Our first speaker of the year was Brian Dawson with an illustrated talk on ‘Wallasea from Beginning to End’.  Brian has followed the Wallasea Wetlands Creation Project since it was announced by Defra in 2004, the plan was to replace wildlife habitats that were lost due to the expansion of the ports of Felixstowe and Harwich.   115 hectares of wetland have been created on the north shore of Wallasea Island opposite Burnham on Crouch, including 7 artificial islands, lagoons, mudflats, 4km of sea wall and new public footpaths.  The area has attracted avocets, dunlins, Brent geese, oystercatchers, grey plovers, shelducks, curlews, little terns, water voles and otters.  Brian showed slides of the construction work and ‘before and after’ aerial shots of the island.  Brian runs wildlife cruises and walks, go to    http://beehive.thisistotalessex.co.uk/wildlifecruises for more information.

Janshaven Cup

January saw the first round of the Janshaven Cup Competition for 2009.  Michael Shrimpton won with Garrya elliptica, Marie Leisk was in second place with a Cotoneaster and Doreen Lipton was third with a pretty but unidentified plant!  

However, the identity of Doreen’s plant has been uncovered by Eileen Shrimpton – ‘the plant with yellow flowers on the bench was ‘Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca’ (an illustration can be found in the RHS Gardeners Encyclopaedia, Plants & Flowers)’

February Members Meeting -  Tuesday 17 February

Our talk this month is ‘The Hardy Plant Society Throughout the Year’ by Harry Brickwood.  Harry has won the Best Garden in Rayleigh several times and writes in the ‘Good Gardens Guide’, he will be joined by Tony Rogers, a qualified Essex Guild flower and vegetable judge and David Clarke, a keen photographer.  Harry will also include photos of his own garden and show how it should look when we visit on 30 May.  We will also have the Janshaven Cup competition, refreshments, raffle, videos, seed swap and shop.

Alpine Garden Society ~ Early Spring Show

If you would like to see a grand display of Alpine plants visit the Alpine Garden Society Early Spring Show at Mark Hall School, First Avenue, Harlow, Essex CM17 9LR on 28 February 2009, 12.00pm to 4.00pm.  Directions:  M11 junction 7, head for Harlow, straight on for approx 3 miles, right onto B183 at roundabout, school is immediately on right. 

RHS Campaign

The RHS is organising a petition to call for a VAT reduction on ornamental plants and seeds down to 5% to bring them to the same level as other ‘green’ goods.  This would save British gardeners around £175 million a year.  To show your support write to RHS/VAT petition, 80 Vincent Square, London SW1P 2PE or sign the petition online at www.rhs.org.uk/news/VATpetition.asp the closing date is May 2009 when it will be presented at 10 Downing Street.

Bulk Order Delivery  …… will be delivered by Woody’s Peat during the weekend of 14 & 15 February

Diary Dates

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

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

Thursday 12th March                 MHHS Committee Meeting, Moot Hall, 7.45pm

Tuesday 17th March                  MHHS Spring Show URC Hall, 7.30pm

Danbury & Little Baddow Horticultural Society Talk – Friday 8 February

A talk on ‘The Good Life – Self-sufficiency on the Essex marshes’ by Peter Webb, Danbury Village Hall

Friary Walled Garden

It is some time since I wrote any notes about the Friary Walled Garden so here is a little catching up.

On Sunday 7 December 2008 we had the usual work day and open day. There were 11 workers there. The main items of work done were clearing leaves from the paths, weeding hedge base, cultivation work in various beds, disconnecting water hoses and emptying them for the winter.  We got the big shredder out but the material was not suitable. Some bulbs were planted. The shredder was taken away and it has now been sold.

Sunday 4 January was another open day and work day. It was a cold frosty start and we had 9 workers there.  Main items of work done were more clearing in the East Wall bed, pruning of fruit trees, cutting up branches to make logs and work in the South East corner bed.  The newly purchased generator was installed - we hope that this will be a great use for tools and hedge and grass cutting etc. 

On Sunday 11 January we had an indoor planning meeting (our thanks to Maldon Archaeological & Historical Group for the use of their premises).  We discussed the work done over the last year and made plans for 2009.  A new electric shredder was delivered.  Timber was ordered for replacing some of the garden edging and for making an arch to hold the Madame Alfred Carriere rose - this flowered splendidly in 2008. In the garden we have seen snowdrops, the viburnum is in flower and soon the crocuses will be out.  Come along to see for yourself - Sunday 1 February from 10.00am to 4.00pm depending on the weather, and then on the 1st of March.  Arthur Cox