Upcoming BGS Events at a glance
Contact Details:
Kathryn Gardner & Suzanne Snowden: breamgardeningsociety@gmail.com
Diana Standing: bgsprogsec@gmail.com
John Theophilus: secretarybgs100@gmail.com
| Date & Time | Where | What – who to contact |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday 31 October 2:00 – 5:00pm | West Dean Centre, Bream | Bream Autumn Show and DFBK Honey Show Kathryn Gardner |
| Tuesday 10 November 7:30 – 9:30pm | Bream Sports Club | Monthly Meeting: Biodynamic Principles for Gardeners – Mark Moodie Diana Standing |
| Tuesday 8 December 7:30 – 10:00pm | St James’ Church Centre, Bream | BGS Christmas Quiz with Bring & Share Supper Kathryn Gardner |
Jane’s Jottings
Apologies to all those that have already heard this at the monthly meeting, here’s the latest news about my all time favourites, Pink Fir Apple potatoes (PFA).
After a couple of seasons when PFA seed potatoes were completely unavailable, it seems there are some out there for the 2027 season, but a limited stock due to a viral disease problem over the last couple of years and then a lousy growing year! The larger suppliers have scooped up all there is so sadly Dundry’s won’t have any for our order early next year.
Robinsons and Suttons are both saying they have some, but I’ve heard it said that they may tell you, at the last minute, having hooked you in, that they have run out. I’ve just put Pink Fir Apple into Google and found many more suppliers offering them.
While I was talking to Dundry’s I asked about the problems with using our own stock year after year, I shall be on year 3 this next season, from non-seed stock originally. The main problem is disease, so important to only choose potatoes that are smooth and spotless (not sure I have any of those!)
They also described the seed potatoes on your plant as “the small ones that grow nearer the surface on long stalks when you’re harvesting” … the ones I eat first!
On other matters:
Here comes the first of the cold weather, hope all your tenders are wrapped up warm somewhere ~ sunny days will bring cold nights now that we’re heading for winter.
A lot of plants get some protection from their old stems so I leave most of the ‘dead’ foliage on for protection of the the plant and for all the garden predators and tiny creatures that snuggle up in the seed heads and shrivelled leaves on chilly nights.
And now’s a good time to sow hardy perennial seeds, so they can be stratified by the cold weather, if they need it ~ the cold starts to break down the seed casing etc. to enable germination.
I do mine in pots, usually, and leave them out tucked in a corner somewhere ~ lovely surprise in the spring when you’ve forgotten you did it!
See you all at the show, I hope ~ Jane 🙂
Upcoming events – details
BGS Autumn Show and DFBK Honey Show – Saturday 31 October
We sent out a letter earlier this week to encourage members to get involved and help make the Autumn Show the success that it always is. We’re particularly hoping that the many new members who joined this year will throw themselves into the fray as willingly as they did at the Summer Show. The Autumn Show is less intense than the Summer show and generally a bit less stressful!
Here are some key highlights and links to important documents. For reference, links to everything you need will be on the Autumn Show page of our website. Bream Autumn Show – Bream Gardening Society
Entering the show
- Full details of all the competition classes can be found here: Autumn Schedule 2026
- Details of the ‘members only’ competition can be found here: Members-only classes – Summer & Autumn 2026
- The simplest way to enter is via the online entry form, deadline for entries is 6pm on Thursday 29 October.
- Please don’t worry that your produce may not be good enough to enter. Everybody had a dreadful season with the heat and drought – just join in – you don’t know what will happen!
- Please read the schedule and further advice available on the website. It is very frustrating to find your entry has been disqualified because of simple presentation error. (Like presenting 4 fruits when the class calls for 3 for example.)
Helping with the show
- Please fill in the Volunteers & donations form online. As well as helping on the day, we need people to distribute publicity materials, put up signs, and set-up the halls the day before the Show. We also need members to donate cakes and plants for sale, and prizes for the raffle and tombola.
- Please note that food donations to the raffle or tombola must be well within their ‘use by’ date and properly labelled with ingredients, allergens etc. We cannot accept homemade food for prizes, but it will be welcomed by the tea counter.
BGS Monthly meeting – Tuesday 10 November
Biodynamic Principles for Gardeners
An introduction to the world of biodynamics by Biodynamic Association management team member Mark Moodie. Learn about how biodynamics places an emphasis on balanced soil fertility, plant health, nature’s diversity, and animal welfare as part of a combined whole. Mark will talk about the secrets of planting based on the phases of the moon and the benefits that he believes this brings.
Christmas Quiz and Bring & Share Supper – Tuesday 8 December
The highlight of the Christmas season – the BGS Bring & Share Supper and another opportunity to pit our wits against the fiendish Christmas quiz.
Always fun and friendly, highly recommended to our new members to get to know others in a relaxed setting. Details will become available as we move through November.
BGS Products for Sale
We are happy to announce that BGS Apple Juice and the BGS Photo Calendar will be on sale at the Autumn Show, and available thereafter while stocks last.
BGS Apple Juice
Thanks to the generosity of members with apple orchards and the good work of many volunteers picking them over, we are happy to announce we have another batch of BGS apple juice. It has been pressed, pasteurised and bottled by Castle Farm in Newent. Delicious and with a 2-year shelf life it will be on sale at £3.00/bottle for members and £3.50/bottle for non-members, available as individual bottles or in boxes of 6.
It will be on sale at the Autumn show (and all subsequent events, until we run out) or you can pre-order here: BGS Apple Juice – Order form
BGS Calendar for 2027 – featuring members’ photographs
After a sticky start, the 2027 BGS calendar competition was ultimately a great success. We received well over 100 entries from members, which have been whittled down to 13 excellent photographs (12 months and the cover).
I think people will be impressed by the results and (hopefully) find them irresistible as Christmas presents for friends and family.
The calendar will be on sale at the Autumn Show for £7.50 for members and £9.00 for non-members. Or ordered online here: BGS Calendar 2027 – order form.
Producing this calendar has been somewhat ‘interesting’ at times, but we have learned a lot in the process and (assuming the 2027 calendars sell) it will all be much easier with the 2028 calendar.
Huge thanks to photography judge Sandra Walding and members Simon Brown and Magda Sienkiewicz for selecting winners, designing the calendar and preparing the photographs.
Volunteers wanted
We have been offered the opportunity of allowing our Young Gardeners to plant bulbs in the courtyard garden of the West Dean Centre at the next Young Gardeners meeting on October 29th.
There is, inevitably, a snag. The area we want them to plant is currently in a big mess. We need a few volunteers to help clear it and prepare the ground for the Young Gardeners to do their planting.
This is a one-off exercise, not a long-term commitment, and will take place on Friday 23 October at 2:00 pm. It is unlikely to take more than an hour or two.
Can anyone who is available to help please contact me on secretarybgs100@gmail.com. Thank you.
We have also been awarded a grant to replace the temporary raised bed in the Sports Club with a more substantial structure made of sweet chestnut sleepers. This work will go on in several phases, and we will need people to help as we go. At this stage the materials have yet to be delivered, so this is a warning that we’ll be looking for volunteers in the near future.
Other Organisations’ Events
| Date & start time | Where | Who/What/Details & Links |
| 23/10/26 7:30pm | Assembly Rooms St Briavels | FoD History Society talk about Henry Cook’s garden at Priors Mense, Aylburton. £5 at the door, no booking. |
| 5/11/26 7:00pm | Assembly Rooms St Briavels | A ‘First Thursday’ talk – “A Brief Encounter with Honey Bees” by DFBK Honey Bees talk |
| 14/11/26 10:00am | St James’ Church Centre, Bream | Christmas craft fair & coffee morning Christmas Craft Fair |
| 4/12/26 evening | Bream Sports Club | Christmas lights switch on event (for diary) |
Henry Cook’s garden talk
We have received an email about this talk on Friday night (23/10) – it looks fascinating! Arranged by the Forest of Dean Local History Society, here is how it is described:-
“On Friday 23rd October at 7.30pm, our Vice President and Enquiries Officer, Averil Kear, will be giving a talk at St.Briavels’ Assembly Rooms.
The talk is entitled “Henry Cook and his Wild Garden”.
Henry Cook (c. 1831–1927), the former Surgeon General of India, who, upon returning to England from his medical career, settled at Priors Mesne in Aylburton and planted a famous historical wild garden, beginning around 1888.
Writing under the enigmatic pen name ‘the Curator’ he documented his experimental horticultural endeavors in his 1903 book entitled
A Gloucestershire wild garden with some extraneous matter.
Talk costs £5, which includes tea and cake before the talk, arrive from 7.00pm. No booking is required, just pay at the door.”
A Brief Encounter with Honey Bees
One of the series of diverse ‘First Thursday’ talks run by St Briavels Assembly Rooms. November’s talk is being given by our friends from Dean Forest Beekeepers. (DFBK will be holding their annual Honey Show in conjunction with our upcoming Autumn Show.)
Christmas craft fair & coffee morning
We will be having a stall at the Christmas Craft Fair at St James’ which is being organised by Julie Holder’s non-profit “Packed with Love”. It is raising money for a good cause (to fill 80 treat and toiletry bags to give to people experiencing homelessness this Christmas), so please support it if you have the time.
We would love some volunteer members to help us run the stall. Please don’t worry if you haven’t volunteered to run our stall before, there will always be a more experienced BGS member on hand to help you. Just helping for an hour or so makes a difference and spreads the load.
Christmas Lights Switch On
I have added intention to have a glorious Christmas Lights switch on event at the Sports Club on the evening of 4 December. Very much in the planning at the moment we are certain to have a stall there and will be hoping for BGS volunteers to help.
This is one for the diary please. More details in the November newsletter.
