The Horticultural Society

The Loosley Row and Lacey Green Horticultural Society was founded in January 1981.

Bill Cleaver was the show secretary from 1984. (click Bill & Madeline Cleaver for more about Bill).

Hallmark November 2023. Report by Alison Shreeve

The Horticultural Society held its Autumn Show on the first Saturday in September. It was an excellent event with many beautiful exhibits. We were fortunate with the weather having had a spell of rainy days which alleviated the scorching heat of early summer and allowed flowers and fruit to flourish. Each year is always an unknown quantity with different problems besetting the gardener and each year something different flourishes and surprises one, which is one of the reasons why we never get bored with our gardens!

In the vegetable section we had a couple of outstanding leeks from Luke Cottis, an excellent set of entries for tomatoes, including novelty cultivars, plum tomatoes and different coloured varieties. This year also gave us more entries in the cucumber class than we often see and indeed, as I write this I still have cucumbers in the greenhouse in October! It has obviously been a good climate for these fruits this year and there are varieties that will do well outside as well as in the greenhouse and they come in all shapes and sizes too.

The domestic section was well supported, though the jam and jelly classes were disappointing, possibly reflecting a trend to more healthy eating and less use of sugar to preserve our crops. The floral section was stunning with plenty of beautifully coloured exhibits. There are pictures here, but more on the village website https://laceyqreen.com/sections/autumnshow23.php

At the meeting following the show we had an excellent talk from local naturalist John Tyler. As always John showed us amazing photographs, some in extraordinary close up, which depicted what we could expect to see in our locality in the Autumn. These included fungi originating in Australia, flowering and non-flowering plants and insects in abundance. It was a very inspiring talk, though on one of the worst, rainiest nights of the year!

Our next event is a Fish and Chip Supper and Quiz night, to be followed in January with our first talk of the new year on Snowdrops. In March we have local grower extraordinaire, Simon Bolton, who will be telling us all about his Badger’s Garden business growing unusual salad crops for some of the top chefs in the country. And if you have eaten any of Simon’s produce you will know that a bag of salad is a cornucopia of wonderful flavours, colours and shapes! This is no ordinary food – this is locally grown and exceptional food!

We hope to see you at one of our talks. Visitors are welcome for a small charge and members are free.

Contact any of the committee if you would like any further information.

Hallmark March 1984 Report by Ernest .A. Rivett

It was indeed a very pleasing sight, to see the Annual General Meeting of the Society so well attended, with almost a full turnout of members, together with those just joining during the evening. The Officials and the Committee are very well pleased that the Society is going from strength to strength, and its foundations are very well rooted durring its three years of growth. With Officials and some members of the Committee due to retire under rule 9 of the Society, nominations had been received for their successors. So the formalities of adopting the Balance Sheet, (as presented by the retiring Secretary, John Plowman, in the absence of the Treasurer, Brian Wicks), was accepted after the normal discussion. click John & Frankie Plowman and Brian & Judy Wicks for more about John and Brian.

The retiring Chairman in bowing out from his office, thanked all concerned for their support during the Society's life so far, giving a brief survey of how we had spread ‘our wings' since getting off the ground, ultimately to be now proud members affiliated to the Royal Horticultural Society. In handing over the office to the new Chairman elect. Brig. John Spurry, the. retiring Chairman, Ernest Rivett, was grateful to accept the honorary status of Vice President on a unanimous vote from the floor. With new Secretary John Hanna, everything augurs well for the future, in conjunction with a good working committee.

Click John & Daphne Spurry, John Hanna and Ernest Rivett for more about John Spurry, John Hanna and Ernest Rivett.

With the formalities of the meeting over, the members then settled to listen with great intent to that International Botanist, Victor Scott, who gave an excellent talk and slide demonstration of his most recent expedition to Nepal and a trip through the Himalayas. I, like most present, found this subject of the greatest interest, and so. the third AGM passed with the raffle for the Chelsea Flower Show tickets, to which the Society were entitled, going to two members who unfortunately had to hand these prizes back, and so the Secretary soon got good value for them by auctioning them for the funds. Chelsea Flower Show is always a ‘must' for interested gardeners, and I am sure we have those within the Society's membership.

Hallmark September 1988. report by John Spurry

"The people came to see the show, they came to make a show themselves". And so it was on 21 September when the Society held its Annual Show in the Village Hall.

There were 25 exhibitors and 149 exhibits. A ten per cent increase over 1987 reported Show Secretary Bill Cleaver. While the judges looked at, or prodded, and even tasted the various items on display the members and guests talked, enjoyed a drink and some even won the raffle prizes.

Returning to the show floor we found the colourful display tables now with added prize winning rosettes. The judges, in making their report, confirmed everybody's opinion that standards reached were much higher than in the previous year, and that those who had not won prizes should not be deterred from trying to do that little bit better at the next show.

Kathleen Marshall won the "Plowman Cup" for the most points in the Vegetable Section - the cup was won the previous year by her late husband Miles. Kathleen also won the "Hughenden Cup" for the most points obtained in the Vegetable, Fruit and Flower Sections. She and Michael Hardy had the same marks in the three sections but Kathleen gained the award by winning more first prizes and indeed the special rosettes in two sections. Michael, not to be outdone, retained the Society's "Floral Cup" for his decisive win in the Flower Section.

Doreen Ellis and, believe it or not, Bill Cleaver shared top honours in the Domestic Section. Bill's jam tarts looked and tasted superb, and he also is a dab hand at cheese straws (was he ever a Boy Scout?). At any rate, Bill won the prize given by the W.I. Incidentally, it was so nice of W.I. members, most of whom are Horticultural Society members, to give a real boost to the Domestic Section entries this year. Thanks are due to all the workers without whose help the show could not have been Staged.

Having again - oh the ignominy - failed to submit a report in the last Hallmark, you will not have read that the coach trip to the RHS Gardens at Wisley and BBQ at Speen Farm were both successful and enjoyable occasions. However, I expect those who attended told those who didn't, and the latter will book early next year.

Fresh with honours from this years Chelsea Show John Mattock comes to speak to us, about Roses of course, on 16 November. This should prove to be the best evening number 7 of our year, so do not miss it.