WAGS NEWS
January 2006
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WAGS NEWS January 2006 |
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New in This Issue
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Regular Items
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Chairman's Piece
I find it difficult to believe that it is almost three months ago that I sat down to write a piece for the October newsletter - and now it is time to scribe again. How the time flies away - a sign of getting old I'm told. I well remember my parents saying "...you wait until you're my age and you will know all about it". I certainly do know now, everything takes longer to do - thins go missing on a regular basis and there is never enought time to do everything in a day and hence you are always trying to catch up with all the tasks that need doing. One consolation though is that life is never boring and the mind has to keep active.
Talking of the last newsletter, there have been many congratulatory comments from members for which we are most grateful. Sadly it was far costlier to print and so has to be a one off to celebrate the 30th year of our annual Show - which in spite of the odd weather turned out to be an excellent show. I find it very sad that we don't have more entries in the flower arranging section, and would very much like to know why. Do please tell me and perhaps we can then change what bothers you and make the schedule more encouraging to entrants.
I know I keep banging on about this, but we do need an assistant Store Manager. Gareth is doing a sterling job but he does need someone to take the reins when he is off on his travels. We never want to be in the state we were in a year or so ago. Les is now well past his retirement age and is unable to take over ordering etc. again. If you wish the Store to keep going for the benefit of all members, please give it some serious thought, or cajole your best mate into helping. It is not an onerous task and often "two heads are better than one" when ordering, stock taking and so on.
Our next event will be the A.G.M. when I shall be standing down from the Chair, but I have every confidence that WAGS will continue to flourish under our Vice Chairman when she takes over. Incidentally we shall then need a new Vice Chairman. I look forward to seeing a good gathering at the A.G.M. even if you only come for the super spread of food which I know Barbara will put on. Helpers always needed for this too.
I have had a letter from Benson Garden Club inviting us to two of their Winter meetings - one on 8th December which has been advertised in the Store and also to a meeting on Thursday 6th April when Roddy Llewellyn will be giving a talk (title to be announced) at Benson Village Hall. Charges for this special occasion will be £pound;8 for visitors, £6 for other club members (WAGS) and £4 for Benson Club Members. So if you are interested - watch the Notice Board in the New Year.
We have had a 'Thank You' letter from the Air Ambulance Trust for the £300 which we donated towards the running of this very worthwhile and life saving facility. They are asking whether any members in the WAGS area might be willing to open their gardens to raise money for the charity. Both Bernard and Judy and Les and myself have agreed to participate in this venture and we would love to hear from at least a few other members who would be willing to take part in this very worthwhile idea. All advertising etc. will be handled by the Air Ambulance Trust. Please give this plea serious consideration and let Bernard or myself know if you are willing to join in and we will give you all the necessary information. Gardens large or small can all make a very significant amount of money. So please do consider helping and perhaps interest your friends and/or neighbours in joining with you.
Iris Novell
Albert Einstein
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Show Time
Following the success of the 2005 show wer are looking at the Schedule with a view to making a few minor improvements to encourage more entries in 2006 so watch out for some subtle changes when you receive your copy in July. We will not be going to pring until late May, so if any of you have any ideas or suggestions, please can you jot them down and hand them to Iris when you see her at the Store or call Ginny Walton (see 'phone no. and e-mail address in the printed edition of this newsletter).
For those of you that like to plan ahead there are a few things that I can let you have now. The 2006 titles for the following sections will be:
Photography:
Members Only:
Children 7-11
Children 12-16
Art:
Floral Art (Open):
Bernard Novell
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Trips & Catering
Trips
Firstly, a VERY BIG THANK YOU, Iris and Les. Thank you for taking us to so many wonderful gardens. You are a hard act to follow! Secondly, introducing ourselves (Emma and Godfrey Broad) we are now coordinating the arrangements for 2006. We'd like to do things much the same way as before.
For 2006 we offer you the following three trips. PLEASE NOTE THE DATES.
1. Thursday 4 May 2006
SIR HAROLD HILLIER GARDENS, near Romsey, Hampshire.
2. Sunday 16 July 2006
WADDESDON MANOR GARDENS, near Aylesbury, Bucks.
3. Sunday 29 October 2006
THE NATIONAL ARBORETUM, Westonbirt, near Tetbury, Glos.
Coach Trips can only be cost effective if we fill the coach - so bring your friends along, too. We shall take bookings in 2006 - please keep an eye on the Newsletter and at WAGS shop.
Godfey and Emma Broad
Catering
The A.G.M. is only a few weeks away, and as usual I am looking for volunteers to help in the kitchen on the night. The more the merrier will mean less to do for everyone. Please let me know if you are willing to help.
Barbara Caister
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From the President's Pen
Social and therapeutic horticulture
The definition was agreed for use in the UK at a conference of practitioners in 1999. It aims to reflect the wide range of activities that are involved in the association between people and plants.
'Social and therapeutic horticulture is the process by which individuals may develop well-being using plants and horticulture. This is achieved by active or passive involvement.'
Social and therapeutic horticulture also includes the more 'formal' horticultural therapy applications for both therapy and rehabilitation across all disability groups. In addition it includes the use of horticulture for embedded learning of basic skills (literacy, numeracy etc.); addressing social or key skills (e.g. team working, patience) and the use of the outdoor environment to gain mental and physical health.
This complexity of approach is reflected in the variety of garden projects using social and therapeutic horticulture. A survey by Thrive in 2003 gathered detailed information from 875 garden projects working with a wide range of disabled and disadvantaged people in the UK. It identified that over 21,000 clients take part in therapeutic horticulture activities each week. In other words, the projects provide one million client placements per year. Thrive's survey also highlighted the following: The projects range from informal and casual to highly structured.
As well as the formal therapeutic horticulture projects, there are many services directed at those who are independent, i.e. older or disabled people living at home or in supported accommodation. 70% of the residents said that the main reason that they moved to the accommodtion was they could not look after their gardens at home. Advice and information services are carried out to provide people with the information that they need to stay living where they want to - in their own homes. Around the UK there are several hundred organisations offering garden maintenance services to help in this process. Most of the research has come from the United States but in the past few years an increasing amount is being carried out in the UK. This is mostly run by universities including a three-year UK-wide investigation run by Thrive and Loughborough University.
Peter Atkins
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Shop Talk
The following varieties of seed potatoes are available:
FIRST EARLIES
| Arran Pilot | £1.80 per 3kg |
| Epicure | £1.80 per 3kg |
| Foremost | £1.80 per 3kg |
| Home Guard | £1.80 per 3kg |
| Pentland Javelin | £1.65 per 3kg |
| Rocket | £1.80 per 3kg |
| Swift | £1.80 per 3kg |
SECOND EARLIES
| Estima | £1.80 per 3kg |
| Wilja | £1.80 per 3kg |
MAIN CROP
| Cara | £1.80 per 3kg |
| Desiree | £1.65 per 3kg |
| King Edward | £1.65 per 3kg |
| Majestic | £1.80 per 3kg |
| Maris Piper | £1.65 per 3kg |
| Pentland Crown | £1.80 per 3kg |
SALAD POTATOES
| Belle de Fontenay | £1.65 per 2kg |
| Charlotte | £1.55 per 3kg |
| Pink Fir Apple | £1.65 per 3kg |
If anyone requires smaller quantities to those shown above, we will be happy to oblige within reason.
The Store will re-open on Saturday 7th January 2006!
Gareth Roberts
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The Last Word
Once again the winter is upon us and the festivities will have all but been cleared away by the time you receive this newsletter.
I would like to add my thanks to the many who were so complimentary about the October edition. It really does make the effort worthwhile. Sadly the colour version is a lot more expensive to print so it will be some time before another colour edition.
Representatives from WAGS were invited to attend the defibrillator presentation in Wallingford Town Hall as one of the groups who had donated a single large sum. The defibrillators work almost automatically, with the responder required to place the paddles on the patient and press a button. The unit will analyse the patient's heartbeat and will not give a charge unless it is needed. Volunteers are needed, so if you would like to offer your services please get in touch with Richard Tracey. You will be required to do some training before being handed the unit. Thank you to all those who contributed to such a worthwhile cause.
Members; this is your newsletter, so could I please ask you to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboards and send me your articles. Win Glendenning has sent in a fascinating article on what to see in West Austrailia if you "happen" to visit. So more articles please on almost any subject akin to gardening. Leave tham at the Store or email them. They will reach me.
The Thames Valley Air Ambulance Trust is looking for volunteers to open their Gardens in the Summer of 2006. All those interested please contact Iris Novell (see 'phone no. in the printed edition of this newsletter).
Tim King
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Presentation of Defibrillators
The Mayor of Wallingford, Councillor Lynda Atkins, presented four Defibrillators to the Community on Wednesday 23rd November. Accepting them on behalf of the community was Richard Tracey - Community Defibrillator Officer for Oxfordshire Ambulance Service. Three of the local responders who operate the units were also present: Vick Taylor, Rob Field and Shaun Fry.
The units cost £1500 each, with the British Heart Foundation contributing 50% and the Wallingford community contributing the balance. The Mayor of Wallingford expressed her profound gratitude to all the donors, particularly WAGS which made a very generous donation to the appeal, as the Town Council were intially hopeful of obtaining perhaps one unit.
The defibrillators are maintenance free for five years or 50 "charges" and will not give a patient a shock unless they need it.
There are vacancies for volunteers, so if anyone would like more information, please contact Richard Tracey (see 'phone no. in the printed edition of this newsletter) in the first instance.
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Visit the Gardens of Bad Wursach
Members of WAGS have been invited to take part in a Twinning exchange visit with the town of Bad Wursach in beautiful Southern Germany. The idea is that we would visit for around 3 or 4 days in 2006, we would be accommodated with families in Bad Wursach (free of charge) and enjoy the delights of the area, with a gardening theme to the programme. In return, we would host visitors from Bad Wursach in a similar manner, probably the following year.
No dates have been set, though suggestions are (a) that we might coincide with an event already fixed for 20th May where organists from all the towns twinned with Bad Wursach play a short programme, with participants and visitors walking from church to church. Alternatively we can fix our own visit time, possibly in June or September to avoid the main holiday periods.
Bad Wursach is near Lake Constance (or the Bodensee), close to the Southern Tyrol mountains of Austria, to Liechtenstein, and about 2 hours drive from northern Italy. Transport alternatives include flying from Stansted to Freidrichshaven on Lake Constance - prices range from 1p to £99 each way at present! Or a long but very easy drive on the autobahns, about 580 miles (9 - 10 hours) from Calais if perhaps one were to consider combining the visit with exploring more of the surrounding area independently. Or if sufficient like-minded people were interested, we could arrange a small coach.
This is very much in the exploratory phase at present, but if you might be interested, please contact Ginny Walton (see 'phone no. in the printed edition of this newsletter) so we can gauge how many, when, and in what format the visit should proceed. Literature on the area will be available shortly.
Ginny Walton
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Visit West Australia
If the budget will allow, I can recommend gardeners on holiday to visit West Australia, the "Wild Flower State" preferably between August and October - their Spring, when hundreds of wild flowers, shrubs and trees are in bloom. There are wild orchids in variety, Arum Lilies are weeds in boggy areas. You may know banksias, kangaroo paws and everlastings. Many are quite extraordinary. The long Latin names give rise to more common names: White cottontop, Pixie top Copper Cup, Ouch Bush, Star flower, Blackboy etc. Some, like our poppy, cover fields, others appear on road verges. If you visit the bush, you are exclaiming all the time.
Then there are the gardens. Many familiar half hardies, like Pelargoniums remain throughout the winter. Some wil have been seen in the Mediterranean, Hibiscus, Bougainvillea, Mimosa, Palms and Eucalyptus come in umpteen varieties. As you know, the gums need fire for the seeds to germinate, hence the expression "beyond the black stump" i.e. in the sticks.
Lemon and orange trees look pretty hung with fruit: apricots too, but beware of parrots. Bottle brush we know, but there are beautiful shades apart from red. Of course, being gardeners, the Aussies long to grow what they can't, such as delphiniums and foxgloves.
Win Glendenning
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WAGS AGM 2006, Centre 70,
Friday 10th February 2006,
8:00 pm Prompt
Agenda
To be followed by Cheese and Wine @ £3.00 per head.
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