Hello Everyone.
BREAM GARDENING SOCIETY MAY NEWSLETTER
Are you like me? Wondering if Spring will ever spring? On a positive note, we don’t have to worry about watering the garden! Also we have lots happening within BGS.
Saturday 4th May 1.30pm to about 4pm – meet at the Maypole -The Old Place, Bream GL15 6EQ May Fun Day Dance around the maypole and learn the Bean Setters’ morris dance. With live music and plant stall. Geoff Davis will be performing some old Forest tales. Unfortunately, we will no longer be having a barbecue but light refreshments will be available.
Guided walk: from The Old Place, Bream. Bluebells at Blistors Farm — Louise McGuiness
Louise will lead us on a guided walk around the woodland that surrounds her farmstead up by The Scowles. Hopefully, the bluebells will be in full bloom. The walk may now start a little later at 3pm.
(hint hint…one of the photography classes for the summer show is ”Wildflowers”)
Saturday 11th May – Wildflower Walk at Slimbridge. See link for further details.
https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/slimbridge/whats-on/horticulture-guided-walk/
Suzanne has kindly given us an update regarding the Young Gardeners…..
Workshops for Young Gardeners
During the Easter holidays we ran another workshop for children at Bream Community Library – it was a particularly busy afternoon. As well as taking part in the herb practical session, children were introduced to Buzz Club and were enthused to join in this citizen science project.
They started by designing bee hotels to the University of Sussex’s specification, then helping construct the bee hotels (ably assisted by John Theophilus’ alter ego – ‘Scientist John’).
The hotels are ready to install at their homes and monitor events on a monthly basis. They also identified herbs, tasted some foods containing herbs and planted herb seeds.
The next workshop is on Friday 31st May and we are booking extra room space to accommodate our ‘growing’ numbers. This event will be about propagation and children will leave with plant cuttings to look after. If you know any children of primary or young secondary school age who would be interested in these activities, please ask them to email breamgardeningsociety@gmail.com for further information.
BGS website update
Following the demo of the new website at the last meeting member logins have been set up for everyone who requested access. Forms for visits, a live version of the programme, information about members-only classes at the 2024 shows and an archive of newsletters are ‘all in one place’ in the members’ section.
Please do have a look at the new website, it’s now easy to view on phones and tablets as well as on a computer. Anyone can view the majority of the website by visiting www.breamgardeners.net but you will need a login to view the members’ section. If you missed the last meeting and would like a login, contact Suzanne at breamgardeningsociety@gmail.com
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I don’t have much to add this month but Kathryn has plenty so I’ll hand over to her. Enquiries to Kathryn on the BGS email address.
Best wishes Margaret
Kathryn reports are below……
Trip booking forms
The booking forms for our visits to Hampton Court Castle and RHS Gardens Wisley were emailed to members a couple of weeks ago. Please could you get in touch if you did not receive this email because we would like to investigate a potential issue with our messages being directed to spam.
The simplest way to book is by following the links below. The forms have also been attached as Word files in case you would prefer to book via email, phone or post. Please note that the closing date for the Hampton Court Castle visit has been extended to Saturday 4th May.
Hampton Court Castle & Gardens Sunday 26th May, 10.30am
Hope under Dinmore, HR6 0PN Meet at the gardens. Car shares available.
Ornamental kitchen garden, Dutch garden, maze, sunken garden, 150 year old wisteria arch.
Picturesque river walks with views of the castle and Herefordshire countryside.
For more information: https://www.hamptoncourtcastle.co.uk/visitors/gardens/
Optional private group tour of the castle.
Hampton Court Castle & Gardens: * Booking Form *
RHS Gardens Wisley Saturday, 15th June 2024 Coach trip: pick-ups in Bream and Lydney.
BGS is very excited to be visiting Wisley, the flagship garden of the Royal Horticultural Society.
There are too many highlights to mention here so please visit
https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley/garden-highlights.
BGS members’ price: only £20 including travel and entry! Optional guided tour: £5
Non-members are very welcome to join us, but we are afraid that they will have to pay a little more – see the booking form for details.
RHS Garden Wisley: * Booking Form *
Upcoming events
We have lots of exciting events planned for May – in particular, you won’t want to miss Ed Ikin’s talk about Rare Plants at the 14th May meeting. We have added an extra garden visit and the date of the Lydney Park Estate Gardens visit has now been confirmed. Please follow this link for full details:
BGS Programme Update: May 2024
Members-only Class: Peanuts
We have heard that some members have been having trouble with their peanuts rotting prior to germination. Kathryn is germinating some extra peanuts and will bring them to the May meeting for members to take home. If you can’t make it to the May meeting, please get in touch via breamgardeningsociety@gmail.com.
Forest Food Networking
The Forest Food Network is a District Council supported initiative that is investigating how food equity can be improved for all the communities of the Forest of Dean. They have been in touch with Bream Gardening Society to discuss how we can work together on a variety of events and schemes – exciting news to follow over the coming months! In the meantime, they are very keen for members to respond to their survey for gardeners and growers.
Please see the flyer attached to the email – your input would be much appreciated, thank you.
Flower Arranging
Julie Sparkes – BGS member, frequent winner of the flower arranging cups at our shows and holder of a Silver-Gilt medal from Malvern Show! – will be giving the demonstration at this month’s meeting of Lydney and Severnside Flower Club on Monday 13th May. Her demonstration is called ‘Colour my World’ and is open to non-members of the Flower Club (£10). Please follow this link for full details: https://fb.me/e/4yFfj2qMX
Buzz Club
Many of you will have heard John Theophilus talk about the Buzz Club citizen science projects at the April meeting. John is a local facilitator for the Buzz Club and has been helping our Young Gardeners group build their bee hotels for the Air Bee ‘n’ Bee project. However, these projects are open to all and we would love some more BGS members to get involved. You can take part by yourself and all of the information you require is available on the Buzz Club website: Get involved | Buzz Club (thebuzzclub.uk). However, John is very happy to support you in your projects if you would prefer. We even have some wood available for you to build your bee hotels. Just get in touch via breamgardeningsociety@gmail.com.
Summer Show
All of the information you require to enter this year’s Summer Show will be uploaded to the BGS website over the coming weeks. Summer Show 2024 – Bream Gardening Society (breamgardeners.net) Currently you can access the complete list of show classes – the recipes, advice and online entry form will follow shortly. The printed copies of the schedule will be available at our May meeting and in local shops thereafter. If you are unable to pick up a copy, please let us know via breamgardeningsociety@gmail.com so that we can deliver one for you.