WAGS NEWS
January 2003
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WAGS NEWS January 2003 |
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Inside This Issue
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Regular Items
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Chairman's Piece
Well, my private prediction, following the ultimatum laid down in the October Newsletter, has come true. I have not had one single call regarding the vacancy of Store Manager.
We have put advertisements in some local newspapers and magazines, some of which have not yet been printed. I just don’t know what else we can do.
There was a possibility of a job share but, apart from an offer of help once a month via a Vice President, I have not had any calls on that subject either.
The decision on whether to wind up the Society will be made at the Committee Meeting on 20th January, so this is your last chance to avert what I now believe to be inevitable.
I will be very sad to have to chair that meeting, and to address the AGM on 14th February. Only one of you can bring a smile to my face.
Just to show that we will not give up hope until we pass the point of no return, Iris has drawn up a Diary of trips and events for 2003, which you will find later in this newsletter.
Whatever the outcome, I will be standing down as Chairman at the AGM, something I indicated a year ago. Should there be a Society surviving in September I will run the Show but I am afraid that the apathy is now rubbing off on me too and I will resign as Show Secretary immediately following the 2003 Show.
So it is now up to you, the Society Members, to save the Wallingford Allotments & Gardens Society from extinction. If I were a betting man I would put money on closure.
So it is now up to you, the Society Members, to save the Wallingford Allotments & Gardens Society from extinction. If I were a betting man I would put money on closure.
Why don’t you prove me wrong!
Bernard Novell
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Show Time
Never, in the history of WAGS, have so many depended on so few.
WATCH THIS SPACE
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WAGS AGM 2003, Centre 70, Friday 14th February 2003, 8:00 pm Prompt
| Agenda | |
| 1 | Apologies |
| 2 | President’s opening remarks |
| 3 | Minutes of previous AGM |
| 4 | Chairman’s report |
| 5 | Treasurer’s report |
| 6 | Trading Store report |
| 7 | The future of WAGS |
| 8 | a Membership fee 2004 b Band concert c Autumn show |
| 9 | Election of Committee Members |
| 10 | Any other business to be notified to the secretary in writing at least 14 days before the AGM. |
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Shop Talk
As you will probably be aware, I had some health problems back in October. By the time you read this I hope that I am back in harness.
We are expecting our seed potato order in early February. As always, we will be looking for volunteers to move the sacks and bag up. This year we will be bagging them in 2½kg lots. In the past they have been in 3kg lots but the bags we have are meant to hold 2½kg. The price will be £1.50 for all varieties except the salad potatoes that will be in 2kg bags and will cost £2.00.
The varieties are:
Earlies:
Arran Pilot, Concorde, Epicure, Foremost, Pentland Javelin, Rocket and Swift.
2nd Earlies:
Estima and Wilja.
Main:
Cara, Desiree, Majestic and Pentland Crown.
Salad:
Charlotte.
Seeds will be ordered from Dobies. Les Novell is looking after these orders this year. (See foot of page for more details. Ed)
The Store has quite a selection of Van Hage and Fothergill's seeds. The onion and shallots that we have ordered for 2003 are:
Onion:
Stuttgarter, Sturon and Red Braunschweg.
Shallots:
Golden Gourmet and Delicato.
At present I am not sure of the price but they will be approximately the same as last year.
Peter Hallett
In order to help our store management at this difficult time I have offered to process all seed and plant orders with Dobies. I thought it best to put a few lines in this newsletter so that we all know where we are and who is doing what. At the time of writing this, all the orders handed in before the Christmas break have been dealt with and I hope to have them in the store before you read this. I shall continue taking orders until the last weekend of March and the discount will be 20%
Plant orders will be confirmed direct to you from Dobies and delivery will follow at the right time. Please come to the store to pay as soon as possible because that is where the bill will be.
If there is a problem and Dobies need to be contacted I would appreciate it if you did it through WAGS. That way we all know what is going on and it could save some time and trouble.
Les Novell
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W.A.G.S Programme of Events 2003
| Fri Feb 14th | A.G.M. & Cheese & wine 8 p.m. |
| Sun Apr 13th | Visit to the new R.H.S. Plant Road show at Bournemouth International Centre. If you get tired of looking at plants & the weather is kind to us, a walk along the prom would be nice. |
| Sat May 17th | Plant Sale centre 70 9 a.m. |
| Thur June 19th | Savill Gardens Windsor Great Park |
| Tue Aug 5th | Colegrave Open day either by Coach or Car depending on numbers |
| Sun Aug 10th | Band Concert |
| Sat Sep 13th | Annual Show |
| Sun Nov 2nd | Hatfield House Gardens open for Autumn Colour. |
Coach Trips - Deposit £5 per person when booking
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Discounts
Discounts are currently available at the following businesses (if you ask first), on the production of your CURRENT WAGS Membership Card, which must be shown before the transaction is started.
1. Newington Garden Nursery, Warborough to Stadhampton Road 10%
(Shrubs, herbaceous plants, pot plants, composts, bark, fertilisers)
2. Woodcote Garden Centre, Reading Road, Woodcote 10%
(Shrubs and plants, use with existing promotions)
3. Toad Hall, Marlow Road, Henley (Weekdays only) 5%
(Shrubs and herbaceous plants, NOT with any other offers)
4. Norman Cox & Partners, Scotts Common, Checkendon 10%
(All items except Fence & Trellis panels)
5. Turner Groundscare contact 07740 279471 up to 20%
(discount on new machinery only)
6. Wears Nursery, Brightwell-cum-Sotwell 10%
(Shrubs, plants, trees, alpines, composts, bark and fertilisers)
Other businesses are under review. Please ask if discount is available and show your card. If you find a business which offers discount that is not listed, please let us know so that we can obtain terms in writing and publish details in the next Newsletter.
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Editorial
HERBS
The latest seed catalogue thudding on the door mat may encourage gardeners to take a long hard look at the plants, especially the one’s that aren’t earning their keep and need replacing.
At this time of year anything evergreen is to be valued for its form and colour. Many of the most commonly used herbs are in this category. Plants like Bay, Lavender, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage & Thyme are evergreen and they continue to be useful and decorative throughout the year in the home and garden.
Evergreen is a term used to describe plants that retain their foliage over winter, but it does not just mean green. Sage has golden and purple leaved varieties, Oregano comes with golden and gold tipped leaves and thymes have a wide range of forms, upright and creeping, and a selection of colours, variegations and flavours. Rosemary, although mainly green, comes in upright or sprawling forms with flower colours in pink, white and shades of blue.
There are also evergreen herbs well suited for clipping into low hedges to define beds or for using as specimen pants in containers—the smaller varieties of lavender; rock hyssop; germander and santolina (cotton lavender) which can have green or silvery-grey leaves and , come the summer, masses of button-like flowers from cream to deep yellow depending on variety; along with a dwarf form with silver leaves.
The Herb Farm in Sonning Common stock all the varieties mentioned above along with many more in the recently expanded covered plant display area, so no matter what the weather is doing outside the tapestry of colours and scents can be enjoyed. Combinations of herbs in ready-planted pots are available for instant use and impact or as a practical and unusual gift. The herbal theme extends to herb based toiletries, food and products for the home and garden.
(Extracted from a leaflet from the Herb Farm)
A visit is recommended and further information can be obtained from The Herb Farm, Peppard Road, Sonning Common, Reading RG4 9NJ. Tel: 0118 972 4220. Open 10am to 5pm. Reduced hours in January/February so telephone first.
The Last Word
Last year there were over 400 paid up members of WAGS with many more associated through family or friends, and not one of you has come forward to even enquire about the Store Manager’s job. Little wonder the Chairman views this apathy with disdain. As you can see from the content of the newsletter, the committee has to assume that the vacancy will be filled and WAGS will continue; hence the Programme of Events and the Membership Renewal form. The vacancy may be filled by male or female, or shared with due thought given to the practicalities of the position.
We have seen record entries for the Show in the last two years so the Society is well supported and respected. The RHS judges have been extremely impressed with the very high standard of entries.
Members of WAGS enjoy the benefits of discounted garden tools, pesticides, compost, canes and containers. There is always someone able to help with plant or pest identification and the Store is a great meeting place for the exchange of tips and advice on any subject, not necessarily horticultural.
I appeal to you gardeners to come forward and help your colleagues keep WAGS OPEN.
Tim King
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