Newsletter

November 2008

Message from the President

Welcome to the New Horticultural Year! We had a very successful AGM with all your new committee being elected followed by an excellent Cheese and Wine evening. During the evening we also had the 10lb Pumpkin competition, together with Pumpkin carving and a Squash and Gourd competition.

We were very pleased to find a competition waiting for us prepared by Michael Shrimpton, this involved finding a rogue leaf amongst twenty four real Cyclamen leaves. This may sound easy but of everyone attending the AGM only one member found the correct leaf – congratulation to Rita Davis. There was also a table with surprising plants and fruit, ones not normally encountered, which caused a few exclamations! Gillian Coppen

MHHS AGM

Held at the URC Hall on Tuesday 14 October. The following Officers were elected:-

President - Mr Peter Gaywood Chairman - Mrs Gillian Coppen

Secretary - Mrs Liz Dunkin Treasurer - Ms Karen Thorp

Existing Executive Committee Members were re-elected, they are:-

Arthur Cox Rita Davis David Hart Pat Hart Margaret Hurley

Karen Hutchings Linda Lister Ken Thorp Shirley Thorp Len Wakeling

Karen Thorp, Treasurer, and Gillian Coppen, President, gave their reports. Liz Dunkin, Secretary, read out the report from the Chairman, Peter Gaywood, in his absence. The committee were thanked for all their work during the year and also thanks extended to other members who contribute their time to the society in various ways. The evening closed with cheese and wine prepared by Shirley Wakeling and Margaret Newton.

Sunflower Competition

As September came to an end we had a beautiful day to tour around the area measuring the top five sunflowers. Although open to all members of the public in the Maldon area most of the competitors were schoolchildren - many schools took part in the competition this year. However, the winner was Donna Cooper of Knox Close, Maldon, whose sunflower reached the grand height of 3,516 mm. Donna was away on honeymoon at the time of the AGM, so will be presented with her cup and certificate at next month's meeting. Runner-up was James Moore from Ely Close, Southminster with a sunflower of 3,350 mm. James, aged 11, moved up to senior school during the holidays so his certificate was sent directly to him. Third place went to Kiara Green who grew her sunflower at her school, Maldon Primary (3,149 mm). This was quite an achievement for Kiara as she has cerebral palsy. The staff were so pleased for her that they asked us to present her with her certificate at school assembly and also arranged for Essex Chronicle to take a photo, which should appear in next week's paper.

This was our first attempt at running the competition and we thoroughly enjoyed it! Many thanks to all who took part and we hope there will be even more entries next year! Pat and David Hart

Halloween Highlights Competition

The winner of the 10lb Pumpkin competition was Magic Speedie with a pumpkin weighing 6lbs (2.72kgs).

Pumpkin carving 1^st Michael Shrimpton

2^nd David Hopkins

3^rd Claire Speedie

Squash 1^st Glenys Hopkins

2^nd David Hopkins

Gourds in a basket !st Glenys Hopkins

2^nd David Hopkins

These were all judged by members attending the meeting.

Janshaven Cup

October results are 1st Mrs Hopkins with a beautiful Dahlia, 2^nd Linda Lister exhibited a very delicate pink Fuchsia, 3rd Liz Dunkin with a lovely cupped Dahlia. Next month, November, is your last chance to exhibit for the year so please could we have a really good show to round off the year and find the winner for 2008. Entries should be ‘one stem or branch with flowers/berries from your garden’, don’t forget to provide the name (common or latin). Many thanks for all your splendid exhibits during the year and for your continual support. So maybe next year we will have 10 exhibitors each month. Margaret Hurley

MHHS Meetings

Thursday 13 November MHHS Committee Meeting, Moot Hall, 7.45pm

Tuesday 18 November MHHS Members Meeting, URC Hall, 7.30pm

Tuesday 9 December MHHS Committee Meeting, Moot Hall, 7.45pm

There is not a Members Meeting in December.

November Members’ Meeting – Tuesday 20 November

The talk for this month is ‘The Mountain Flowers of Lake Garda’ presented by Ken Akers. Ken has given a talk at one of our meetings before and is a freelance garden designer, photographer and lecturer who has done several programmes on TV. There will also be the usual refreshments, shop, raffle, library and seed swap. There are some spring bulbs left over from the AGM which will also be on sale

Victorian Evenings, 6 & 13 December

Once again the Society will be dressing up for the Victorian Evenings and selling mistletoe and holly wreaths. If you would like to join us on the evening or help with tying bunches of mistletoe please contact Liz Dunkin on 854371. Look for us on the High Street and come and say hello.

Membership Renewal for 2008/9

May I remind members that a membership renewal form is attached to the back of the October newsletter. Alternatively, contact me and I will forward one to you. Thank you to those members who have already renewed their membership. Could you please return the form whole, as it is easier for filing purposes. Rita Davis is collecting ideas for the 2009 outings programme so could you please record your suggestions on the bottom of the form. Shirley Thorp, membership secretary. Contact number: 01621 859008

Visit to Pensthorpe Nature Reserve & Gardens, Fakenham, Norfolk

We had a wonderful time! We left Maldon in patchy mist, but arrived at Pensthorpe in bright sunshine, which enhanced the colours of the trees, lakes and gardens, as well as making it so pleasant to wander around, enjoying the wonderful collection of wild birds. Some people took advantage of a guided tour and were able to see the birds at feeding time. Such good facilities here, a pleasant restaurant, where some of us enjoyed Sunday lunch, and there’s a good shop and visitors area, and plenty of seating inside and out.

It is such a wonderful opportunity to be able to see birds in conservation, which we would not otherwise be able to see, and in such beautiful surroundings, and red squirrels, although they were playing hide and seek when we were there (apparently they’re going to get a new enclosure very soon). We didn’t see the corncrakes this time, they like to come out when no one’s around. Because there is so much development and improvements going on at the moment, some of the birds, including the Avocets, have been moved around into temporary accommodation, but are supposed to be back in their own aviary by next Easter. We have been visiting this special place for many years, it was opened in 1988 by his Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh, and although it has always been wonderful, since Jordan (Cereals) became a main sponsor some years ago, the improvements have been vast. Anyone visiting here can see the amount it must have cost for the daily routine operations alone!

It was a shame that Rita and Gerald could not be with us on the day, but we would like to thank them for all their hard work in organising this trip (and others), for us, and thanks also to Margaret for keeping us all in check on the day. It was a pity more people could not have joined us on the day but hope to see you all on future trips. We can strongly recommend them!! Eileen Shrimpton

Annual Orders

This year we will not be continuing with the seed order or the potato & onion order due to lack of interest. The bulk order of composts, fertilizers etc will go ahead, we are changing supplier, and the order form will be in the December newsletter for delivery in February.

Any items for the newsletter, comments or requests please contact me on 01621 858624 or email karenhutchings@hotmail.com

Karen Hutchings, Editor