Upcoming Events at a glance
| Date & Time | Where | What – who to contact |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 10 March 7:00 for 7:30 pm | Rising Sun pub, Bream | BGS annual meal Suzanne Snowden |
| Friday 13 March 10:00 am – 12:00 pm | Bream Sports Club (monthly market) | Seed swap & plant sale John Theophilus |
| Sat & Sun 14 & 15 Mar 10:00 am – 4:00 pm | The Butts, Clearwell | Apple Tree pruning Diana Standing |
| Friday 20 March 10:00 am – 12:00 pm | Charlton Farm, Charlton, Malmsbury SN16 9DS | Specialist Plant Sale – The Generous Gardener |
| Saturday 21 March 1:00 pm at WDC or 2:00 pm at venue | Ferndene, Strawberry Hill, Newent GL18 1LH | Trip: Kitchen Garden Plant Centre – Book now! Diana Standing |
| 3 April – 7 June 10:00 am – 4:00 pm | Lydney Park Estate | Rhododendron Gardens open |
| Thursday 9 April 6:30 – 9:30 pm | Gallery at the George, Newnham | Film screening: Seed, the untold story Kathryn Gardner |
| Saturday 2 May 9:30 am at WDC or 11:00 am at venue | Morton Hall, Reddich B96 6SJ | Trip: Morton Tulip Festival – Book now! Diana Standing |
Contact Details
Kathryn Gardner & Suzanne Snowden: breamgardeningsociety@gmail.com
Diana Standing: bgsprogsec@gmail.com
John Theophilus: secretarybgs100@gmail.com
Jane’s Jottings
Spring is Sprung, the Grass is Riz, Sowing seed now is the biz’
March is the main seed sowing month for me:
If you haven’t yet sown aubergine, chillies and sweet peppers you’re probably better off hoping others have sown too many and picking up seedlings at the meetings or on one of our stalls
What I’ve sown indoors this month ~ beetroot, parsnip, leek, artichoke, calabrese, early purple sprouting, chard, kalettes ~ many of which are already up and under fleece on the greenhouse bench …. except the tomatoes, sown on heat pad and will stay indoors for a long while yet.
Oh, and potatoes, my 1st Earlies will go in at the end of the month.
Too early yet for the heat lovers ~ French and runner beans, courgette, cucumber,squash, sweet corn
Hope you’re all enjoying the spring colour out there, I love walking the locale at this time of year and peeking in all the gardens and evey day there seems to be a different tree or shrub bursting it’s leaf buds and blackthorn in flower ~ bluebells will be out before we know it ~ enjoy!
Newsletter news
Welcome to the March Newsletter. As previously we are writing and storing the newsletters on the BGS website to minimise problems with links not working correctly.
The email you received with a link to it was sent out to all members as we usually do, via conventional ‘bcc’ copies, so that the recipients can only see their own email addresses and not those of everyone else.
Although this provides anonymity to the recipients it creates problems with security software. Many of the spam filters and malware detectors are triggered by emails with large numbers of recipients.
We have no way of knowing how many of our newsletter emails get through, although we do know that many don’t.
We are therefore considering using the industry leading mailing service MailChimp to send out our newsletters and other mailings to members to avoid these issues. MailChimp would also include an “unsubscribe” button at the bottom of our emails. This is recommended best practice, which we currently do not have systems and processes to provide. All their services are provided free for small users, like ourselves
MailChimp ensures best practice for data protection in mailings and is used by a high proportion of the large businesses in the marketplace (as you will have noticed if you look carefully at mailings you routinely receive). The email addresses which we would upload to their secure, encrypted server would not include members’ names, to preserve confidentiality. Obviously, recipients of our emails would continue to see only their own email address, and not those of other members.
We are mentioning this so that members are aware of what is planned. If you have any questions or concerns please email me at secretarybgs100@gmail.com and I will do my best to answer them.
Thank you.
BGS events
Society Dinner, 10 March, Rising Sun, Bream
Over 40 members are booked to attend the annual Society Meal at the Rising Sun pub in Bream. Newly refurbished and under new management we are hoping for an excellent evening at our local hostelry. Bookings are now closed I’m afraid.
Monthly Market at Bream Sports Club, 13 March
We will be taking a stall at BSC’s monthly market in support of the Club, with whom we have such close ties. We will be selling seeds and plants and encourage members to attend to stock up and/or visit the other stalls and enjoy teas, coffees & cake. Anyone wanting to bring along surplus plants and seeds or volunteer to help on the stall please contact John Theophilus on secretarybgs100@gmail.com .
Apple tree pruning, 14 March, The Butts, Clearwell
What3Words ///lollipop.simple.broom .
Come and help prune apple trees on Saturday 14th March in a mature small orchard. We will extend to Sunday 15th as well if there is more to do.
No experience needed as guidance will be provided, however please bring gloves, pruning saws, lopers and secateurs etc. if you have them.
Flat ground and trees that are not too tall.
Later in the year we’ll return to harvest fruit for pressing.
Kitchen Garden plant centre, 21 March, Newnham
What3words location ///topped.cuddled.shout.
An opportunity to visit a Chelsea gold medal winning nursery, right on our doorstep and not normally open to the public. Family growers of herbs and edible plants who have a passion for the natural environment and committed to sustainable practices. See their website here www.kitchengardenplantcentre.co.uk.
We will be arranging car sharing from WDC, Bream.
Please book here Kitchen garden plant centre booking . If you want to ask questions contact Diana Standing here bgsprogsec@gmail.com .
“Seed, the untold story” film, 9 April, The George, Newnham
As part of the Forest Food Network we have arranged a showing of the award winning film “Seed; the untold story” which focusses on the importance of seed diversity and the struggle to preserve it, followed by a panel discussion. A tasty vegetarian meal is included.
Tickets will be managed by The George and you will be able to book at their web site here https://thegeorgeatnewnham.co.uk/events/ . The film hasn’t yet made it to their listing. It no doubt will soon.
Morton Hall Gardens tulip festival, 2 May, Reddich
What 3 Words ///brief.zooms.interests.
A chance to visit the dramatic tulip festival in the gardens of Morton Hall.
Tickets are limited so we need to book early to be sure of getting places. Place your bookings here Morton hall booking form . If you want to ask questions contact Diana Standing here bgsprogsec@gmail.com .
Other Events
The Generous Gardener plant sale, 20 March, Near Malmsbury
What 3 Words ///topped.cuddled.shout .
Visitors to the Specialist Plant Sales will have the opportunity to buy interesting and unusual plants from selected nurseries, who are experts in their fields and can offer plenty of growing advice. There will also be stands selling other garden related goods.
The entry fee to the sale includes admission to 7 acres of wild and ornamental gardens.
Tickets available online Generous Gardener Plant Sales or on the door.
£8 entry fee – includes coffee and a flapjack – proceeds going to the Simon Rivett-Carnac Trust.
Lydney Park Gardens, from 3 April, Rhododendrons
What 3 Words ///degrading.strut.minimums
Lydney Park Gardens’ fabulous display of Rhododendrons is open for viewing from 3 April until 7 June. Always worth a visit to this lovely local garden with the bonus of tea rooms, museum and Roman ruins to fill your day.
Visit their website here Lydney Park Gardens
Other News
Young Gardeners’ RHS entry
On 19 February the BGS Young Gardeners met in the WDC. We had 13 children in attendance. They tasted tomatoes, made tomato ketchup and planted tomato seeds (all leading to opportunities to enter children’s classes in our shows). They also produced numerous excellent ideas for a “wheelbarrow garden” to be entered into the RHS show at Badminton this year.
Subsequently, Suzanne and her fellow helpers pieced together their ideas into a formal application to enter the competition. We are still waiting to see if our proposal will be selected to compete. In any event, the childrens’ design will be built and we will display it at the Summer Show. We hope it will then go on display in the courtyard of the WDC for others to admire.
News of Yorkley Seed Swap
In association with the Forest Food Network, we organised a Seed Swap event at Yorkley Community Centre on 21 February. It was a very successful event with more than 100 visitors and made a good profit.
There is an article describing the event with pictures on page 6 of the Forest Review which you can view here: The Forest Review.
Marquee sale
We have been attempting to sell our 80′ x 40′ marquee for some 6 months. It is currently stored in (and completely fills) a local benefactor’s shed and it has outstayed its welcome.
We have reluctantly come to the conclusion that no one wants to buy a frankly huge and unwieldy tent, which has not been erected for over 10 years so that no one knows if it is still serviceable.
We have to move it and dispose of it and are now contemplating breaking it up to sell useful component parts, finally disposing of whatever won’t sell.
If any members know of some person or organisation who would like to buy it as a ‘going concern’ please get in touch via secretarybgs100@gmail.com . Thank you.
Raised bed application for grant
We were encouraged by Councillor Beki Hoyland to apply for grants under the Grassroots Neighbourhood scheme. We decided that refurbishing and moving the raised bed at BSC (as they requested) matched the criteria and objectives of the scheme and have duly applied for funding for this.
We have been advised that our application has been progressed to the “next stage” and we are hopeful that we will be successful. If we are, we will be looking for volunteers (as usual) to help with the work. Watch this space!
Grange project
We’ve been contacted by the Grange Project – a rewilding and education site between Monmouth and Abergavenny – here is a link to their web site: www.grangeproject.co.uk .
They run a wide range of courses which members may find interesting. I’ve requested a brochure and will work out how best to make it available to members when I have it.
Gloucestershire Federation Facebook
The Gloucestershire Federation of Gardening Societies have launched their Facebook page. Here is a link to it www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586062463831 .
Photograph competition
Don’t forget there is a competition to get your photographs in the BGS 2027 calendar. Send photographs (landscape orientation) of plants, nature or of local interest to secretarybgs100@gmail.com to enter them into the competition to be selected for our calendar. We will be selling this in October or November, ready for Christmas!
Sales and Wants
Nothing offered for sale this month but Knockley Farm are offering cardboard sheets and boxes suitable for composting or mulching for free. Drop in and ask them. Mention you are from BGS.