WAGS NEWS October 2003

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Chairman's Piece

As I write these notes after the autumn show following an unusually hot summer, the inevitable effect on quantity of produce on display was obvious but the quality of the produce in this years show was at its usual high standard.

A special mention to Fir Tree School Gardening Club who carried off a number of prizes at their first attempt:-

WAGS Novice Top Gardener
Lillian & William Wells Memorial Trophy
The Mayor’s Trophy

Thank you to all our valuable team of volunteers who so adequately and professionally prepared the halls for the day, to Iris and her team of ladies who prepared such an imaginative and varied lunch and provided the teas for the afternoon, to the Roke and Benson Band for playing the music in their own inimitable style and to the Mayor of Wallingford for presenting the silverware afterwards.

Thank you to Peter Hallett and Ron Quinton who, since the last News have repaired and painted the roof of the store and are hoping to repair and paint the main door.

Congratulations to Peter and Brenda on the occasion of their recent marriage.

Elsewhere in this newsletter there is the reminder for 2004 membership renewal, at £2.50 per annum this surely is a bargain when one considers the huge savings in our store. With another new gardening year on the horizon why not give your friends and relatives WAGS vouchers as a gift at any time of the year. Gardening gifts are always welcome for those who take an active interest in this most relaxing - yes it is hard work at times - and a rewarding pastime or hobby whichever you wish to call it.

Although it does not seem quite right with the sun shining on another glorious day in mid September, may I wish all members and their families a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Peaceful and Prosperous New Year.

Denis Strange.

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2003 Show Report

Last year the number of Exhibitors and Exhibits dropped a little compared with 2001, which you may recall as being a major turnaround for the WAGS Show. Unfortunately this year the minor incline has turned into a very slippery slope. Very disappointing for those that work so hard to stage the event.

I know that some people like figures to compare, so here they are:

Our visiting RHS Judges, Les & Phil, tell me that our Show was once again the best they had judged during the year, particularly in the Vegetable and Fruit Classes. The Flower classes were well down, mainly due to the 'inclement weather'. I usually use that term when it has been raining for days on end. This time our judges have used it to describe the hot dry weather we have been enjoying since July. Long may it continue!? Some may not think the same as I do.

The catering was superb as usual. A big thank you to Iris and all those ladies who assisted her throughout the day. And to the Roke and Benson Band who played on so well in the sun!

My warm thanks to all those that helped to make the day a success. I don't usually name names, as you all know who you are, but I am particularly indebted to my family (although not so many as last year) as well as new committee members and volunteers. Also to Ginny and Blondie for doing a lot of the admin throughout the year and persuading several sponsors to part with goods or cash. A special thank you to the judges, from near and far, but especially to the Mayor of Wallingford, Betty Atkins, for presenting the prizes.

Finally, those of you lucky enough to have won trophies, remember that if you wish you can have them engraved and claim the cost back from the society. If you have a trophy that does not have sufficient room left for engraving, please contact me or arrange for the base to be extended if possible.

Being leap year, next year's show will be on Saturday 11th September.

The RHS judges have given me a few tips to make things a bit easier for you to find enough items to exhibit and make the competition a bit more interesting. We will be looking at some parts of the Show Schedule during the 'dark months' so watch for news of the changes in the April 2004 Newsletter.

Bernard Novell

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Trips & Catering

Trips

Our trip to the Ball Colgrave Showgrounds did not get off to a very good start as I had arrived at Brightwell only to find that I had left my lists and the entry tickets on the table at home. Les gallantly cam to the rescue and returned home, and met up with us again at Crowmarsh. It was rather dull and overcast when we left but as we neared Adderbury, the sun came out and continued to shine for the rest of the day. We all returned home agreeing that it had been a very worthwhile visit, both for those who had been before and for the first time visitors. The whole site was ablaze with colour, and there were many ideas for next year's planting. Members were able to attend the various demonstrations and question times, look at the displays and trial areas at their leisure, or sit in the shade and listen to the band playing, or even have a snooze. Our next venture is a trip to Hatfield House Gardens and grounds to see the autumn colour - I just hope that with this very dry season, the leaves will not have already fallen. I am sure there will still be plenty to see. Unfortunately the house is not open on Sundays. There are still a few seats left on the coach and I would ask all the people who booked earlier in the year to confirm that they still wish to join the party and pay their deposits. This will be the last trip for this year. I shall be handing over to Johnnie Talbot eventually but we will probably work together for a while to work out a programme for next year.

Catering

I would like to start by thanking all those members who so kindly baked cakes for the band concert. The hot weather was not conducive to spending time in the kitchen with an oven on. You did us proud as proved by our record sales of £175. An extra big thank you to the ladies and gentlemen who worked so hard in the tent on the hottest of days. We were saved from being grease spots by Peter fixing up two fans for us which did keep the temperature at a more reasonable level for the washer ups and tea makers. My sincere thanks everyone! We now have the show to look forward to. As I am writing this before the event, I am saying thank you in advance to those people who have volunteered their help, and look forward to working with you. I am still hoping that someone will take over from me next year. The AGM is the cut off day !!

Iris Novell

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WAGS trip to Wilton House near Salisbury

On 10th June, WAGS visited Wilton House near Salisbury which has been the home of the Earls of Pembroke since the sixteenth century when Henry VIII gave the dissolved Benedictine Abbey and its lands to his brother-in-law and favourite William Herbert. (William married Anne Parr - sister of Catherine, Henry VIII’s 6th wife). Wilton House has remained in the family since that time and is now the home of Henry Herbert - the 17th Earl of Pembroke. He built an impressive house and landscaped gardens which have been altered and added to over the years, but remain an attractive house with beautiful gardens.

We started our visit in the huge riding school - now a museum displaying many interesting documents and artefacts reflecting the interests and activities of the family down the years. It also has a small cinema in which we watched a film describing the history of the house and family.

We then made our tour of the house, owing to there being few visitors that day we were able to enjoy at our leisure the beautiful rooms and impressive display of pictures - most notable being the famous "double cube" room with its wonderful Van Dyck portraits.

After lunch we explored the grounds, extensive lawns with magnificent trees and the Palladium bridge over the River Nadder. The old fashioned rose garden at the height of its glory - full of colour and scent, and the Japanese water garden with a wide variety of water plants along the streams. The present Earl of Pembroke is a keen gardener as shown by the attractive and complicated knot Garden and the memorial garden to his father in the north forecourt with spectacular fountain surrounded by pleached limes and "honeysuckle trees"

Some of the party ventured further a field into the town in search of the plant stall and returned triumphant with an impressive collection of plants!

Another successful outing arranged as usual by Iris with her never failing expertise. Thank you for a memorable day.

Mrs Hilary Christie

Even a mosquito doesn't get a slap on the back until he starts to work.

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Shop Talk

Christmas Closedown

The store will be closed 13th, 20th, 27th December 2003 and will re-open on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th January 2004.

Bulbs are in store now.

Dobies catalogues

These will be available from early October. Orders will be taken up until the December break and these will attract 35% discount. Late orders will be accepted but will attract the lower discount of 20%. As usual, all other items than seeds will attract 10% discount.

Because of poor sales of autumn onion sets last year, we have decided for economic reasons not to stock them this year. Normal onion and shallot sets will be available from about January.

Potatoes will be available from early February. We are reverting to 3kg packs next year.

The varieties we are ordering are:-

Earlies

Arran Pilot, Concorde, Epicure, Foremost, Pentland Javelin, Rocket and Swift.

Second Earlies

Estima and Wilja.

Main

Cara, Desiree, Majestic and Pentland Crown.

Salad

Charlotte

Onion Sets

Stuttgarter, Sturon and Red Braunschweiger.

Shallots

Golden Gourmet and Red Delicato.

There are a number of items which we have had to remove from sale in accordance with EU directives. Jeyes Fluid and Armillatox are still available, but not for garden use, only for cleaning. Further information is available in the store.

Peter Hallett

Invitation to WAGS members to join the Club on March 18th 2004. John Cornwall - Glories of the Garden, to be held jointly with WAGS. Even the smallest and most common flower or plant is transformed into something magical by John and his camera

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Trophy Winners at the 2002 Show

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W.A.G.S Programme of Events 2002

Sun	Nov 2nd	Hatfield House Gardens open for Autumn Colour
Fri	Feb 13th 2004	A.G.M. Cheese and Wine 8 p.m.
Sat	Aug 8th 2004	Band Concert
Sat	Sept 11th 2004	WAGS Show

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Discounts

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

Band Concert 2003
(from the President’s pen)

Yet again I write to thank those wonderful ladies who prepared, cooked and donated these delicious cakes on the occasion of the Band Concert in August. And thank you too to those who came and served them in such very hot and trying conditions. As far as I am concerned these thanks come from the bottom of my heart - or it might be more accurate to say the bottom of gluttony. I was lucky enough to buy some cakes after the concert had finished which left me looking forward to tea at home for a few days. So, again, thank all those involved in making and selling the cakes at the concert. I am one of many in debt.

Gilbert Talbot

WAGS Web Site

A reminder that the WAGS web site (www.cranfordcomputers.co.uk/wags) has pages reserved for contributions from Society members. In particular we would like items for the "Gardener’s Almanac" and "Q and A" pages (which are both currently empty), and pictures of your garden, or gardens visited on WAGS trips, for the Gallery. Please e-mail contributions to myron.edwards@virgin.net, or post them to me (see address in the printed edition of this newsletter). Any suggestions for improvements or additions to the site will also be most welcome.

Myron Edwards

After witnessing the first performance of the Marriage of Figaro, the Emperor Ferdinand’s considered opinion was: ‘Far too noisy, my dear Mozart, far too many notes...’

The Last Word

What more can I say but echo the big thank yous to all the volunteers who helped at the Band Concert and the Show. Both were such a huge success. Our various groups of volunteers ensured the success of both of our major events this year

The children's sections of the Show were conspicuous by their lack of entries. We are aware that children have only been back at school a week before the Show. However the results of the Fir Tree Gardening Club show that with a bit of effort, prizes can be won and on their first show! There are a number of classes where the exhibit could be prepared earlier in the summer and set aside. Please encourage your children/grand-children to have a go. Entry is free to all the chilren's classes and they have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

The WAGS store has served the members for another year with a number of helpers but we do still need to find a Store Manager to take overall control. The store itself is being given a face-lift, and we are looking for volunteers of various trades to carry out the work.

Once again there is no room for a crossword. There will be one in the January 2004 edition.

Christmas comes earlier each year I hear you say, but as this is the last edition in 2003, may I wish all our readers and their families a Happy Christmas and peaceful New Year.

Articles, trip reports, recipes are always welcome. Drop them into the Store - they will get to me, or, for thise connected to the internet, email me at tim@tpking.fsnet.co.uk

Tim King

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