Art Section: Keri Harvey The Florists
Sponsor of the Children’s Prizes: Wallingford Bookshop
For giving us a discount on engraving for the trophies: Feet First
I thoroughly enjoyed the day and hope that all of you who took part, or came on the day, enjoyed yourselves too. Special thanks go to those who stayed to help us tidy up at the end of a long day.
Picking out just a few of the highlights: Chris Ottaway, one of the new exhibitors, had some seriously unusual veg in class 17 which had the judges on their smart phones googling (is that a word?). Peter Willis won the WAGS Top Gardener with some lovely veg and stunning Chrysanthemums. Eve Hodgson got Best in Show Flowers for her dahlias, which then also won overall “Best in Show”.
I was well pleased to win a new trophy this year for my dahlias, and for getting 1st prize for “oddest shaped veg” for my little potato man with a cute face.
So thinking about next year, I am really looking forward to seeing how the first-timers expand on their entries this year, to seeing yet more new faces and to seeing the return of a few people absent this year – you know who you are!
As always, please help the children to enter – they do enjoy it so much and yet so few enter. There is a list of Trophy Winners in this newsletter and on the website.
For anyone who missed the show, the website has some photographs, so do take a look: www.wags-wallingford.com. We didn’t capture all the exhibits, so if you have any photos, particularly of winning entries, please email them to me.
All you WAGS members out there, I look forward to seeing you on September 9th 2017.
Sandra Halstead
P.S. If you have any ideas or suggestions regarding the show, please do get in touch with me, I would love to hear them.
P.P.S. Engraving your cups: please take to Feet First and obtain a receipt to get a refund from the Store.
A big THANK YOU to everyone who helped with the show and to all those who exhibited; we had six new people enter classes in the show this year, across most sections, which was great to see. I have great expectations of them for 2017! I would like to thank all our judges who give up their time to carefully judge each exhibit, and to the Mayor, Ros Lester, for handing out the prizes and helping with the raffle.
Finally a huge thank you to our kind sponsors who support WAGS by covering some of the costs of staging the show; please give them your support:
Our Major Sponsor: Champions
Sponsor of the Floral Art Section: Keri Harvey The Florists
Sponsor of the Children’s Prizes: Wallingford Bookshop
For giving us a discount on engraving for the trophies: Feet First
I thoroughly enjoyed the day and hope that all of you who took part, or came on the day, enjoyed yourselves too. Special thanks go to those who stayed to help us tidy up at the end of a long day.
Picking out just a few of the highlights: Chris Ottaway, one of the new exhibitors, had some seriously unusual veg in class 17 which had the judges on their smart phones googling (is that a word?). Peter Willis won the WAGS Top Gardener with some lovely veg and stunning Chrysanthemums. Eve Hodgson got Best in Show Flowers for her dahlias, which then also won overall “Best in Show”.
I was well pleased to win a new trophy this year for my dahlias, and for getting 1st prize for “oddest shaped veg” for my little potato man with a cute face.
So thinking about next year, I am really looking forward to seeing how the first-timers expand on their entries this year, to seeing yet more new faces and to seeing the return of a few people absent this year – you know who you are!
As always, please help the children to enter – they do enjoy it so much and yet so few enter. There is a list of Trophy Winners in this newsletter and on the website.
For anyone who missed the show, the website has some photographs, so do take a look: www.wags-wallingford.com. We didn’t capture all the exhibits, so if you have any photos, particularly of winning entries, please email them to me.
All you WAGS members out there, I look forward to seeing you on September 9th 2017.
Sandra Halstead
P.S. If you have any ideas or suggestions regarding the show, please do get in touch with me, I would love to hear them.
P.P.S. Engraving your cups: please take to Feet First and obtain a receipt to get a refund from the Store.
Invitation from Wallingford Gardening Club
Herbaceous Borders: At our November meeting, Geoff Hawkins returns to give a talk about how to design, plant, and look after herbaceous borders. Geoff worked as Head Gardener at the Mill Court private estate in Hampshire, and retired from there after 35 years. As a head gardener he ran the small estate of 30 acres working in greenhouses, vegetable and fruit gardens, herbaceous and shrub borders as well as looking after the trees, ponds and natural features on the estate.
The talk will be held at Ridgeway Community Church, Wallingford at 7.30pm on Thurs 10th Nov.
Visitors very welcome £2.
Isabelle Darby (01491-836867)
The talk will be held at Ridgeway Community Church, Wallingford at 7.30pm on Thurs 10th Nov.
Visitors very welcome £2.
Isabelle Darby (01491-836867)