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                                            NOTTINGHAM AND NOTTS

FUCHSIA SOCIETY 

October 2018 NEWSLETTER 

Well, Autumn is well and truly here, wherever we go we see the trees turning colour, they look lovely this time of year.  I also know that it is time to start thinking of overwintering my fuchsias.  I have been busy helping mum with hers and have completed roughly 90%. I started mine this weekend and didn’t realize how many 1st year cuttings I have taken this year and actually how many are still surviving.  The difficult bit is getting them through winter!  I have decided to put them in one of my greenhouses close to the house; there should be no excuses for not keeping a close eye on them over the winter months. 

Our Sunday visits around NGS gardens have come to an end now.  Mum & I have been very lucky this year, we have visited quite a few new gardens and had very few rainy days, I always feel sorry for the people who open their garden when it rains.  It’s such a shame, so much planning… 

This Sunday, we visited Norwell Nurseries and were privileged to see their National collection of Chrysanthemums.  It was also good to walk round their gardens to see what plants were still looking good at this time of year. 

What is happening in the Garden: 

  • Perennials/Garden Shrubs etc

I finally started hacking away at my yucca.  A job I have wanted to do for months.  I was quite surprised how easy I managed with my loppers, the branches were not as tough as I had expected.  I have two remaining branches yet to cut off, but the flowers are still in full bloom so I am loathed to take action until after they have flowered.  The big job then will be to dig up the roots! 

  • Vegetable/Fruit Growing

Now that it looks hopeful that the yucca is finally on its way out, I can start thinking of my new raised vegetable bed.  I have been doing lots of studying at the moment, ploughing through loads of reference books to help me on my way.  Improving the soil will be my first job! 

  • Fuchsia Growing

Whilst overwintering my fuchsias, I just can’t help taking more cuttings, which is a bit silly for me as I struggle to overwinter young cuttings in my unheated mini greenhouses, but certain favourites I just need to gamble with in case I lose the main plant over winter.  So today, I have taken cuttings of the following cultivars: - Thelma Copestake; Jasper’s Lightning and Constance, oh... and Prosperity (I promised Avril a cutting). 

My triphyllas have been cut back; roots cut back and repotted and the bare bottom stems covered with compost, something I haven’t done previously, so hopefully I’ll have more success this time. 

There is a lot of spraying with rose clear and also drenching plants with Armillatox (if you still have any) or Provado to help deter the dreaded vine weevil.  Watering is reduced to avoid Botrytis as I water only sparingly over the winter months. 

  • Wildlife/Pondlife

There has been an infestation of whitefly this year!  They have been everywhere, flying over the forsythia in the front garden and all around the plants in the back garden.  It’s not just me, a lot of people have commented on it on facebook. We are having to evict ladybirds from indoors as well. Strange times! 

.PLANTS FOR WINTER – Heather Taylor

I am always looking for ways to brighten up the garden in winter, so found Heather’s talk very interesting.  Here are a few notes I took which inspired me: - 

Routine Jobs to complete at wintertime: - 

  • Tidying up – leaf clearing (reducing Pests & diseases)
  • Collect leaves to make leaf mould
  • Mulch – use either farmyard manure, compost or leaf mould
  • Clean Sculptures
  • Clean Birdbaths.
  • Lawn Care – scarify & feed
  • Cut back perennials, except those that have seedheads on for the birds or that add beauty to the garden during winter
  • Divide herbaceous perennials
  • Clean greenhouse
  • Clean Bird boxes 

More often than not the garden is becoming an extension to the house.  People are entertaining in the garden more so people want the garden to be more private – not overlooked by the neighbours! 

What can help improve the overall ambience of a winter garden? 

  • Clip box – neat boundaries
  • Outdoor heating, lighting & furniture 

What plants enhance a winter garden? Appeal to the senses: - 

  • Snowdrops
  • Hellebores
  • Grape Hyacinths
  • Rose Glauca
  • Sarcacocca
  • Laburnum
  • Acer griseum (trees with special smooth bark, tactile)
  • Conifers – form structure
  • Mahonia
  • Dogwoods 

Use of Containers/Pots adds colour to the garden in winter: - 

Certain combinations – Black grass & snowdrops.  Grasses, carex and small evergreen shrubs. 

If you need more inspiration, you could visit the following places: 

  • Hopton Hall, Wirksworth
  • Hodsock Priory, Worksop
  • Felley Priory, Underwood 

You may want to encourage wildlife, consider shrubs which produce berries: - 

  • Pyracantha
  • Viburnum
  • Holly
  • Rowan 

FUNDRAISING 

The easiest way for all internet users to help raise funds for our Society is simply by every time you search the Web you use easysearch. Easysearch combines results from Yahoo!, Windows MSN Live Search and Ask.com in one simple search, the address is http://nottsfuchsia.easysearch.org.uk  Please try it and encourage others too. Don’t forget if you make any purchases on the internet, to go through our webshop to make sure we receive commission from the retailers (currently over 2000 well known retailers), the address is http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/nottsfuchsia

 

AGM & BUFFET

Next month is our AGM followed by our Christmas Buffet.  I hope to see as many of you as possible – to help celebrate 2018 

PHOTOS

I have brought along photos taken at our Annual show this year.  Please find time to have a look at them.  There is an order form, should you want any copies.                                            

 NEWSLETTER 

If anyone wants any item included in the Newsletter, please let me know, either at a meeting, or phone me on Tel: 0115 8758928, or email: jayne.daykin@ntlworld.com  I will gladly include any article or event in the Newsletter.   

Also, if anyone would rather I send them an electronic copy, please let me know. 

Remember: It is YOUR newsletter. 

 

Remember our next meeting

Will be

Tuesday 27th November 2018

 

AGM & BUFFET 

  

WANTED  

If anyone has been searching for a long lost fuchsia, then why not ask your friends at the society!  The Noticeboard will now be on show at our monthly meetings, and at the bottom of your newsletter, there is a form.  Complete and attach to the noticeboard. Simple! 

I have no longer included the form.  Please use forms already provided in previous newsletters or there will be some near the noticeboard.