kent group newsletter spring 2020

Kent Group Newsletter

Spring 2020

2 HPS KENT GROUP | Spring 2020

Chairman’s Letter 3 Editorial 4 Kent Group News 5

Forthcoming Events 11

Recent Events 12

Members’ Articles 16

Area Group Contacts 22 Officers and Committee 2020 23

Front cover photograph: Deutzia ‘Dark Eyes’, courtesy Virginia Oakes

Back cover photographs:Top photograph, courtesy Karin ProudfootBottom photograph, courtesy Virginia Oakes

Other photographs: Page 4, courtesy Karin ProudfootPage 10, courtesy Bryn Lerwill Page 14, courtesy Karin Proudfoot Page 18, courtesy Alan Smith0, courtesy Bryn Lerwill

Layout and design: Sue Cumming

Address for copy and deadline for the Summer Newsletter

Please send any copy by email to the Editor: [email protected] or if that is not possible, by post to: Karin Proudfoot, The Old Rectory, Fawkham, Longfield, Kent DA3 8LX

The deadline for inclusion in the Summer Newsletter is 15th June.

The Editor reserves the right to edit contributions if necessary. Opinions expressed by authors are their personal views and not specifically endorsed by HPS Kent Group.

CONTENTS

3HPS KENT GROUP | Spring 2020

CHAIRMAN’S LETTER Robert Lines

One thing this country has in abundance is weather, and we have certainly had our fair share in the last few months. It has been mild too, with lots of bulbs and plants showing unaccustomed activity. I have been particularly impressed by my fuchsias, which usually go dormant over January but, this year, have remained steadfast both in leaf and flower.

Of course a mild winter is not all good news. Prolonged low temperatures help to keep pests and diseases in check, and a period of dormancy often has a beneficial effect on fruit yields. As regards the recent gales, I was nervous when Storm Ciara loomed, as the two mature silver birches just over my boundary wall looked rather vulnerable, especially given the saturated ground, and could easily fall in my direction. Fortunately, they survived, but not my TV/radio aerials that were unceremoniously torn off the side of the house.

I broke the usual practice of not planting in midwinter but took a gamble on the mild conditions; a bare patch of soil opposite my kitchen window sorely cried out for remediation. So, it was duly dug, mulch added and the level raised, then planted with a selection of callunas and two decorative dwarf conifers for contrast – a bronze mound of Cryptomeria japonica ‘Mushroom’ and Pinus mugo ‘Carsten’ with bright yellow needles. The view is now much improved but I worry that my carefully applied ferrous sulfate treatment to condition the soil may have been compromised by all the rain we have had. So far, however, the heathers look well and the pH is steady. Daylight is noticeably lengthening as we approach the equinox and, as we look forward to spring, let us hope we enter a drier and calmer period to enable us to wake up our gardens. I am sure the Kent aquifers do not need any more top-ups.

When I originally penned this letter in early March, the spread of coronavirus was becoming an issue but the hope was that it would not impact significantly on our activities. However, events have moved on rapidly and now, at the end of the month, we are all on lockdown. Reluctantly, therefore, our programme of events has been suspended until at least August, but hopefully we will be able to resume part of it when the all clear is given. In the meantime, I hope everyone stays healthy and at least this recent spell of settled weather is ideal for a spot of gardening.


By now you must have had more than enough of being told by all and sundry that we’re living in challenging and unprecedented times. Indeed we are and, at the time of writing, there is no end in sight. However, as gardeners, we do have one huge advantage – we have our own outdoor space where we can escape the horrors of the latest news and lose ourselves, if only temporarily, as spring unfolds around us. It is now well-known that gardening is hugely beneficial, not just for our physical health, but for our mental wellbeing, and this is more important than ever just now.

I would like to put in a plea for contributions to the next newsletter. As there will be no reports on past events, it will otherwise be a very meagre edition. My daughter has come up with some suggestions: why not send in photographs of a plant or group of plants that are looking good just now; or perhaps an account of a garden project or some alterations that you are undertaking? I know that a few members are taking advantage of being confined to barracks by embarking on various changes in their gardens, perhaps something that has been on the back burner for a while due to lack of opportunity. Jeanette Lerwill has set the ball rolling with her account of the logistics of moving a large glasshouse from Kent to Suffolk, and although most of us will not be undertaking anything on that scale, we would love to hear of any changes you are making to your gardens, with photos if possible.

My deadline for the Summer Newsletter is 15th June, and I look forward to hearing from you. In the meantime, take care and enjoy your gardens until we can all meet up again.

EDITORIAL Karin Proudfoot

Alliums and euphorbia, Kew Gardens


As you will be aware, the Covid-19 situation is constantly changing, and we realise that many of you will be self-isolating or in quarantine, or else only able to leave home on a very limited basis. With this in mind, it has occurred to us that some of you may be living alone and would appreciate contact with other Kent Group members. If you are aware of anyone in this situation, you might like to get in touch with them and let them know that you are happy to chat on the phone or by email. Similarly, if any of you are feeling alone and in need of a chat, please do ring us or email with a phone number and we will arrange for someone to be in touch.

With regard to our forthcoming events we will continue to follow government regulations. At the time of going to press, all our events up to the end of July have been cancelled; events from August onwards are listed on page 11, and we very much hope that at least some of these will go ahead. In particular, the Garden Tea Party, in Fiona Chapman’s beautiful garden, could be an extra special occasion this year – the perfect opportunity for us all to get together at last.

However, we would ask everyone to look at our website (www.hpskent.co.uk) before travelling to any event to check whether it will still be held or has been cancelled/postponed. If you have not got internet access, please phone a member of the Committee, whose telephone numbers are listed in the back of this newsletter on page 23.

Cancellation of the 2020 Garden Tour to DevonIn 2018, in our planning stages for a Kent HPS Garden Holiday to Devon, we were unable to track down a hotel that could accommodate a 49-seater coach for June 2019. All places had already been booked by travel companies. So, despite having planned the route and contacted all the gardens, we had to re-contact them and cancel.

This year, after many follow-up calls to hotels, we secured a hotel and set about re-contacting the garden and nursery owners, did all the costings for

KENT GROUP NEWS

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

http://www.hpskent.co.uk


entrance fees and refreshments, and were in the process of writing a booklet introducing you to all the gardens.

Then Covid-19 struck! After speaking to the hotel, we knew we could obtain a refund up to a certain date so we held off cancelling for a while in case there was a chance all would be well by June. But it wasn’t to be, so with heavy hearts we have cancelled the hotel, the coach company has been notified, and all the garden and nursery owners have been contacted and advised (for the second time!).

However, all is not lost! We have managed to secure the same hotel for early June 2021 and hopefully we will be able to book the same gardens and nurseries. So thank you all for your patience and we both hope that you will still want to come away with us in 2021. Let’s hope it’s third time lucky!

Happy gardening over the coming months and good health.Alison Crayford and Sheila Wyver

Cancellation of garden visitsWe are very sorry that the garden visits to Hush Heath Manor in May, and to Falconhurst in June, have had to be cancelled. Hush Heath Manor will possibly be rescheduled for Spring 2021, and Falconhurst will also be rescheduled for next year.

In the meantime, I have arranged a visit on 25th September this year to Badgers Bokes Farm, near Hawkhurst. This two-acre garden has been constructed over the past 25 years, and includes a fernery, herbaceous borders, an Italian courtyard and an ever-expanding tropical garden. Depending on the Covid-19 situation, full details should be in the next newsletter. Fingers crossed that this one will actually happen!

Best wishes and enjoy your gardens.Fiona Chapman

Cancellation of WorkshopsWe were disappointed to have to cancel both the plant support workshop in May and an alpine trough-making workshop planned for July this year.


Demand for the alpine trough event had not yet been tested, but the plant support workshop was oversubscribed. I hope to be able to offer two plant support workshops at Godinton House when life finally returns to normal, while the alpine trough-making workshop will be rescheduled, although we were relying on making use of a barn which is only available at certain times of year.

I have other ideas in the pipeline, such as terrarium making, flower arranging with material from your garden and even making willow sculptures!

Watch this space, keep well and enjoy your gardens this spring and summer.Jo Lamb

New MembersWe extend a warm welcome to our new members, and look forward to meeting you at some of our forthcoming events.

New Committee MemberJo LambI would like to introduce myself as the most recent committee recruit. A ‘Kentish Maid’, I was born in Bromley and have lived and worked in the Borough most of my life. I was a GP in Orpington for 30 years but seem to be even busier in retirement than I was while working.

I joined the HPS Kent Group in September 2018 through my long-standing friendship with Malliet Pattrick. We share many enthusiasms, with golf and gardening being among them. Back then, I had just embarked on a two-year RHS horticulture course at Coolings Nursery; now, my course is nearing completion and I’m part of the HPS Kent Committee. Amazing how time flies.

My area of responsibility on the committee is Workshops. I hope that you enjoy what is coming up but I am very open to suggestions, ideas and comments, both positive and constructive, so that we can further improve your membership experience.

I look forward to getting to know more of you as time goes on.


Tony OrsbourneVirginia Oakes writes: We have received the sad news that Tony Orsbourne died on 25th March 2020 after a long illness. His career was spent with the AA, first on a motorbike and latterly driving an AA patrol vehicle. He always said that the arthritis he suffered in his hands was due to saluting so many AA members while on his bike. His job reflected his keen interest in anything to do with transport and he went on to accumulate a huge collection of transport-related paraphernalia and memorabilia. He was also interested in butterflies and their conservation and, although he wasn’t as concerned with plants as her, Vera made sure he was well supplied with any that would attract them.

Tony and Vera joined Kent Group in the early 1990s. They hosted members’ visits to their beautiful garden and supported Kent Group plant sales, selling unusual plants from a well-stocked and attractive stall. Tony served on the committee for some years, taking on the job of looking after and setting up the sound system and digital projector. Before most halls had their own systems, this was a most important task and when Tony was in charge we could all be confident that members would be able to hear the speaker and see the images clearly. He was also our ‘weatherman’. He took meticulous daily records of temperature and rainfall, and more recently wind direction and speed as well. He then used these data to write reports for the newsletter, giving us a useful and interesting record of the weather, always an important subject for gardeners. In 2000 Tony joined the group of members staging an exhibit at the Chelsea Flower Show and again his skills were put to good use. He helped with the important task of packing plants and other equipment so that they would arrive in London undamaged, and also with the building of the stand ready for the plant display. He was extremely pleased when we were awarded a gold medal.

Although we hadn’t seen Tony at meetings recently because of his ill health, we greatly appreciated his contribution to Kent Group over many years. We send our sincere condolences to Vera and her family.

Dee FolkardWe are sorry to announce the recent death of Dee Folkard, who was a long-standing member of Kent Group, and other local and specialist groups of the HPS, as well as holding various posts in the national HPS. An obituary will follow in the next newsletter.


Plant Fairs Roadshow 2020Interesting plants grown by dedicated growers

Our Plant Fairs have been organised by a small team of enthusiastic growers, dedicated to promoting reliable and unusual plants to keen gardeners. We have brought together a wide range of small nurseries from the south-east, including many HPS Kent members: Pineview Plants, Copton Ash, Spring Platt Snowdrops, Swallowfields, Blueleaf Plants and Johnson’s Sweet Peas.

At the time of going to press, the following Plant Fairs are scheduled to go ahead but are, of course, subject to cancellation. Please check the website for the latest information: www.plant-fairs.co.uk

The good news is that although we may all be in isolation, the plants you would have bought are not, so please visit the nursery websites (links are on the website above) and buy direct from them; some that do not normally offer mail order are happy to do so in present conditions, especially as they are desperate to move stock as soon as possible. As you can imagine, small plant nurseries are really struggling at this time, and we don’t need to tell you how important it is to support them.

Sunday 31st May, 11.00am – 3.00pmMyddelton House Gardens, Bulls Cross, Enfield EN2 9HGAdmission: tbc

Sunday 7th June, 12 noon – 5.00pmSussex Prairie Garden, Morlands Farm, Wheatsheaf Road, Henfield, West Sussex BN5 9ATAdmission: tbc

Sunday 19th July 11.00am – 4.00pmChawton House, Chawton, Alton, Hampshire GU34 1SJAdmission: £5

Sunday 23rd August 11.00am – 4.00pmHole Park, Rolvenden, Cranbrook TN17 4JAAdmission: £8

Sunday 13th September 10.00am – 3.00pmBorde Hill Garden, Borde Hill Lane, Haywards Heath, Sussex RH16 1XPAdmission: £7 (Plant Fair and garden)

Sunday 20th September 11.00am – 5.00pmSissinghurst Castle Garden, Cranbrook TN17 2ABAdmission: tbc

http://www.plant-fairs.co.uk


East Kent Alpine Garden Society

Forthcoming lecture meetings have been cancelled, but Adventures with Bulbs (due to take place on 22nd March) has now been rescheduled for 25th October, at Lenham Community Hall as before.

For further information about future events, please contact Gillian Ingram (tel: 01795 535919; email: [email protected])

Members’ Gardens open for the NGS

As you probably already know, the NGS has reluctantly made the decision to advise all garden owners not to open until further notice – the first time this has happened in its 93-year history. It is hoped that many of them will be able to welcome visitors later in the year, so keep an eye on the website for further information: https://ngs.org.uk

In the meantime, the NGS is hoping to build up an online library of ‘virtual’ garden tours, filmed by garden owners, which you can enjoy on its website. You may even find some Kent Group members’ gardens featured.

The NGS website is also featuring advice and stories from garden owners; currently these include accounts of how owners created their gardens, jobs you could be doing now and a recipe for nettle soup.

Plants being stored after Jeanette Lerwill’s move from Kent to Suffolk (see pages 19-22)

http://ngs.org.uk


FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Summary

† Booking form for this event will be included in a later newsletter‡ Further information will be provided in following newsletters

Garden Tea Party†‡ Moonrakers, Biddenden

Garden Visit – Badgers Bokes Farm‡†Hawkhurst

Talk – ‘Peonies’ with Jo BennisonLower Hardres Village Hall

Talk – ‘Wild Flowers of Kent’ with Sue BuckinghamBarham Village Hall

Talk – tbcfollowed by Annual General MeetingPlatt Memorial Hall

Members’ Christmas Party Tunstall Village Hall

Saturday 22nd August2.00 – 5.00pm

Friday 25th September2.30pm

Sunday 27th September2.30pm

Sunday 25th October2.30pm

Sunday 29th November2.30pm

Sunday 13th December10.30 for 11.00am – 3.00pm

Listed below are the events we have planned for later in the year, but all are at risk of cancellation or postponement, depending on circumstances at the time. We hope to be able to give more definite details in the next newsletter, but please always check the website for up-to-date information.


Strange things were taking place one fine sunny day in early February at the home of Karin Proudfoot. A group of Hardy Planters were ogling Melanie Broughton, Big Boy, Little Ben and Gemini, accompanied by Godfrey Owen and his wife Margaret. E. A. Bowles and Natalie Garton joined the fun while Madelaine, along with Bill Clark, were looking distinctly yellow in their upper parts. Pathetic, washed out-looking Katharine Hodgkin was clearly uncomfortable, not really being part of the gang…

I’m sorry to let you down from the sensationalism of the above, because everything was totally as normal for an HPS garden visit. A group of us were at Karin’s to look at her extensive collection of snowdrops and not really believing their luck that they had hit the only sunny spot in the middle of one massive storm. We had driven through torrents of rain and riverine roads to get there, most wondering if we were insane to travel on a day in the middle of whatever Storm Ciara was throwing at us.

I don’t consider myself a true galanthophile because I fully agree with the man who said ‘If you can’t see a difference from 10 feet away, don’t bother!’ Real galanthophiles carry a hand-lens and microscope at all times! However, I do concede that if the aforesaid rule is followed, there are some very striking and very different variations on the basic formula. All of the varieties named in the first paragraph above are of this ilk (except the Iris ‘Katharine Hodgkin’, which I am happy to ignore – easily done, since she just fades into nothingness in the border. A true shrinking violet, without the charm).

I like the big sturdy cultivars best – the ones that stand tall among the mass of Galanthus nivalis in the large drifts that abound in Karin’s garden. These include (besides the aforementioned Galanthus ‘Big Boy’) G. ‘Comet’, G. ‘Armine’ and G. ‘Hunton Giant’. The last one has an interesting local story, which some are aware of, but which I will summarise for those who don’t. The late David Way, a former chairman of the Kent HPS, spotted an exceptionally tall, large-leaved snowdrop in the derelict kitchen garden of Hunton Old Rectory. He rescued it and increased its numbers, naming it after the village where it

RECENT EVENTS

Garden Visit to The Old RectoryPaul IngletonFawkham, 13th February 2020


was found. Its parentage is a mystery (presumably a form of G. elwesii), as is how it came to be there. We had some real experts among us too – you have to be so if, like Anne Smith, you can confidently recognise a cultivar from a distance, without looking at the label (G. ’Comet’ in this instance). By the way, Karin’s labelling was excellent!

There are some shorter cultivars that take the eye because they have a distinctive flower shape. One such that we saw is G. ‘Walrus’, because is outer segments resemble prominent moustaches. Another is G. ‘Diggory’, whose lovely bell-shaped outer segments have a seersucker texture, looking like a Victorian lady in a crinoline (although, if this is the case, I’m sure he’s a cross-dresser!).

Other cultivars stand out because of distinctive markings on the flower. A notable one is G. ‘South Hayes’, which has a flower like a green-marked pixie cap. G. ‘Ivy Cottage Green Tip’ sounds good, except that, for the life of me, I couldn’t see anything resembling a green tip! Maybe if I had a hand-lens I might, but I refer you to the 10-foot rule mentioned above. Other cultivars of note were G. ‘Daglingworth’, G. ‘Little Ben’ and G. ‘GC2’ (a strange name – originally from Glen Chantry nursery and given the initial prechristening code but never renamed). Also unusual are the so-called ‘yellow’ hybrids where the standard green markings are replaced with more or less yellowish ones. Two representatives of this curious class in Karin’s garden are G. ‘Madelaine’ and G. ‘Bill Clark’.

Of course, as with all the best gardens, this was planted with a wonderful range of other herbaceous perennials and trees. Hellebores were well represented with some notable (real) yellow hybrids. One outstanding hybrid we saw was Helleborus (Rodney Davey Marbled Group) ’Molly’s White’ with excellent upright, forward-facing flowers and dramatic purple stems. One would think that the black-flowered ones that we saw would be dramatic. Not so! In winter, with dull light and dark soil, they just disappear into the background. I’m sure if you could make certain that they are backlit with the sun, and with a surrounding of pale foliage, they would look stunning but who can do that!

There was a fine Acer griseum and three Betula albo-sinensis var. septentrionalis ‘Purdom’ as examples of good-looking winter trees, and the spectacularly scented Lonicera fragrantissima (well, I think so). A delightful white vinca (Vinca difformis) crept around, with Crocus tommasinianus, Cyclamen coum and Eranthis hyemalis mingling with innumerable snowdrops adding to the sunlit picture. A purple erysimum was flowering well along with a form of Polypodium cambricum, a fern looking at its feathery best. Also noted were


the most curious Chrysosplenium macrophyllum, in its almost totally white leaf and flower garb, and the very striking Acanthus mollis ‘Hollard’s Gold’. And finally, everyone admired ‘Godfrey Owen’, but not in his snowdrop persona, but as a beautiful purple-leaved bergenia.

The garden tour completed, we retired to Karin’s kitchen for the time-honoured conclusion to any HPS visit. Tea and delicious cake! Many thanks to Karin for hosting us and arranging a perfect sunny spell, to Anne for the cake, and to Fiona for organising the whole thing.

Snowdrops and aconites at The Old Rectory: Bergenia ‘Godfrey Owen’ and Galanthus ‘Margaret Owen’ on the right

‘Being Head Gardener at Canterbury Cathedral’

Jeremy SponTalk by Philip Oostenbrink23rd February 2020

Philip has been Head Gardener at Canterbury Cathedral for just over five years, having arrived there from Holland via Hadlow College. After a brief introduction to the history of the Cathedral and its precincts (illustrated by old maps from the Cathedral archives), his talk gave a fascinating insight into his work and workplace. He took us through the principal gardens and other green spaces, which make up about half of the total 23 acres of the precincts, showing us what they contain and the work involved in maintaining them. (The Cathedral as a whole employs about 350 staff and overall it costs £19,000 per day to run the Cathedral and its grounds, so the gardening staff are a small part of the whole organisation!)


Philip explained that while some of the Cathedral officials who occupy the various buildings within the precinct take a close interest in the gardens surrounding their homes, others are happy to give him free rein in planting and maintenance. There is also no blanket requirement to stick to traditional styles or be bound by historical precedent; the Dean, who is in overall charge of the Cathedral estate, is keen for the gardens to evolve, so there are plenty of opportunities to experiment. Examples shown included the Deanery garden, which contains both exotic borders featuring huge banana plants, and a more traditional rose garden featuring David Austin roses with clerical connections, such as Rosa ‘Winchester Cathedral’, R. ‘Brother Cadfael’ and, of course, R. ‘Thomas À Becket’. Several trees have also been allowed to grow quite substantial as they shelter the Dean’s chickens from the pair of peregrine falcons that nest on the cathedral tower! In the Archdeaconry Garden, a lawn cut in a clever pattern of concentric circles around an old yew tree resembles a green pool into which a pebble has been thrown, creating expanding rings of ripples.

The Memorial Garden, once the Dean’s Bowling Green, has changed over the years from bedding schemes in the 1950s and 60s, to the current emphasis on all-year-round colour. The enclosed nature of this space is also very good for holding in and concentrating the scent of plants such as wisteria and chimonanthus. A herb garden has been planted next to the ruins of the monastic infirmary, taking inspiration from one of the earliest uses of the land around the cathedral to provide medicinal plants, and also from the Cathedral library’s precious copy of Gerrard’s Herbal. Elsewhere, in some of the smaller gardens, tulips provide spring colour; Philip particularly recommends Tulipa ‘Paul Scherer’ a dark purple variety which he considers much better than T. ’Queen of the Night’.

In addition, several fine magnolias within the Cathedral precincts have been identified as varieties raised by local nurseryman Amos Pickard. This had led Philip to work towards creating a National Collection of these Pickard Magnolias in the precincts. He is still looking for some of these varieties to add to the collection, so if you think you might have one in your garden, he would love to hear from you.

Philip is also the chairman of the Kent Group of Plant Heritage, and he personally holds three National Collections, of Ophiopogon, Hakonechloa and Aspidistra (plus an unofficial National Collection of Aspidistra Stands!).


Notes on Garden Jobs for April and May Anne Smith

MEMBERS’ ARTICLES

In this time of lockdown, I would like to tell you what I will be doing gardenwise over the next couple of months. Of course these jobs are not necessarily fixed to one particular month but are ongoing. It is not meant to be an exhaustive list, just a reminder, and I will still be weeding with my other half mowing! Starting with Apriln Sow some hardy annuals and grasses in pots – e.g. try Briza maxima.n Prick out seedlings.n Harden off previously sown hardy annuals and vegetables.n Sow sweet peas outdoors.n Tie in climbers.n Feed shrubs, roses, clematis and houseplants.n Put in supports for perennials before they get too tall.n Divide herbaceous plants.

Mayn Take softwood cuttings of argyranthemums, pelargoniums, penstemons, to name a few. (There is a video on the RHS website on how to do this: www.rhs.org.uk/videos/advice/softwood-cuttings)n Deadhead and feed spring bulbs after flowering. n Plant up hanging baskets, but keep in greenhouse until danger of frosts is over. I often plant tumbling tomatoes in a couple of hanging baskets. n Perform the ‘Chelsea chop’ (traditionally done in Chelsea week), reducing by a third the height of later-flowering herbaceous plants to make them more compact and encourage better flowering. I have seen sedums done in ‘tiers’ so the back of the plant isn’t chopped, but the front half is, therefore extending the flowering season. Plants to try it on include asters, phlox, heleniums, rudbeckia.n Plant out dahlias and cannas once danger of frost is past.n Sow wallflowers and other spring bedding plants for next year, from May to July.n Divide herbaceous plants after flowering, such as primula.

Ongoing is my permanent battle with ground elder, which encroaches on the garden from two sides. I suspect I will never win but the garden might even start to look tidy with lockdown.

http://www.rhs.org.uk/videos/advice/softwood-cuttings

http://www.rhs.org.uk/videos/advice/softwood-cuttings


In these strange times we are lucky that we have gardens to find solace in. I hope that apart from working in the garden you will find more time to sit and enjoy all the results of all your hard work.

‘A Little Ray of Positivity and Hope’ – Gardening and Nature Jenny Gibb

The current Covid-19 crisis has seen a rash of press releases and emails, many of which have inevitably been downbeat. However, my spirits were lifted by a phrase in an email from the charity Butterfly Conservation, which works to save butterflies and moths and their habitats. It came in the following paragraph, from the charity’s Chief Executive: “We are also in the opportune position to be able to share … a little ray of positivity and hope as spring arrives in our back gardens and public spaces. We will be encouraging people who may be isolated in their homes or feeling overwhelmed by the news agenda to take some time out in nature if they can. We’ve already received lots of exciting sightings of butterfly and moth species (such as brimstone, peacock, small tortoiseshell and red admiral, as well as the ruby tiger moth and purple thorn) that are newly on the wing and we want to encourage people to get outside and get spotting as more species emerge.”

Especially at this difficult time, HPS members appreciate the physical and mental benefits of gardens – fresh air, physical activity, absorption and calm. Gardens are also vital areas for nature; flowers, trees, birds and insects are all getting active now, with a variety of colours, scents and sounds. We enjoy seeing and hearing wildlife in our gardens. These observations are also very valuable to groups like Butterfly Conservation, to help them learn more about how UK wildlife is faring in gardens (and in other open spaces if people are able to get out there). Many nature charities have websites where you can identify the wildlife you see, and ‘citizen science’ schemes where you can submit these sightings to the charity for their work. Recording what we see in our gardens is especially important to conservation groups now, when access to nature reserves and the countryside is off-limits.

You may be happy using time at home for regular gardening or a new project. If confined indoors, you may be redesigning a border or tending houseplants.


However, if you are finding the current restrictions stressful and worrying, Butterfly Conservation and other wildlife organisations have lots of positive suggestions, some of which I have collated below; I hope you find them useful and interesting.

Bring the outside indoors – ‘Birdsong Radio’If you can’t get outside, try sitting near an open window and listening to birdsong from indoors. You can also bring birdsong into the house using a computer or smartphone. The RSPB website has a feature called ‘Birdsong Radio’ (search for ‘Birdsong Radio’ on the RSPB website: www.rspb.org.uk); if you have a smartphone, you can download the Birdsong Radio app. Websites, such as the RHS (www.rhs.org.uk) or Kew (www.kew.org), include tips and ideas, as well as identification guides.

Take a break outdoors and spot wildlifeIf you don’t have a book, websites can help to identify what you have seen. For example, there are excellent guides for both butterflies and moths on www.butterfly-conservation.org

Submit your sightings The Garden Butterfly Survey (www.gardenbutterflysurvey.org) allows you to identify, record and report the butterflies that visit your garden over the course of a year. This helps to monitor garden butterfly populations, which in turn helps better targeting of conservation efforts to help struggling species. This scheme also has a quick identification guide to the most common garden butterflies.

The wildflower charity Plantlife (www.plantlife.org.uk/uk) also has a number of schemes to record wild flowers in your garden and in the wider environment. If you are able to go for a walk, subject to current restrictions, why not go on a wildflower hunt (www.plantlife.org.uk/wildflowerhunt/)?

Peacock (left), red admiral (centre) and small tortoiseshell (right) butterflies

http://www.rspb.org.uk

http://www.rhs.org.uk

http://www.kew.org

http://www.butterfly-conservation.org

http://www.gardenbutterflysurvey.org

http://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk

http://www.plantlife.org.uk/wildflowerhunt/


Plant flowers for pollinatorsAs we know, insects are vital to natural processes such as pollination and as food for other species such as birds and bats. Gardens are critical in helping to support pollinators such as butterflies, moths and bumblebees. Even a window box can be a valuable source of nourishment for them. Lists of plants that are good sources of nectar and pollen are now readily available in gardening magazines and books, on TV programmes and on websites of many organisations such as the RHS, Butterfly Conservation and Plantlife. Many garden centres and nurseries are still offering mail-order facilities for plants, bulbs and seeds (and will be very glad of your custom at the moment).

In May, Plantlife is running ‘Every Flower Counts’ (www.plantlife.org.uk/everyflowercounts/), an enjoyable activity that will tell you how many bees your garden lawn will support!

Create homes for wildlifeProviding insects with shelter and nest sites can help to encourage predatory insects such as ladybirds, which will help pest control on your plants. A good supply of insects is also vital to feed many young birds. You can still buy ‘bee hotels’ and similar items by mail order, or why not make your own with bamboo canes, pine cones, twigs and branches, and other material already in your garden. Advice on these is available from the same sources as above, for example, www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/give-nature-a-home-in-your-garden/, www.kew.org or www.plantlife.org.uk/uk

Best wishes to all our members and we hope to see you in the near future.

From Claygate to Hoxne Jeanette Lerwill

In these times of reduced social interaction and therefore very little going on with regards to meetings and visits, I was asked to write about our recent house move from Kent to Suffolk, in particular the logistics of moving a collection of tender plants at the ‘wrong’ time of year and with no glasshouse to house them on arrival!

It was always our plan to downsize at some point and, having lived at Orchard House in Claygate for 14 years and run Wheelgate Nursery from there for nearly nine years, I was ready for a change. My sister lives near Woodbridge, Suffolk, so that was a factor in our choice of location. Searches on Rightmove

http://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/give-nature-a-home-in-your-garden/

http://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/give-nature-a-home-in-your-garden/

http://www.kew.org

http://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk


led us to a small Georgian house with 0.8 of an acre, in Hoxne, in the north of the county, near the Norfolk border.

We had intended putting Orchard House on the market in the spring, with a view to the garden being at its peak when we had viewings, but the farmers opposite us had expressed an interest in the house, so we didn’t even need to put it with an estate agent. Unfortunately, this meant that the move was brought forward by several months, putting my plan for moving my tender plants in disarray. I have a wonderful Hartley Botanic glasshouse, which I love and, after weighing up the cost of moving it against the price of a new one, it was a financial ‘no brainer’ to take it with us. However, I needed to work out what to do with the tender plants in the short term. The previous owners at Hoxne had a hairdressing salon in an annexe in the garden so we decided the tender plants could be housed there until mid-May, when the weather would be warm enough for them to go outside. The house is Grade II listed which means we need to get planning permission to put up the glasshouse in the garden, so we are hoping we will get permission, the base built, and the glasshouse erected before winter sets in.

Moving the glasshouse and plants took a fair bit of logistical planning. Hartley Botanic would dismantle and re-erect it but would not move it. The removal company was not happy to move it as they are not specialists in moving glass, and all the glass is packed into one crate weighing half a tonne, so cannot be man-handled. Lying in bed one night I came up with a plan I thought would work – we would hire a van and place the glass crate in the van, packing it pane by pane as the glasshouse is dismantled. We would then drive it to Hoxne and unload it from the crate pane by pane, then move the empty crate and replace the glass in it, again pane by pane. The gable ends of the glasshouse

The glass house – before and after!


are in one piece and my husband, Bryn, researched suitable vans to ensure they would fit in, and ended up hiring a Luton.

The day before the dismantle all the tender plants were moved out and into the carport in Kent, protected by a temporary curtain and a gas heater; luckily it stayed above zero for the four nights they were there. On Thursday 6th March Hartley Botanic arrived for the dismantle, and the weather was horrendous, with torrential rain all day. I felt so sorry for Stephen from Hartley, who worked through without a break, refusing my offer of soup at midday as he said he was so wet he would carry on. Bryn was also out there most of the day, loading up the glass as it was removed.

On Friday Stephen returned, and thankfully the weather was much improved. He wrapped all the components in bubble wrap and we loaded up the van. We were amazed how much space there was left, which I soon filled with all the hardy plants I was taking. The next day we drove to Suffolk with our friend Paul, who helped us unload all the glass and frame (and plants). The people we were buying the house from had kindly agreed we could bring the glasshouse components and place them in the garden, even though completion was not until the following Monday. It took us nearly two hours of carrying panes of glass and frame components to the back of the annexe, but all went well and nothing was broken.

On Sunday we loaded up the tender plants from the carport. This was like an enormous jigsaw puzzle, using the long bench from the glasshouse, for which Bryn made some temporary edges so the plants on top wouldn’t fall off, and two further layers below, with plants packed in tightly, alternating plastic with terracotta pots so they didn’t knock together and break. Amazingly, everything fitted in with not an inch to spare.

The removal men packed up the house contents on Monday morning and in the afternoon we drove up to Hoxne, with Bryn driving the Luton while I drove the car. After a quick cup of tea we unloaded the plants into the annexe. Our furniture wasn’t due to arrive until the following day, so we slept on an inflatable mattress.

The removal men arrived on Tuesday morning as planned and quickly offloaded everything – we definitely have more outside ‘stuff’ than inside so there was a lot of shed sorting to do, but even so it took a week to get the house in order.


Canterbury GroupSheila Wyver,The Guinea, 31 Island Wall, Whitstable, Kent CT5 1EWTel: 01227 271159Email: [email protected]

Cranbrook GroupSue Martin,1 Brickwall Cottages,Frittenden, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 2DHTel: 01580 852425Email: [email protected]

Faversham GroupPaul Ingleton,8 Grayshott Close,Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 4PUTel: 07563 691975Email: [email protected]

Folkestone GroupGeraldine Fish,22 St. Peter’s Lane,Canterbury, Kent CT1 2BPTel: 01227 453064Email: [email protected]

Sevenoaks GroupGill Pannett,2 Brownway Cottages, Riding Lane, Hildenborough, Kent TN11 9LLTel: 01732 834955Email: [email protected]

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Then to the outside: the house sits on the edge of the plot with all the garden in front, which is great. There are many more trees than I had first thought, but most are deciduous so I am planning to add more evergreens, such as Quercus ilex, yew and possibly Portuguese laurel along the fence line, to screen the bottom of the garden further. We are bordered by quite a few neighbours and not all boundaries are fenced, which is a bit of problem when you have a dog, so extra fencing was required.

I am planning two parallel herbaceous borders from the front door (which is not used). I had planned this before leaving Kent and ordered 300 9cm plants from a trade nursery in Norfolk. When I checked on Google I found they are six miles from here, so on Friday 20th March I went and collected them in the van. It took a few days to pot them into 2-litre pots and I have lined them out on an area covered with MyPex in front of the annexe (once a nurserywoman, always a nurserywoman). I have also started sowing vegetable and annual flower seeds so I don’t miss a growing season, even though I have nowhere to plant them yet.

And then I fell ill …[To be continued in the next newsletter – Ed.]


Robert LinesChairman13 Kestrel Close,Sittingbourne,Kent ME10 4PXTel: 01795 420430Email: [email protected]

Sheila WyverSecretaryThe Guinea, 31 Island Wall, Whitstable, Kent CT5 1EWTel: 01227 271159Email: [email protected]

Alison CrayfordTreasurer6 Hazel Avenue, Allington, Maidstone,Kent ME16 0BATel: 01622 356887Email: [email protected]

Anne SmithMembership SecretaryLittle Bewley, Tonbridge Road, Ightham, Kent TN15 9APTel: 01732 885366Email: [email protected]

Karin ProudfootNewsletter EditorThe Old Rectory, Fawkham, Longfield, Kent DA3 8LXTel: 01474 707513Email: [email protected]

Fiona ChapmanGarden VisitsMoonrakers,Mockbeggar Lane,Biddenden, Kent TN27 8ESTel: 01580 291292Email: [email protected]

Jenny GibbTalks37 Fairby Lane,Hartley, Longfield, Kent DA3 8DATel: 01474 706378Email: [email protected]

Jo LambWorkshops4 Inglewood Copse,Bickley,Kent BR1 2BBTel: 07946 505448Email: [email protected]

Kent Group website: www.hpskent.co.uk

OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE 2020

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Tulipa saxatilis (Bakeri Group) ‘Lilac Wonder’

Spring bulbs at Great Dixter

kent group newsletter spring 2020

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