Newsletter

January 2009

Happy New Year to all our members!

We would like to wish all our members a Happy New Year.  We already have several events planned for 2009 including the Summer Show in July and the Autumn Show in September.  Full details of the shows and competitions will be in the 2009 Year Book which will come out early in the year.  The speakers for our meetings have also been booked, details below: 

20 January                  Brian Dawson – ‘Wallasea from beginning to end’

17 February                Harry Brickwood – ‘The Hardy Plant Society throughout the year

17 March                     Speaker from Hyde Hall – ‘The Dry Garden’

21 April                        Joint meeting at Purleigh Gardeners Society

19 May                        John Webster – ‘Medicinal and culinary herbs’

16 June                       Ray Drew – ‘The Gothenburg Botanic Gardens’

25 July                                    Summer Show

15 September             Autumn Show

13 October                  AGM

17 November              Jonathon Jukes – ‘Marks Hall Arboretum’ 

We are also planning more outings, look out for more details in future newsletters…

Our first speaker of the year is Brian Dawson with a talk on ‘Wallasea from Beginning to End’.  Brian is involved with ‘Nature Break’, a non-profit making organisation, offering opportunities for all ages to explore wildlife in and around the Essex waterways.  He also organises bird watching trips across the country.  We will also have refreshments, raffle, videos, seed swap and shop.

Janshaven Cup 2009

January also sees the first round of the Janshaven Cup Competition for 2009.  Please bring along your entry of one stem or branch with flowers/berries from your garden, to be named (common or latin name) with colour (ie white Christmas Rose or Helleborus niger).  Points are awarded every time you enter so it is worth braving the cold this month to see what is flowering in your garden, you may be pleasantly surprised!

Victorian Evenings

Having bought a new generator, primarily for use in the Friary Walled Garden, we christened it by putting it to use on our stall at the Victorian Evenings.  Not only did it supply power to all of the lights (which meant that we could see what we were doing and made the stall more visible to passers by) but also for the hot-plate to warm the mince pies.  It was a great success and David carted it around in a wheelbarrow without any mishaps!  We intend to take it along to the Friary Walled Garden for the January workday where it will help with many tasks.  Pat and David Hart 

Thank you to everyone who supported our fundraising at the Victorian Evenings in December.  Whether you helped on the stall, tied bunches of mistletoe, bought your holly wreaths or joined us for hot fruit punch and mince pies it was very much appreciated.  We had two very good nights which all helps to support Society events throughout the year.

May I remind any members who have not yet renewed their membership that they will not receive the monthly newsletter or any other communication, after 31 January 2009, as their membership will have lapsed.  If you wish to renew and have mislaid your application form, please contact me on 01621 859008, and I will gladly forward one to you.  Alternatively, membership can be renewed at the members meetings.  After the above date, a re-joining fee will be required.   Shirley Thorp, Membership Secretary

Diary Dates

Thursday 8 January           MHHS Committee Meeting, 7.45pm, Moot Hall

Tuesday 20 January               MHHS Members Meeting, 7.30pm, URC  Hall

Thursday 12 February             MHHS Committee Meeting, 7.45pm, Moot Hall

Tuesday 17 February              MHHS Members Meeting, 7.30pm, URC Hall

2009 sees the 30^th anniversary of the world’s biggest bird survey, although it started as a one off survey for junior RSPB members it proved so popular that it has continued with up to 400,000 people taking part in 2008.  The information gathered shows the decline of certain birds such as the house sparrow and starling which although still the top two species seen in our gardens are not as numerous as previous years.  Sightings of other birds have increased such as woodpigeons and great tits.  Some of this is down to how cold the winter is and whether birds are feeding in the countryside or venturing into our gardens in search of food.  By putting out bird feeders or planting shrubs with berries and leaving seedheads in the flower beds we can encourage more birds to visit our gardens. 

Taking part in the Big Garden Birdwatch is simple and fun.  All you need to do is watch your garden or local park for an hour on either Saturday 24 or Sunday 25 January 2009.  Simply record the highest number of each species seen in your garden (not flying over) at any one time.  The online form will open on 24 January for you to enter your 2009 counts, go to www.rspb.org.uk.  The results will be published in March 2009.

Bulk Order Reminder

Don’t forget to place your order for bulk items such as peat, topsoil, bark, shingle and fertiliser.  These heavy items will be delivered to your home and will save you and your back all that lifting in and out of your car boot!  The order form is again attached to the back of the newsletter.  This year we are placing the orders with Woody’s Peat, and it will be delivered direct to you in February (date to be advised).  Your cheques must be made out to Woody’s Peat, not MHHS.  Please send your completed forms to Liz Dunkin by the end of January.

Recycling Christmas

The Woodland Trust will have collection bins for all your Christmas cards in W H Smith, Tesco, Marks & Spencer and T K Maxx between 2 – 31 January.  They will recycle your cards and plant trees with the proceeds.  They plan to plant 1000’s of trees in 5 UK sites where they are rescuing ancient woodland and even creating England’s largest new native forest ‘Heartwood’ in Hertfordshire.  Go to www.woodlandtrust.org.uk for more details. 

Your real Christmas trees can be taken to the Recycling Centre by the Prom or put in your green garden waste wheelie bin.  If it had roots it could be planted in the garden and with a little tlc be reused next year (don’t do what I did last year and leave it in the pot and not water it!) 

RHS Flower Shows 2009

It may seem early to be thinking about the summer RHS shows, but tickets are already on sale.

Chelsea Flower Show             19 ~ 23 May ………… Hampton Court Flower Show           7 ~ 12 July