The annual garden party, this year held in Val Ramshaw’s garden was a great success. 34 members and guests attended and a good time was had by all. Thank you Val for hosting especially at a time when the ongoing drought has forced us all to do a lot of watering, now only possible with a watering can as we have a hose pipe ban.
So now we concentrate on the Alresford Show and hope that many of our members and the general public too will enter those beautiful flowers as well as fruit, vegetables, culinary, crafts and photographs to make this yet another wonderful Show. Please remember that the closing date for entries is 5.00pm on Tuesday 2nd September. Entry forms can be posted in the box at D&G Hardware in Broad Street or posted or delivered to 22 Sun Hill Crescent, Alresford SO24 9NJ. Enquiries to bennybrundish@aol.com. As usual, exhibits can be brought to the front of the show tent on Friday evening 5th September between 5.30 and 7.30pm. However, on Saturday morning we have been asked to ensure that all exhibits should only be delivered to the show tent via the Orange Gate and not through the main entrance to the show ground where there is likely to be a lot of heavy show traffic moving around. There will be clear signage to the Horticultural area from the road and having parked you can then access the back of the tent. Further details are given in the Show Schedule. We need your tombola prizes too and these can be brought to next Wednesday’s meeting or delivered to Val Ramshaw at 1 Oak Hill. The tombola is our main fund-raising event and we rely on your very generous donations to keep our funds in good order.
A huge thankyou to all those who have offered to help both before and during the show. Ralph Pointer has done a great job organising the rotas. Wrist bands for entry will be distributed in the usual way. Don’t forget that the judging starts at 8.45am so anyone escorting the judges will need to be in the tent early, preferably by 7.45am to check the entries and welcome the judges when they arrive.
Sadly this year’s container/hanging basket competition had to be cancelled owing to lack of interest.
We look forward to our next meeting on Wednesday 13th August when Glenn Duggan will talk to us about the Fantastic Flora of Australia. Australia is a country which normally struggles with low rainfall so it will be interesting to hear how the gardens cope with high temperatures and little rain – just like us.
Janet Pooley
Chairman