24 April 2025 Inter Society Quiz. North Berwick welcomed teams from Musselburgh, Gifford, West Linton, Dalkeith and Pathhead Horticultural Societies for an afternoon Quiz with Quizmaster Dr Stan da Prato. There was not much difference between the scores, it was very close and Pathhead took the Trophy with 64 out of 70 points. Afterwards tea, cakes and conversation were enjoyed by all.
3 April 2025, Spring Bulb Show Club bulbs, daffodils, tulips and a glorious display of spring bulbs adorned the Community Centre, and we were also treated to a display of Jetfire daffodils grown by many of the junior groups in North Berwick. While the judging was taking place, Margaret Ann Crawford gave us an excellent talk, sharing her knowledge and experience of Creating a Garden from Scratch.Best
Margaret Ann Crawford won The Challenge Trophy for the best cut narcissus bloom and the North Berwick Horticultural Society New Challenge Cup for the most 1st awards,
The Peter Atkins Trophy for Club Bulbs was shared by Cathie Wright for her "Heart's Delight" Tulips, Margaret Ann Crawford for her "City of Haarlem" Hyacinths and Libby Morris for her "Barret Browing" Narcissi.
Elaine Carlyle won the prize for the first time exhibitor for her arrangements of garden flowers.
Thanks to Dr Stan da Prato and Andrew Hogarth for juding the show
Margaret Ann Crawford won The Challenge Trophy for the best cut narcissus bloom and the North Berwick Horticultural Society New Challenge Cup for the most 1st awards,
The Peter Atkins Trophy for Club Bulbs was shared by Cathie Wright for her "Heart's Delight" Tulips, Margaret Ann Crawford for her "City of Haarlem" Hyacinths and Libby Morris for her "Barret Browing" Narcissi.
Elaine Carlyle won the prize for the first time exhibitor for her arrangements of garden flowers.
Thanks to Dr Stan da Prato and Andrew Hogarth for juding the show
27 FEBURARY, Kitchen Garden Vegetables, Jim Williams. Jim entertained and informed us about all kinds of vegetables that we could grow to enjoy the delights of home grown produce. After introducing the National Vegetable Society, topics covered included vegetable classification, garden layout, use of containers, ground preparation and greenhouse cultivation.
30 JANUARY 2025, The Changing Wildlife of our Local Coasts, Stan da Prato. An insightful talk giving us all up to date information on how the flora and birdlife along our coasts has been changing over recent years. This was accompanied by many stunning photos, local stories, thank you Stan for sharing your extensive knowledge with us.
28 NOVEMBER, Bees in the Garden, Clive Baker. Clive joined us to give us an excellent presentation, not only did we hear about bees in the garden, he brought along a deconstructed beehive and showed us what all the various parts were, the roles of all the bees and where the honey is produced. Afterwards we were treated to tasting some of Clive's bees honey and other honeys. Thanks you Clive for giving up your afternoon.
31 OCTOBER, Understanding and growing ferns, Heather McHaffie Once again botanist Heather McHaffie joined us at the Club for a facinating talk on ferns and brought along many samples for us to take away. This was complemented by a display of ferns provided by Dr Stan da Prato, our honorary president.
Stan then presented the trophies for the August show. Libby Morris was presented the John Wightman Cup for the most first places in the show, Libby also won the Sir Hew Hamilton Dalrymple Trophy for first in class with the most entries. Betty McMorland was presented with North Berwick and district Horticultral Society Cup for the best in show and the Rose Bowl for the Best Indoor Pot Plant was presented to Margaret Ann Crawford.
Stan then presented the trophies for the August show. Libby Morris was presented the John Wightman Cup for the most first places in the show, Libby also won the Sir Hew Hamilton Dalrymple Trophy for first in class with the most entries. Betty McMorland was presented with North Berwick and district Horticultral Society Cup for the best in show and the Rose Bowl for the Best Indoor Pot Plant was presented to Margaret Ann Crawford.
21 SEPTEMBER PLANT FUNDRAISER, THE ABBEY CHURCH NORTH BERWICK Members of the club contributed time, plants and energy to the plant sale, all resulting in raising nearly £700, to be split between North Berwick in Bloom and the Club, an excellent result. Any plants left over were donated to North Berwick in Bloom and over the next few months will be planted in various locations throughout the town.
We collected subscriptions and we are pleased to recruit some new members who we will welcome at our next meeting. This year's club bulbs were also distributed.
The plant sale was a popular as ever and pictured below is the queue forming just before the gates opening at 10am.
We collected subscriptions and we are pleased to recruit some new members who we will welcome at our next meeting. This year's club bulbs were also distributed.
The plant sale was a popular as ever and pictured below is the queue forming just before the gates opening at 10am.
29 AUGUST 2024, SHOW AT NORTH BERWICK COMMUNITY CENTRE. Members of the North Berwick Gardening Club came together to create a glorious display of flowers, produce and horticultural excellence. Whilst the judging was taking place, Anthony Hughes-Onslow gave a talk on the "Evolution of the Garden at Marchmont".
Congratulations to Libby Morris who was awarded the John Wightman Cup for the most first places in the show, Libby also won the Sir Hew Hamilton Dalrymple Trophy for first in class with the most entries. Betty McMorland won the North Berwick and district Horticultral Society Cup for the best in show. The Rose Bowl for the Best Indoor Pot Plant went to Margaret Ann Crawford. Sandi Rouliere won the prize the the first time exhibitor.
This year, we were delighted that Janey Dalrymple was able to join us and presented the prizes.
Congratulations to Libby Morris who was awarded the John Wightman Cup for the most first places in the show, Libby also won the Sir Hew Hamilton Dalrymple Trophy for first in class with the most entries. Betty McMorland won the North Berwick and district Horticultral Society Cup for the best in show. The Rose Bowl for the Best Indoor Pot Plant went to Margaret Ann Crawford. Sandi Rouliere won the prize the the first time exhibitor.
This year, we were delighted that Janey Dalrymple was able to join us and presented the prizes.
2024 Summer Garden Visits to Marchmont and Blackdykes
In June the Club had two visits, a glorious evening at Blackdykes, North Berwick and an afternoon at Marchmont, Greenlaw.
In June the Club had two visits, a glorious evening at Blackdykes, North Berwick and an afternoon at Marchmont, Greenlaw.
Blackdykes
Marchmont
2024 Summer Outing to Dumfries House
At 8.40 on Thursday 30th May, 29 Gardening Club members left sunny North Berwick for a visit to Dumfries House located in Cumnock, Ayrshire..
On arrival at Dumfries House we were greeted by a tour guide who escorted us into the house where we were served a very welcome cup of tea, coffee and biscuits after which we were split into two groups to go on a tour of the house with very
informative guides. After the tour which took approximately an hour we were free to walk around the 2000 acre estate where we had our picnic lunches or ate at the on site cafe, visit the souvenir shop, or walk to the walled garden where the attached photos were taken. There was much more to see but time was against us, the weather was very kind as it stayed sunny and everyone enjoyed the day.
At 8.40 on Thursday 30th May, 29 Gardening Club members left sunny North Berwick for a visit to Dumfries House located in Cumnock, Ayrshire..
On arrival at Dumfries House we were greeted by a tour guide who escorted us into the house where we were served a very welcome cup of tea, coffee and biscuits after which we were split into two groups to go on a tour of the house with very
informative guides. After the tour which took approximately an hour we were free to walk around the 2000 acre estate where we had our picnic lunches or ate at the on site cafe, visit the souvenir shop, or walk to the walled garden where the attached photos were taken. There was much more to see but time was against us, the weather was very kind as it stayed sunny and everyone enjoyed the day.
May 2024 Plant Fundraiser with North Berwick in BloomThere was a crowd forming already by 10 oclock and they rushed in when the gates were opened. There was a wonderful choice of plants and bulbs, including all the tulip bulbs which had been lifted and bagged specially for the sale. The majority of items were sold and along with the money from the tombola, over £1,100 was raised for NB in Bloom and NB Gardening Club funds. A really marvelous result.
2024 AGM April
The minutes of the previous meeting, minutes of the 2023 meeting, year end accounts and agenda were circulated to members before the meeting. The meeting was held on Thursday April 25th at 2pm at the North Berwick Community Centre.
The minutes of the previous meeting, minutes of the 2023 meeting, year end accounts and agenda were circulated to members before the meeting. The meeting was held on Thursday April 25th at 2pm at the North Berwick Community Centre.
2024 Spring Show North Berwick Community Centre
The incredible scent of hyacinth and daffodils greeted you as you entered the Community Centre Hall on the evening of 28th March and were treated to a magnificent display of spring colour and a magnificent display of colour from the many exhibits.
Towards the end of 2023, every club member was given bulbs of Hyacinth Gypsy Queen, Narcissius Jack Snipe and tulip Scarlet Baby and invited to grow them and bring them along to the show. The club bulbs pictured below were judged by Wattie Russel and Andrew Hogarth.
Whilst the judging was taking place, Cathie Wright, presented a fun quiz, all questions had a horticultural theme, but required local knowledge and lateral thinking as well!
Anne Donaldson won the Peter Atkins trophy for the most points for her club bulbs, she is pictured here with judge Andrew Hogarth, and Alex Hutchison won the New Challenge Cup for the most first's in the show. Alex was presented her cup by our honorary presdient, Stan da Prato.
The incredible scent of hyacinth and daffodils greeted you as you entered the Community Centre Hall on the evening of 28th March and were treated to a magnificent display of spring colour and a magnificent display of colour from the many exhibits.
Towards the end of 2023, every club member was given bulbs of Hyacinth Gypsy Queen, Narcissius Jack Snipe and tulip Scarlet Baby and invited to grow them and bring them along to the show. The club bulbs pictured below were judged by Wattie Russel and Andrew Hogarth.
Whilst the judging was taking place, Cathie Wright, presented a fun quiz, all questions had a horticultural theme, but required local knowledge and lateral thinking as well!
Anne Donaldson won the Peter Atkins trophy for the most points for her club bulbs, she is pictured here with judge Andrew Hogarth, and Alex Hutchison won the New Challenge Cup for the most first's in the show. Alex was presented her cup by our honorary presdient, Stan da Prato.
FEBRUARY 2024 "Magical Maderia - a Gardener's Paradise, Following a recent visit, Cathie Wright, our Club Chair, took us to visit both the botanical gardens and Monte Palicio in Funchal. The talk also included many photographs of the flora of Maderia. After the talk, Margaret Ann Crawford, in preparation for our Spring show, shared her knowledge and gave a super demonstration of "What the Judges are Looking for" and members were able to have a go at staging daffodils.
JANUARY 2024 The hall was packed and we welcomed back Mike Fraser . This year Mike shared his extensive knowledge of wildlife and beautiful photographs with the Club. We all benefited from his advice and went away with ideas for our own gardens.
30 NOVEMBER On a snowy St Andrew's day afternoon, we were delighted to welcome Liz Stewart, CEO of Scotland's Garden Scheme. We learnt about the history of the scheme and were delighted that the talk focused on East Lothian, providing lots of information and photos of gardens that will be open in 2024. More information on these gardens can be found at https://scotlandsgardens.org/
26 OCTOBER "Getting along with roses - some basics and my experience"
Adrian Miles, a Beautiful Scotland judge, took time to share his experience, his knowledge and his stunning photographs of roses with us. He covered the various types of roses, cared needed for these differing types which included feeding, dead-heading and disease mitigation. Many of the members asked questions about, recommended varieties and Adrian hardly had a chance to have a cup of tea, such was the level of interest and discussion. For those that missed the talk, or who want a refresh, there is a You Tube video of a lockdown zoom presentation, well worth a view.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mTLKUUdMds
30 SEPTEMBER PLANT FUNDRAISER, THE ABBEY CHURCH NORTH BERWICK Members of the club contributed time, plants and energy to the plant sale, all resulting in raising £510, to be split between North Berwick in Bloom and the Club, an excellent result. Any plants left over were donated to North Berwick in Bloom and over the next few months will be planted in various locations throughout the town.
Our treasurer, collected subscriptions and we are pleased to recruit some new members who we will welcome at our next meeting. This year's club bulbs were also distributed.
Our treasurer, collected subscriptions and we are pleased to recruit some new members who we will welcome at our next meeting. This year's club bulbs were also distributed.
28 SEPTEMBER VISIT TO AMISFIELD WALLED GARDEN On a wild and windy day, a group were shown round this wonderful 8 acre walled garden on the outskirts of Haddington and treated to a magnificent display of autumn colour. The wind died down and we were able to visit the many and varied parts of the garden. This included the greenhouses, with tomatoes, cucumbers and aubergines, avenues of espaliered apples, wide herbaceous borders, potager and hidden gems such as the Japanese inspired sound garden.
31 AUGUST 2023, SHOW AT NORTH BERWICK COMMUNITY CENTRE. Members of the North Berwick Gardening Club came together to create a glorious display of flowers, produce and horticultural excellence. Whilst the judging was taking place, Alex Hutchison shared her photos and talked about her recent visit to the Scone Palace Garden Fair and the pallet competition.
Congratulations to Libby Morris who was awarded the John Wightman Cup. Eleven members of the club collected first certificates for their entries, but Libby had the most 1st places, in 12 classes, and won the cup. Libby also won the Sir Hew Hamilton Dalrymple Trophy for first in class with the most entries. The class with the most entries was Class 21, Mixed Garden flowers in a jam jar. Libby also won the North Berwick and district Horticultral Society Cup for the best in show for her vase of many and varied annuals.
The Rose Bowl for the Best Indoor Pot Plant went to Susan Crooks for her outstanding streptocarpus. Below are some photos of the evening and pictures of winners, judge Dr Stan da Prato with Susan Crooks and Libby pictured with her trophies.
Congratulations to Libby Morris who was awarded the John Wightman Cup. Eleven members of the club collected first certificates for their entries, but Libby had the most 1st places, in 12 classes, and won the cup. Libby also won the Sir Hew Hamilton Dalrymple Trophy for first in class with the most entries. The class with the most entries was Class 21, Mixed Garden flowers in a jam jar. Libby also won the North Berwick and district Horticultral Society Cup for the best in show for her vase of many and varied annuals.
The Rose Bowl for the Best Indoor Pot Plant went to Susan Crooks for her outstanding streptocarpus. Below are some photos of the evening and pictures of winners, judge Dr Stan da Prato with Susan Crooks and Libby pictured with her trophies.
JUNE 2023 VISITS On June 1, we were the guest of Greywalls hotel and given a guided tour of the garden by head gardener, Neil Davidson. Highlights included the Orlaya grandiflora, a hardy mediterranean native, David Austen roses and wonderful, fragrant irises. At the end of June, we had a day trip to the Japanese Garden at Cowden and Kirklands, two very different gardens, both a delight to visit.
MAY 2023 PLANT SALE - Members of the gardening club and North Berwick in Bloom brought along seedlings, perenials, herbs, houseplants and alpines, all displayed along the path outside the Abbey Church. This year we the Garden Club has worked with the P3s at Law Primary and they planted spider plants, nastursium and marigolds seeds, all available for sale at the event. The tulip festival had come to an end and there were also hundreds of newly lifted tulip and hyacinth bulbs available, also an option to try your luck on the Tombola. A steady flow of visitors chose plants and we raised an amazing £1000. Thank you to everyone who supported this event.
2023 AGM May
The minutes of the previous meeting, minutes of the 2022 meeting, year end accounts and agenda were circulated to members before the meeting. The meeting was held on Thursday May 25th at 2pm at the North Berwick Community Centre.
The minutes of the previous meeting, minutes of the 2022 meeting, year end accounts and agenda were circulated to members before the meeting. The meeting was held on Thursday May 25th at 2pm at the North Berwick Community Centre.
April 2023 - Gordon Mitchell - Seasonal Container Gardening We finished the year by having a talk and demonstration on Seasonal Container planting, by Gordon Mitchell, lots of ideas about containers, composts, beautiful pictures and some handihints for all. In all, 4 containers were planted up and raffled for lucky members to take home. As well as traditional bedding plants, there was a container of herbs and another of succulents.
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Some of Gordon's magnificent container displayss
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2023 Spring Show North Berwick Community Centre
The incredible scent of hyacinth and daffodils greeted you as you entered the Community Centre Hall on the evening of 30th March and were treated to a magnificent display of spring colour and a magnificent display of colour from the many exhibits.
Towards the end of 2022, every club member was given bulbs of Hyacinth Jan Boss, Cyclamineus Narcissius andTulip Show winner Kaufmanniana and invited to grow them and bring them along to the show. The club bulbs pictured below were judged by Dr Stan da Prato and Andrew Hogarth.
Whilst the judging was taking place, Cathie Wright, presented a fun quiz, all questions had a horticultural theme, but required local knowledge and lateral thinking as well!
Margaret Valerio won the Peter Atkins trophy for the most points for her club bulbs and Margaret Ann Crawford won the New Challenge Cup and is being presented with the trophy by Dr Stan da Prato.
This year there was an additional prize for first time exhibitors. Pictured below our our joint winners, Alison and Bernie. Ailson won first prize for her photo of the Joy of Spring and Bernie for her house plant.
The incredible scent of hyacinth and daffodils greeted you as you entered the Community Centre Hall on the evening of 30th March and were treated to a magnificent display of spring colour and a magnificent display of colour from the many exhibits.
Towards the end of 2022, every club member was given bulbs of Hyacinth Jan Boss, Cyclamineus Narcissius andTulip Show winner Kaufmanniana and invited to grow them and bring them along to the show. The club bulbs pictured below were judged by Dr Stan da Prato and Andrew Hogarth.
Whilst the judging was taking place, Cathie Wright, presented a fun quiz, all questions had a horticultural theme, but required local knowledge and lateral thinking as well!
Margaret Valerio won the Peter Atkins trophy for the most points for her club bulbs and Margaret Ann Crawford won the New Challenge Cup and is being presented with the trophy by Dr Stan da Prato.
This year there was an additional prize for first time exhibitors. Pictured below our our joint winners, Alison and Bernie. Ailson won first prize for her photo of the Joy of Spring and Bernie for her house plant.
23 FEBRUARY 2023 Heather McHaffie, Growing Native Species in a Small Garden
Heather, former Royal Botantic Gardens's Scottish Plant Officer and lecturer brought her enthusiasm for nature and plants to North Berwick and shared her extensive knowledge of native species. Heather promoted the idea of "editing" the many seedlings that will grow in your garden, to allow these plants to grow and support wildlife. Her talk was supported by many excellent photographs of the plants she described.
Dr Stan da Prato, our honorary president also provided a very colourful selection of spring bulbs.
Heather, former Royal Botantic Gardens's Scottish Plant Officer and lecturer brought her enthusiasm for nature and plants to North Berwick and shared her extensive knowledge of native species. Heather promoted the idea of "editing" the many seedlings that will grow in your garden, to allow these plants to grow and support wildlife. Her talk was supported by many excellent photographs of the plants she described.
Dr Stan da Prato, our honorary president also provided a very colourful selection of spring bulbs.
26 JANUARY 2023 Mike Fraser, "The Cape Floral Kingdom - South Africa's Gift to Gardeners"
What a start to the year, transported to South Africa on a dark January afternoon, where Mike shared his knowledge, photographs and Liz's exquisite botanical illustrations. Not only were we introduced to the wealth and diversity of the Cape's flora, but to many garden plants that have their origins in the Cape, including Agapanthus, Gladioli and Freesia. We also learnt about the plant hunters and collectors who brought them to the UK and cultivated them here. At the end of the talk, there was a chance to purchase Mike and Liz's book "The Smallest Kingdom: Plants and Plant Collectors at the Cape of Good Hope.
What a start to the year, transported to South Africa on a dark January afternoon, where Mike shared his knowledge, photographs and Liz's exquisite botanical illustrations. Not only were we introduced to the wealth and diversity of the Cape's flora, but to many garden plants that have their origins in the Cape, including Agapanthus, Gladioli and Freesia. We also learnt about the plant hunters and collectors who brought them to the UK and cultivated them here. At the end of the talk, there was a chance to purchase Mike and Liz's book "The Smallest Kingdom: Plants and Plant Collectors at the Cape of Good Hope.
24 NOVEMBER, "Magical Herbs: Growing Herbs in North Berwick" Dr Libby Morris
This excellent talk started with a history of herbs in North Berwick, initially focusing on medicinal herbs and the role of the Priory in North Berwick, the witch trials and local herbalists. We were also introduced to specific herbs such as Monkshood, Tansy and Yarrow with the various other uses of herbs such as strewing, smelling, cooking and gardening. After the talk Axel and Ziggy helped Libby plant up two containers. One of these was then given as a raffle prize at the end of the talk. Members were also treated to an exhibition table with examples of many of the herbs discussed, information labels and commercially available products using herbs such as teas and creams.
This excellent talk started with a history of herbs in North Berwick, initially focusing on medicinal herbs and the role of the Priory in North Berwick, the witch trials and local herbalists. We were also introduced to specific herbs such as Monkshood, Tansy and Yarrow with the various other uses of herbs such as strewing, smelling, cooking and gardening. After the talk Axel and Ziggy helped Libby plant up two containers. One of these was then given as a raffle prize at the end of the talk. Members were also treated to an exhibition table with examples of many of the herbs discussed, information labels and commercially available products using herbs such as teas and creams.
27 OCTOBER, " Ian McNaughton and the Autumn Flowering Gentian" A talk by Beryl McNaughton, Macplants
We were delighted to welcome Beryl to the club and enjoyed her very informative talk about the work of Ian McNaughton in breeding and developing a wide variety of gentians, all compact with different flowering times, easy to grow in pots and distributed through commercial garden centres. They can be seen on the Macplants website, one of the most vibrant ones is The Caley, which was named after the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society. Beryl also gave us invaluable advice on growing them, and also on dividing the thongs in spring to successfully propogate from your plants. There was a wide selection of gentians for sale at the end of the talk and many of us are now trying to follow Beryl's advice and create a great display next autumn.
We were delighted to welcome Beryl to the club and enjoyed her very informative talk about the work of Ian McNaughton in breeding and developing a wide variety of gentians, all compact with different flowering times, easy to grow in pots and distributed through commercial garden centres. They can be seen on the Macplants website, one of the most vibrant ones is The Caley, which was named after the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society. Beryl also gave us invaluable advice on growing them, and also on dividing the thongs in spring to successfully propogate from your plants. There was a wide selection of gentians for sale at the end of the talk and many of us are now trying to follow Beryl's advice and create a great display next autumn.
24 SEPTEMBER, PLANT SALE, ABBEY CHURCH NORTH BERWICK
Members of the club contributed time, plants and energy to the plant sale, all resulting in raising £504, to be split between North Berwick in Bloom and the Club, an excellent result. Any plants left over were donated to North Berwick in Bloom and over the next few months will be planted in various locations throughout the town.
Our treasurer, collected subscriptions and we are pleased to recruit some new members who we will welcome at our next meeting.
Club Bulbs were also distributed and our honorary president Dr Stan da Prato gave a demonstration on how to plant these in pots for the Spring Show.
Attached below is a picture of Mary Brown's sunflower bloom with a diameter of 29cm, truely magnificent. It is attached to the pallet in front of the Abbey Church and whilst the birds are helping themselves to seeds, club members are welcome to collect a few seeds to grow next year.
Members of the club contributed time, plants and energy to the plant sale, all resulting in raising £504, to be split between North Berwick in Bloom and the Club, an excellent result. Any plants left over were donated to North Berwick in Bloom and over the next few months will be planted in various locations throughout the town.
Our treasurer, collected subscriptions and we are pleased to recruit some new members who we will welcome at our next meeting.
Club Bulbs were also distributed and our honorary president Dr Stan da Prato gave a demonstration on how to plant these in pots for the Spring Show.
Attached below is a picture of Mary Brown's sunflower bloom with a diameter of 29cm, truely magnificent. It is attached to the pallet in front of the Abbey Church and whilst the birds are helping themselves to seeds, club members are welcome to collect a few seeds to grow next year.
1 SEPTEMBER 2022, VISIT TO SAUGHTON PARK GARDENS, EDINBURGH
On a glorious sunny afternoon, club members gathered in the courtyard. First they were introduced to the history of the garden by Pam Whittle, of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society and then were given a guided tour by Dr Stan da Prato. Highlights included the demonstration rock garden, the grass planting, the glasshouse and rose garden.
On a glorious sunny afternoon, club members gathered in the courtyard. First they were introduced to the history of the garden by Pam Whittle, of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society and then were given a guided tour by Dr Stan da Prato. Highlights included the demonstration rock garden, the grass planting, the glasshouse and rose garden.
18 AUGUST 2022, AUGUST SHOW
Members of the North Berwick Gardening Club came together on a sunny evening to create a glorious display of flowers, produce and horticultural excellence. Whilst the judging was taking place, John Reglinski shared his photos and adventures from his recent trip. "Walking from tree to tree in the Appalachian mountains" was an excellent talk, with stunning photos of the plantlife as well as the trees.
Congratulations to Libby Morris who was awarded the John Wightman Cup. Ten members of the club collected first certificates for their entries, but Libby had the most 1st places, in 9 classes, and won the cup. Libby also won the Sir Hew Hamilton Dalrymple Trophy for first in class with the most entries. The class with the most entries was Class 22, Mixed Garden flowers in a jam jar. The judges were also delighted to see a large entry of beautiful rose blooms.
The Rose Bowl for the Best Indoor Pot Plant went to Mary Brown for her outstanding rex begonia and The North Berwick and District Horticultural Society Cup for best in show went to Margaret Ann Crawford for her stunning fishbox container of sempervirens pictured below.
Pictures of winners with judge Dr Stan da Prato.
Members of the North Berwick Gardening Club came together on a sunny evening to create a glorious display of flowers, produce and horticultural excellence. Whilst the judging was taking place, John Reglinski shared his photos and adventures from his recent trip. "Walking from tree to tree in the Appalachian mountains" was an excellent talk, with stunning photos of the plantlife as well as the trees.
Congratulations to Libby Morris who was awarded the John Wightman Cup. Ten members of the club collected first certificates for their entries, but Libby had the most 1st places, in 9 classes, and won the cup. Libby also won the Sir Hew Hamilton Dalrymple Trophy for first in class with the most entries. The class with the most entries was Class 22, Mixed Garden flowers in a jam jar. The judges were also delighted to see a large entry of beautiful rose blooms.
The Rose Bowl for the Best Indoor Pot Plant went to Mary Brown for her outstanding rex begonia and The North Berwick and District Horticultural Society Cup for best in show went to Margaret Ann Crawford for her stunning fishbox container of sempervirens pictured below.
Pictures of winners with judge Dr Stan da Prato.
JUNE 2022 VISITS - The Club went on 2 visits in June, first out to Binny plants in Ecclesmachann, West Lothian. Billy Carruthers had just returned from exhibiting at Chelsea and winning a gold medal. We toured his nursery as he shared his extensive knowledge of all things horticultural, but especially about his peonies. A cup of tea was enjoyed on the verandah of his office. Later on in June, we joined with North Berwick in Bloom as guests at Blackdykes, North Berwick when Janie Dalrymple opened her beautiful garden to us. The sun shone, the blooms were glorious, the roses and peonies enchanting and we finished the evening with refreshments in the garden.
MAY 2022 PLANT SALE - Members of the gardening club and North Berwick in Bloom brought along seedlings, perenials, herbs, houseplants and alpines, all displayed along the path outside the Abbey Church. The tulip festival had come to an end and there were also hundreds of newly lifted tulip bulbs available, also an option to try your luck in the lucky dip. A steady flow of visitors chose plants and an amazing £1100 was raised. Thank you to everyone who supported this event.
2022 AGM May
The minutes of the previous meeting, minutes of the 2021 meeting, year end accounts and agenda were circulated to members before the meeting. The meeting was held on Thursday May 26th at 2pm at the North Berwick Community Centre.
The minutes of the previous meeting, minutes of the 2021 meeting, year end accounts and agenda were circulated to members before the meeting. The meeting was held on Thursday May 26th at 2pm at the North Berwick Community Centre.
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2022 April Visit to East Lothian Council Nursery, Prestonpans
The timing of this visit was excellent, the nursery was overflowing with healthy plants, all ready to be planted out throughout East Lothian just as soon as the risk of frost was over. Members gathered at the nursery and had a guided tour, they were very impressed with how orderly and immaculate the site is kept in all areas especially considering there are only two full-time members of staff on the site. The amount of plants they take care of and is amazing and it was obvious the great pride staff took in their work and the nursery.
The timing of this visit was excellent, the nursery was overflowing with healthy plants, all ready to be planted out throughout East Lothian just as soon as the risk of frost was over. Members gathered at the nursery and had a guided tour, they were very impressed with how orderly and immaculate the site is kept in all areas especially considering there are only two full-time members of staff on the site. The amount of plants they take care of and is amazing and it was obvious the great pride staff took in their work and the nursery.
2022 Spring Show North Berwick Community Centre
It was lovely to see the Community Centre Hall with a magnificent display of spring colour and incredible scent of hyacinth and daffodils.
Towards the end of 2021, every club member was given bulbs of Hyacinth Delft Blue, Cyclamineus Narcissius Rapture andTulip Early Harvest Kaufmanniana and invited to grow them and bring them along to the show. The club bulbs pictured below are being judged by Dr Stan da Prato and Andrew Hogarth.
Whilst the judging was taking place, Cathie Wright, presented a fun quiz, all questions had a horticultural theme, but required local knowledge and lateral thinking as well!
Margaret Ann Crawford won the Peter Atkins trophy for the most points in the club bulbs section, with a first prize in all 3 categories.
Libby Morris won the New Challenge Cup and is being presented with the trophy by Dr Stan da Prato.
The schedule was slightly reduced this year, so that we could accommodate any COVID requirements, but that did not reduce the quality of the exhibits or the competitive spirit. Below are some pictures of the event and we look forward to a full show next Spring.
It was lovely to see the Community Centre Hall with a magnificent display of spring colour and incredible scent of hyacinth and daffodils.
Towards the end of 2021, every club member was given bulbs of Hyacinth Delft Blue, Cyclamineus Narcissius Rapture andTulip Early Harvest Kaufmanniana and invited to grow them and bring them along to the show. The club bulbs pictured below are being judged by Dr Stan da Prato and Andrew Hogarth.
Whilst the judging was taking place, Cathie Wright, presented a fun quiz, all questions had a horticultural theme, but required local knowledge and lateral thinking as well!
Margaret Ann Crawford won the Peter Atkins trophy for the most points in the club bulbs section, with a first prize in all 3 categories.
Libby Morris won the New Challenge Cup and is being presented with the trophy by Dr Stan da Prato.
The schedule was slightly reduced this year, so that we could accommodate any COVID requirements, but that did not reduce the quality of the exhibits or the competitive spirit. Below are some pictures of the event and we look forward to a full show next Spring.
2022 FEBRUARY MEETING - Perthshire Farm Boy and Seasonal Potato Advice
Our first "in person" meeting of 2022, John "Tattie" Marshall ventured through the snow in Fife to arrive in North Berwick to entertain us for the afternoon with one of his Tattie Talks, "Perthshire Farm Boy". There were photos of a bygone age and tales of life on the farm, this was followed by lots of practical advice on selecting and planting potatoes for 2022. Members were delighted to come away with ideas, advice and egg trays for chitting potatoes and hessian sacks for storing them.
Our first "in person" meeting of 2022, John "Tattie" Marshall ventured through the snow in Fife to arrive in North Berwick to entertain us for the afternoon with one of his Tattie Talks, "Perthshire Farm Boy". There were photos of a bygone age and tales of life on the farm, this was followed by lots of practical advice on selecting and planting potatoes for 2022. Members were delighted to come away with ideas, advice and egg trays for chitting potatoes and hessian sacks for storing them.
2022 JANUARY MEETING - The history and restoration of Newhailes House Garden
We were delighted to be joined on Zoom by Colin Wren,Gardens & Designed Landscapes Manager (Edinburgh & East) for the National Trust for Scotland. Colin guided us through the long process of research and the continual process of discovery at Newhailes uncovering the gardens that were originally designed in the 1700s. The garden is very much degraded, but is slowly being restored with respect to its past. As a club we would like to visit it in the summer having gained an insight to its past. Below are pictures of the cherry blossom, the grass meadow and the shell grotto, taken from the Newhailes website https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/newhailes
We were delighted to be joined on Zoom by Colin Wren,Gardens & Designed Landscapes Manager (Edinburgh & East) for the National Trust for Scotland. Colin guided us through the long process of research and the continual process of discovery at Newhailes uncovering the gardens that were originally designed in the 1700s. The garden is very much degraded, but is slowly being restored with respect to its past. As a club we would like to visit it in the summer having gained an insight to its past. Below are pictures of the cherry blossom, the grass meadow and the shell grotto, taken from the Newhailes website https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/newhailes
NOVEMBER MEETING - St Andrew Blackadder 25 November 2021
Club members Sheila Montgomery and Margaret Ann Crawford were joined by Joan Mackenzie from the North Berwick Floral Art Group and all beautifully demonstrated how to create festive arrangements and decorations.
Below are some pictures of the afternoon, showing both the demonstrators and the lovely decorations created. We all took away many useful hints and ideas. All the demonstrators generously gave completed decorations as prizes for the raffle, many thanks to them all.
Club members Sheila Montgomery and Margaret Ann Crawford were joined by Joan Mackenzie from the North Berwick Floral Art Group and all beautifully demonstrated how to create festive arrangements and decorations.
Below are some pictures of the afternoon, showing both the demonstrators and the lovely decorations created. We all took away many useful hints and ideas. All the demonstrators generously gave completed decorations as prizes for the raffle, many thanks to them all.
OCTOBER MEETING - St Andrew Blackadder, 28 October 2021
35 members came together on a very wet Thursday afternoon, to catch up and to hear a presentation on Spring Bulbs from our honorary president Dr Stan da Prato. The presentation covered everything you would ever want to know about all sorts of Spring flowering bulbs, with practical advice and encouragement to grow them for the Spring Show in March.
Members were then given a demonstration on how to plant their club bulbs and also ideas for planting a bulb "lasagne", not for eating, but a glorious display of crocus, iris reticulata, daffodil and tulips in Spring! These pots were then raffled for 4 lucky members to take home.
This is the list of this year's Club bulbs given out to members:
3 Hyacinth - Delft Blue.
8 Daffodills - Cyclamineus Narcissi Rapture.
5 Tulip - Early Harvest Kaufmanniana .
Members were all given a copy of the Spring Show Schedule. This can be found on the "About" section of the website and information on spring bulbs, the handout produced by Dr Stan da Prato can be downloaded here.
35 members came together on a very wet Thursday afternoon, to catch up and to hear a presentation on Spring Bulbs from our honorary president Dr Stan da Prato. The presentation covered everything you would ever want to know about all sorts of Spring flowering bulbs, with practical advice and encouragement to grow them for the Spring Show in March.
Members were then given a demonstration on how to plant their club bulbs and also ideas for planting a bulb "lasagne", not for eating, but a glorious display of crocus, iris reticulata, daffodil and tulips in Spring! These pots were then raffled for 4 lucky members to take home.
This is the list of this year's Club bulbs given out to members:
3 Hyacinth - Delft Blue.
8 Daffodills - Cyclamineus Narcissi Rapture.
5 Tulip - Early Harvest Kaufmanniana .
Members were all given a copy of the Spring Show Schedule. This can be found on the "About" section of the website and information on spring bulbs, the handout produced by Dr Stan da Prato can be downloaded here.
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SEPTEMBER PLANT SALE AND BULB DISTRIBUTION - 18 September, Abbey Church
The sun shone and many visitors and club members chose from the donated plants, preserves and garden related objects and made donations exceeding £400. As well as a fundraising event for North Berwick in Bloom and the Gardening Club it was an opportunity for all sorts of gardening queries to be answered by our honorary president Dr Stan da Prato and Andrew Hogarth, East Lothian Council's Acting Principal Amenity Officer.
The event was also a chance to start distributing the club bulbs for members to plant and all being well exhibit in our March Spring Show. The club was delighted that 10 new members signed up at the event and we look forward to welcoming them at our next meeting on 28th October, when the subject will be about planting spring bulbs.
The sun shone and many visitors and club members chose from the donated plants, preserves and garden related objects and made donations exceeding £400. As well as a fundraising event for North Berwick in Bloom and the Gardening Club it was an opportunity for all sorts of gardening queries to be answered by our honorary president Dr Stan da Prato and Andrew Hogarth, East Lothian Council's Acting Principal Amenity Officer.
The event was also a chance to start distributing the club bulbs for members to plant and all being well exhibit in our March Spring Show. The club was delighted that 10 new members signed up at the event and we look forward to welcoming them at our next meeting on 28th October, when the subject will be about planting spring bulbs.
AUGUST SHOW - 19 August, St Andrew Blackadder Church
Members of the North Berwick Gardening Club came together on a sunny afternoon to create a glorious display of flowers, produce and horticultural excellence. It was a smaller schedule than usual to allow plenty of room for people to circulate and admire the exhibits, but after a wait for 2 years to have a show, there was an enthusiastic response from the members with the three most popular classes being “Ferns – any variety”, “Vase of herbaceous/bulb/perennial flowers one variety” and “Vase of Mixed Garden Foliage”.
During the pandemic the Berwick and District Agricultural and Horticultural Society in Melbourne, Australia made contact with us, so this year we created a new class for our show, ”Photo of houseplant”, with the idea that digital pictures could be submitted by both members of the North Berwick Club and those in Australia.
The photos for this class are below and the winner was Ann Keys from Australia, for her beautiful photo a bud from her proteus.
Congratulations to Margaret Ann Crawford who was awarded the John Wightman Cup. It was a very close result, with Libby Morris having the same number of first and seconds places as Margaret Ann, but Margaret Ann having more third places won the trophy.
The Sir Hew Hamilton Dalrymple Trophy for first in class with the most entries, was awarded to Libby Morris for her vase of mixed Garden foliage.
The Rose Bowl for the Best Indoor Pot Plant went to Mary Brown for her outstanding begonia and The North Berwick and District Horticultural Society Cup for best in show went to Betty McMorland for her varied and full trug of beautiful vegetables.
Pictures of winners with judge Dr Stan da Prato below.
Members of the North Berwick Gardening Club came together on a sunny afternoon to create a glorious display of flowers, produce and horticultural excellence. It was a smaller schedule than usual to allow plenty of room for people to circulate and admire the exhibits, but after a wait for 2 years to have a show, there was an enthusiastic response from the members with the three most popular classes being “Ferns – any variety”, “Vase of herbaceous/bulb/perennial flowers one variety” and “Vase of Mixed Garden Foliage”.
During the pandemic the Berwick and District Agricultural and Horticultural Society in Melbourne, Australia made contact with us, so this year we created a new class for our show, ”Photo of houseplant”, with the idea that digital pictures could be submitted by both members of the North Berwick Club and those in Australia.
The photos for this class are below and the winner was Ann Keys from Australia, for her beautiful photo a bud from her proteus.
Congratulations to Margaret Ann Crawford who was awarded the John Wightman Cup. It was a very close result, with Libby Morris having the same number of first and seconds places as Margaret Ann, but Margaret Ann having more third places won the trophy.
The Sir Hew Hamilton Dalrymple Trophy for first in class with the most entries, was awarded to Libby Morris for her vase of mixed Garden foliage.
The Rose Bowl for the Best Indoor Pot Plant went to Mary Brown for her outstanding begonia and The North Berwick and District Horticultural Society Cup for best in show went to Betty McMorland for her varied and full trug of beautiful vegetables.
Pictures of winners with judge Dr Stan da Prato below.
PHOTOS SUBMITTED FOR CLASS 27 on the August Show Schedule
JULY - VISIT TO INVERESK LODGE GARDENS. Colin Wren, Gardens & Designed Landscapes Manager (Edinburgh and East) National Trust for Scotland welcomed us. We learnt about the history of the garden, how the garden is managed and toured the formal and the managed wilder parts of the garden. The sun shone and the roses and clematis were looking glorious. Pictured below is the group being welcomed under the shade of a Yew tree, dating back to the late 1700's when the garden was first designed.
JUNE - WILDFLOWER WALKS. We ran 2 wildflower walks, a small group led by Dr Stan da Prato, our Honorary President started at the Seabird Centre and finished at Coos Green. Along the way we examined the various wild and naturalised plants along the sand dunes, inspected a few gardens on the seafront and ended up hunting orchids, hidden in grass at Coos Green.
MAY - CHOOSE A PLANT AND DONATE. Members of the gardening club and North Berwick in Bloom brought along seedlings, perenials, herbs, houseplants and alpines, all displayed along the path outside the Abbey Church. The tulip festival had come to an end and there were also hundreds of newly lifted tulip bulbs available. A steady flow of visitors chose plants and made donations as they left. The event was held to raise funds to support the purchase of new planters for the station. The current planters are leaky and beginning to rot, so the money will go towards water conserving planters that have reservoirs so will be easier to water during the summer months. An amazing £1200 was raised, ensuring that the station planters will be overflowing with bedding plants in the summer and tulip blooms in the spring. Thank you to everyone who supported this event.
APRIL AGM.This was held via Zoom on 29th April. Below find the Constitution as accepted at the meeting, the Chair's report and annual accounts.
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MARCH ZOOM MEETING It was Quiz night and we were joined by members of Musselburgh, Gifford and Dalkeith horticultural clubs, for an evening of entertainment. Every question had a horticultural element to it, some also involved general knowledge, other required some lateral thinking and then there were the cryptic clues as well. Thank you to our excellent quiz master, Stan da Prato, for the time, effort and humour he put into the evening.
FUNDRAISING
Lyle Crawford is taking orders for obelisks,as in the photo, approx 6ft high, suitable for any climbing plants, sweet peas, runner beans etc. All proceeds are going to North Berwick in Bloom, just £20 for Gardening club members. Delivery can be made to North Berwick area if required.
To place order, email: [email protected]
Lyle Crawford is taking orders for obelisks,as in the photo, approx 6ft high, suitable for any climbing plants, sweet peas, runner beans etc. All proceeds are going to North Berwick in Bloom, just £20 for Gardening club members. Delivery can be made to North Berwick area if required.
To place order, email: [email protected]
FEBRUARY ZOOM MEETING From her home in the west of Scotland, near Glasgow, Nancy Stevens took us on a delightful tour through time, from first purchasing her home and garden on a 45 degree slope, to today, the delightful haven with many small "rooms" each with their own character and selection of plants. It has been a labour of love, taken many years and involved the whole family. We heard about the projects that didn't quite go to plan, we could all relate to that, and saw how opportunities were siezed to develop ponds, patios, herbaceous borders, seating and a woodland paradise.
JANUARY ZOOM MEETING We were transported to the National Trust for Scotland's Branklyn Gardens in Perth. Jim Jermyn, Head Gardener and Property Manager took us on a wonderful walk through the garden, starting with the snowdrops that are now in flower. Jim continued highlighting some of the stunning specimens, national collections of Mecanopsis and Cassiope and telling a story or two as we travelled through the seasons. Below a few pictures taken from the garden website. https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/branklyn-garden.
NOVEMBER ZOOM MEETING. Andrew Hogarth who has gardened with East Lothian Council for over 35 years and is a judge for Keep Scotland Beautiful, entertained and informed us with his presentation "Confessions of a Council Gardener '
We learnt about the extensive work of East Lothian Council's Amenities department before hearing about the key work they do to encourage sustainability and bio diversity. Andrew took us on a tour of East Lothian demonstrating how they have moved away from traditional horticulture such as formal bedding and rose gardens, to embrace imaginative and extensive use of ideas such as herbaceous planting, annuals, wildflower mixes, Stunning photos demonstrated the beauty of the planting, but other important benefits have accrued: less use of compost, fewer plants needed, less maintenance, all leading to cost savings. And how do you measure the other benefits.....just listen and watch the abundance of insect life!
We learnt about the extensive work of East Lothian Council's Amenities department before hearing about the key work they do to encourage sustainability and bio diversity. Andrew took us on a tour of East Lothian demonstrating how they have moved away from traditional horticulture such as formal bedding and rose gardens, to embrace imaginative and extensive use of ideas such as herbaceous planting, annuals, wildflower mixes, Stunning photos demonstrated the beauty of the planting, but other important benefits have accrued: less use of compost, fewer plants needed, less maintenance, all leading to cost savings. And how do you measure the other benefits.....just listen and watch the abundance of insect life!
OCTOBER ZOOM MEETING. John "Tattie" Marshall delighted us all by giving a talk on Zoom about his Peruvian Adventure in 2018, "Planting Papas in Para Para, home of the potato".
We were taken through the Peruvian Andes, to colourful modern markets, to Machu Piccu and finished up at 4.200m on the Potato Park, El Parque de la Papa, established to conserve the regions potato biodiversity. John spent 2 days here in Para Para, discovering and experiencing traditional ways of planting potatoes and shared his pictures, his stories and extensive knowledge of potatoes with us. More information on the project John visited can be seen at https://ipcca.info/about-parque-de-la-papa
We were taken through the Peruvian Andes, to colourful modern markets, to Machu Piccu and finished up at 4.200m on the Potato Park, El Parque de la Papa, established to conserve the regions potato biodiversity. John spent 2 days here in Para Para, discovering and experiencing traditional ways of planting potatoes and shared his pictures, his stories and extensive knowledge of potatoes with us. More information on the project John visited can be seen at https://ipcca.info/about-parque-de-la-papa
SEPTEMBER ZOOM MEETING. This was a first for the gardening club, a virtual meeting, with a presentation given by Stan da Prato. Stan's presentation guided us through planting of bulbs, including the club bulbs pictured below. The club bulbs for the 2021 show are 8 xNarcissus Ice Follies, 5 x Tulip Kaufmanniana Fashion and 8 x Chionodoxa Rose Queen.
The talk then went on to introduce next year's challenge - the fish box challenge. Together with North Berwick in Bloom, the idea is to transform fish boxes into containers that can be placed outside the Abbey Church and a display created in August just in time for the judging of Keep Scotland Beautiful and Britain in Bloom. Stan explained how to transform the fish box into a useful container using a domestic blow torch and a bit of paint. This was followed by showing us several ideas as to how they could be planted up including the alpines pictured below.
The talk then went on to introduce next year's challenge - the fish box challenge. Together with North Berwick in Bloom, the idea is to transform fish boxes into containers that can be placed outside the Abbey Church and a display created in August just in time for the judging of Keep Scotland Beautiful and Britain in Bloom. Stan explained how to transform the fish box into a useful container using a domestic blow torch and a bit of paint. This was followed by showing us several ideas as to how they could be planted up including the alpines pictured below.
CHOOSE A PLANT AND DONATE - 19th SEPTEMBER. Members of the gardening club brought along seedlings, perenials, herbs, shrubs, houseplants, alpines and some produce, all displayed along the path outside the Abbey Church and a one way system was created. This allowed visitors to choose a plant or two and then make a donation. The event was held to raise funds to support North Berwick in Bloom's Tulip Bulb appeal, over £600 was raised, ensuring that the planters will be overflowing with tulip blooms in the spring. Thank you to everyone who supported this event.
AUGUST 2020 -SOCIALLY DISTANCED WALK IN THE LODGE GARDENS
In total we ran 4 small group walks around the Lodge Gardens in North Berwick, expertly guided by our Honary President, Stan da Prato. We visited the rockery, the herbaceous border, the stumpery, the carpet bed and rare trees with Stan sharing his gardening and wildlife knowledge, identifying butterflies and birds as we went.
In total we ran 4 small group walks around the Lodge Gardens in North Berwick, expertly guided by our Honary President, Stan da Prato. We visited the rockery, the herbaceous border, the stumpery, the carpet bed and rare trees with Stan sharing his gardening and wildlife knowledge, identifying butterflies and birds as we went.
AGM
Our AGM was to have been held at the end of April. We will hold this when we are able to meet again as a group. Meantime our outgoing chair has prepared a report and the treasurer has prepared accounts which have been independently examined. Both are available here:
Our AGM was to have been held at the end of April. We will hold this when we are able to meet again as a group. Meantime our outgoing chair has prepared a report and the treasurer has prepared accounts which have been independently examined. Both are available here:
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PHOTOS of SPRING BULBS
In October 2019 members were given club bulbs and asked to bring them along to the Spring Show in March 2020. The club bulbs this year were Spring Sunshine ( narcissi,) Early Harvest (tulip) and Puschkinia Libanotica (Russian Snowdrop). With the show cancelled, we invited members to share their photos. Thank you to everyone who has sent these photos in. If you hover the cursor over the photo you will see who submitted the photos.Stan da Prato would have judged the show, below find what he had to say.
In October 2019 members were given club bulbs and asked to bring them along to the Spring Show in March 2020. The club bulbs this year were Spring Sunshine ( narcissi,) Early Harvest (tulip) and Puschkinia Libanotica (Russian Snowdrop). With the show cancelled, we invited members to share their photos. Thank you to everyone who has sent these photos in. If you hover the cursor over the photo you will see who submitted the photos.Stan da Prato would have judged the show, below find what he had to say.
Not so much luck with the tulips!
SPRING BULBS - March 2020 A few words from Stan
(updated 28 March)
Congratulations to everyone who sent in photos of their bulbs. The cold wet easterly winds this week didn't help but it’s still worth growing the bulbs hard and only bring them under cover at show time. The pots with several types of bulbs look particularly good. The little Puschkinia will plant out successfully in the garden as they finish flowering as will the Narcissus –water then in well. The tulips have been less successful. As tulips mostly flower later than daffodils the club chose a kaufmanniana type Early Harvest as that group flowers early. Not that variety this year! Bulbs in pots are often later than those established in the ground. Compare T. Guiseppi Verdi just finishing in the Lodge rockery -despite the slug damage to its leaves -with the same variety in a planter in the High St. If you are able to include the Lodge in your daily exercise walk look for Tulipa turkestanica at the top end of the rock garden with lots of small white flowers now opening . Unusually for a tulip in this country it self seeds.
(updated 28 March)
Congratulations to everyone who sent in photos of their bulbs. The cold wet easterly winds this week didn't help but it’s still worth growing the bulbs hard and only bring them under cover at show time. The pots with several types of bulbs look particularly good. The little Puschkinia will plant out successfully in the garden as they finish flowering as will the Narcissus –water then in well. The tulips have been less successful. As tulips mostly flower later than daffodils the club chose a kaufmanniana type Early Harvest as that group flowers early. Not that variety this year! Bulbs in pots are often later than those established in the ground. Compare T. Guiseppi Verdi just finishing in the Lodge rockery -despite the slug damage to its leaves -with the same variety in a planter in the High St. If you are able to include the Lodge in your daily exercise walk look for Tulipa turkestanica at the top end of the rock garden with lots of small white flowers now opening . Unusually for a tulip in this country it self seeds.
Some of the Jetfire bulbs that NBIB gave to the local nursery and primary schools will feature in the Caley children’s bulb show about to go online. The Caley main show will also be online next weekend. If you want to enter –it’s free - a photo of a flower or pot look on their website for details. Below you will find photos from both the Law Primary School and Nursery School entries.
Growing Better Vegetables - Feburary 2020 meeting
Tom Anderson put technology aside and treated us to an entertaining afternoon, discussing his experiences of growing vegetables and providing us with many tips. Questions were asked and advice given as we went along, below are three key messages:
Use a recycling bin filled with horse manure, topped with compost, then place seed trays on the top. Heat is generated from the rotting horse manure, giving seeds a head start.
Tips for the tomatoes including making sure that they were planted deep to establish good roots, remembering to water regularly to prevent blossom end rot. Also watering twice a day, but not late at night, also to mist when flowering.
Consider planting an edible hedge of apple trees.
Thank you Tom.
T
Tom Anderson put technology aside and treated us to an entertaining afternoon, discussing his experiences of growing vegetables and providing us with many tips. Questions were asked and advice given as we went along, below are three key messages:
Use a recycling bin filled with horse manure, topped with compost, then place seed trays on the top. Heat is generated from the rotting horse manure, giving seeds a head start.
Tips for the tomatoes including making sure that they were planted deep to establish good roots, remembering to water regularly to prevent blossom end rot. Also watering twice a day, but not late at night, also to mist when flowering.
Consider planting an edible hedge of apple trees.
Thank you Tom.
T
Plants in Medicine - January 2020 meeting
Dr Libby Morris started her talk by taking us back in time, to glimse into the history of North Berwick and meet Eleanor, 2nd prioress of North Berwick Abbey, to learn about the plants that were grown and their uses in medicine. We then heard about the medieval Soutra hospital, just one days ride from North Berwick where there is archaeological evidence showing an anesthetic made up of 4 parts Hemlock, 1 part black hen bane and 1 part poppy. There is also evidence of many of today's supplements such as Valerian and St Johns Wort being used in medieval times.
Members of the garden club were also asked to identify hemlock, any many of us failed to do so! We now know to look out for the red on the stems. The talk concluded by looking at gardening as a therapy,
Dr Libby Morris started her talk by taking us back in time, to glimse into the history of North Berwick and meet Eleanor, 2nd prioress of North Berwick Abbey, to learn about the plants that were grown and their uses in medicine. We then heard about the medieval Soutra hospital, just one days ride from North Berwick where there is archaeological evidence showing an anesthetic made up of 4 parts Hemlock, 1 part black hen bane and 1 part poppy. There is also evidence of many of today's supplements such as Valerian and St Johns Wort being used in medieval times.
Members of the garden club were also asked to identify hemlock, any many of us failed to do so! We now know to look out for the red on the stems. The talk concluded by looking at gardening as a therapy,
Gardener's Question Time - November 2019
What a joy it was to have George Anderson from The Beechgrove Garden, Beryl McNaughton of Macplants and Ian Craigie from North Berwick in Bloom share their skills and knowledge with the North Berwick Gardening Club and North Berwick in Bloom members and guests. Stan da Prato, the gardening club's honorary president chaired the event, ensuring an excellent entertaining afternoon.
The panel were faced with many and varied questions from the audience. These varied from problems with roses, growing vegetables in containers, growing bulbs, dealing with problem soils and where to plant your Camillia if you want it to thrive in North Berwick.
Questions were answered, not only with good horticultural advice, but with a light touch and a sense of humour. There was an answer for everyone and every problem.
The panel stayed for a cup of tea and answered many more questions on a one to one basis, these ranged from providing advice on taking cuttings from houseplants to identifying perennials from seed heads.
What a joy it was to have George Anderson from The Beechgrove Garden, Beryl McNaughton of Macplants and Ian Craigie from North Berwick in Bloom share their skills and knowledge with the North Berwick Gardening Club and North Berwick in Bloom members and guests. Stan da Prato, the gardening club's honorary president chaired the event, ensuring an excellent entertaining afternoon.
The panel were faced with many and varied questions from the audience. These varied from problems with roses, growing vegetables in containers, growing bulbs, dealing with problem soils and where to plant your Camillia if you want it to thrive in North Berwick.
Questions were answered, not only with good horticultural advice, but with a light touch and a sense of humour. There was an answer for everyone and every problem.
The panel stayed for a cup of tea and answered many more questions on a one to one basis, these ranged from providing advice on taking cuttings from houseplants to identifying perennials from seed heads.
Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society and Saughton Park - October 2019 Meeting
Pam Whittle, a past president of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, "The Caley", gave a presentation on the Caley and the redevelopment of Saughton Park Gardens. Pam covered the history of the gardens and shared many photographs, past and present. The redevelopment has provided areas and facilities for various initiatives that are underway to encourage everyone to be involved in gardening and improving their knowledge and skills. The gardens now have teaching and demonstration beds and a covered areas for activities such as bulb planting. Saughton Sundays offer the opportunity for practical workshops, information can be found the the website www.thecaley.org.uk. Pam's enthusiasm and passion for gardening for everyone shone through the whole presentation and encouraged all of us to visit Saughton Park.
Pam Whittle, a past president of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, "The Caley", gave a presentation on the Caley and the redevelopment of Saughton Park Gardens. Pam covered the history of the gardens and shared many photographs, past and present. The redevelopment has provided areas and facilities for various initiatives that are underway to encourage everyone to be involved in gardening and improving their knowledge and skills. The gardens now have teaching and demonstration beds and a covered areas for activities such as bulb planting. Saughton Sundays offer the opportunity for practical workshops, information can be found the the website www.thecaley.org.uk. Pam's enthusiasm and passion for gardening for everyone shone through the whole presentation and encouraged all of us to visit Saughton Park.
Planning a new or not so new garden in North Berwick- September 2019 meeting
Dr Stan da Prato, is honorary president of our club. He grew up in North Berwick, is horticultural adviser to the award winning "North Berwick in Bloom" group and winner of the prestigious Banksian Medal the the Dundee Flower and Food show. We were delighted that Stan came to our meeting to share his knowledge and experience about gardening in North Berwick.
The talk covered all aspects of gardening in North Berwick, including the various soil types, discussing the trees that thrive and struggle, shrubs that provide all year interest, wild life gardening including wildflower meadows and ponds, pests and how to treat them and concluding by talking about bulbs.
Stan then gave a demonstration on bulb planting in pots, so all members could take away their club bulbs to prepare for the spring show. Bulbs were distributed to members and will be available again at the October meeting.
The club bulbs this year are Spring Sunshine ( narcissi,) Early Harvest (tulip) and Puschkinia Libanotica.
Dr Stan da Prato, is honorary president of our club. He grew up in North Berwick, is horticultural adviser to the award winning "North Berwick in Bloom" group and winner of the prestigious Banksian Medal the the Dundee Flower and Food show. We were delighted that Stan came to our meeting to share his knowledge and experience about gardening in North Berwick.
The talk covered all aspects of gardening in North Berwick, including the various soil types, discussing the trees that thrive and struggle, shrubs that provide all year interest, wild life gardening including wildflower meadows and ponds, pests and how to treat them and concluding by talking about bulbs.
Stan then gave a demonstration on bulb planting in pots, so all members could take away their club bulbs to prepare for the spring show. Bulbs were distributed to members and will be available again at the October meeting.
The club bulbs this year are Spring Sunshine ( narcissi,) Early Harvest (tulip) and Puschkinia Libanotica.
AUTUMN SHOW 2019
The show was held in the North Berwick Community Centre on the evening of 29 August and members excelled themselves, despite encountering drought, monsoon, and the usual gale force winds, they put on a glorious, extremely colourful, show of flowers and produce. In total 157 entries were received, with the class for “Three Stems - Hydrangea” being the most popular, closely followed by the displays of “Mixed Garden Flowers in a Jam Jar” and “Three Stems of Flowering or Berried Shrubs”. Other highlights included displays of some excellent begonias and pelargoniums.
We were also delighted to see entries from local children of Law Primary School. Class 40 and 40 were dedicated to them, a jam jar of garden flowers and foliage and the best decorated vegetable. For the first time this year, free sunflower seedlings were distributed to primary aged children at both the Gardening Club plant sale and the North Berwick in Bloom tulip tea. The challenge was to send a photo of the sunflowers to the Autumn show. The winning sunflower was a magnificent 2.6m
Congratulations to Ian Bowie who was awarded the John Wightman Cup for the most first prizes overall.
The Sir Hew Hamilton Dalrymple Trophy for first in class with the most entries, was awarded to Sheila Montgomery for her hydrangea exhibit.
The Rose Bowl for the Best indoor Pot Plant went to Nan Howe for her outstanding orchid.
Claudia Gehrig retained her trophy, the North Berwick and District Horticultural Society Cup for Best in Show, with a varied and full crate of beautiful vegetables.
The show was held in the North Berwick Community Centre on the evening of 29 August and members excelled themselves, despite encountering drought, monsoon, and the usual gale force winds, they put on a glorious, extremely colourful, show of flowers and produce. In total 157 entries were received, with the class for “Three Stems - Hydrangea” being the most popular, closely followed by the displays of “Mixed Garden Flowers in a Jam Jar” and “Three Stems of Flowering or Berried Shrubs”. Other highlights included displays of some excellent begonias and pelargoniums.
We were also delighted to see entries from local children of Law Primary School. Class 40 and 40 were dedicated to them, a jam jar of garden flowers and foliage and the best decorated vegetable. For the first time this year, free sunflower seedlings were distributed to primary aged children at both the Gardening Club plant sale and the North Berwick in Bloom tulip tea. The challenge was to send a photo of the sunflowers to the Autumn show. The winning sunflower was a magnificent 2.6m
Congratulations to Ian Bowie who was awarded the John Wightman Cup for the most first prizes overall.
The Sir Hew Hamilton Dalrymple Trophy for first in class with the most entries, was awarded to Sheila Montgomery for her hydrangea exhibit.
The Rose Bowl for the Best indoor Pot Plant went to Nan Howe for her outstanding orchid.
Claudia Gehrig retained her trophy, the North Berwick and District Horticultural Society Cup for Best in Show, with a varied and full crate of beautiful vegetables.
Photos from the Gifford Show
Below are a selection of photos from the Gifford Show. There are many other forthcoming local shows including East Linton on Saturday 24 August, 2-4.30 in the village hall.
Below are a selection of photos from the Gifford Show. There are many other forthcoming local shows including East Linton on Saturday 24 August, 2-4.30 in the village hall.
Summer Outings 2019
This summer, members had the opportunity to take part in three outings. The first, in June, was a day trip to Alnwick in Northumberland. Thirty of us boarded a coach in North Berwick and then headed off, some to spend the whole day in the gardens, enjoying a tour of the both the gardens and the poisonous plants garden, others took the opportunity to explore the town as well. A grand day oot, enjoyed by all.
On cool July evening, Macplants in Pencaitland opened their doors to us. Gavin Macnaughton welcomed us and then gave us a tour of the nursery, providing a very welcome cup of tea in the shed afterwards. Many of us could not resist the opporuntity to purchase a souvenir or two to bring back to our gardens.
Musselburgh Allottments welcomed a group of members in August. Members were delighted to be given a tour of the 2 acre site and admired the wealth and variety of healthy looking produce, a great example of vegetable growing in East Lothian.
This summer, members had the opportunity to take part in three outings. The first, in June, was a day trip to Alnwick in Northumberland. Thirty of us boarded a coach in North Berwick and then headed off, some to spend the whole day in the gardens, enjoying a tour of the both the gardens and the poisonous plants garden, others took the opportunity to explore the town as well. A grand day oot, enjoyed by all.
On cool July evening, Macplants in Pencaitland opened their doors to us. Gavin Macnaughton welcomed us and then gave us a tour of the nursery, providing a very welcome cup of tea in the shed afterwards. Many of us could not resist the opporuntity to purchase a souvenir or two to bring back to our gardens.
Musselburgh Allottments welcomed a group of members in August. Members were delighted to be given a tour of the 2 acre site and admired the wealth and variety of healthy looking produce, a great example of vegetable growing in East Lothian.
Coffee Morning and Plant Sale - May 2019
St Andrews Blackadder Church hall was a hive of activity with club members bringing plants, preparing plants, putting up posters, buttering pancakes, and making coffee and teas. Just before 10 am, eager plant buyers arrived. Vegetable plants, hanging baskets, house plants, perennials and shrubs, all grown by club members and their friends, were snapped up.
St Andrews Blackadder Church hall was a hive of activity with club members bringing plants, preparing plants, putting up posters, buttering pancakes, and making coffee and teas. Just before 10 am, eager plant buyers arrived. Vegetable plants, hanging baskets, house plants, perennials and shrubs, all grown by club members and their friends, were snapped up.
AGM and A visit to the Eden project - April 2019 meeting
The afternoon started with the AGM, when the club chair, Margaret Ann Crawford presented a report on the year's activities and Stuart Ainslie, Treasurer, presented the accounts. The exiting office holders were re-elected for the year 2019/20.
We were then transported to Cornwall and the Eden project by Ann Jones. Ann gave a varied and interesting talk about her recent visit, with many excellent photos of the project and plants housed in the biomes.
www.edenproject.com
The afternoon started with the AGM, when the club chair, Margaret Ann Crawford presented a report on the year's activities and Stuart Ainslie, Treasurer, presented the accounts. The exiting office holders were re-elected for the year 2019/20.
We were then transported to Cornwall and the Eden project by Ann Jones. Ann gave a varied and interesting talk about her recent visit, with many excellent photos of the project and plants housed in the biomes.
www.edenproject.com
Spring Show - March 2019 meeting
While the judging was taking place, Margaret Ann Crawford gave a presentation on the clubs activities over the year. Then to the hall, where the scent of hyacinth greeted us and a magnificent display of spring colour. Such was the number of entries, that we will need more tables next year just to accommodate all.
Towards the end of 2019, every club member was given Muscari Blue Magic, Narcissius Peeping Jenny and Tulipa Calypso bulbs and invited to grow them and bring them along to the show. The club bulbs pictured below are being judged by Dr Stan da Prato.
Susan Crooks won the Peter Atkins trophy for the most points in the club bulbs section, with a first prize for both her tulips and daffodils. Susan is pictured here receiving the trophy from Peter.
The New Challenge Cup was awarded for the most first prize entries in the show. This year there were entries in 29 classes. Margaret Ann Crawford won the New Challenge Cup and is being presented with the trophy by Dr Stan da Prato.
Once again, one of the most popular classes was the arrangements of garden flowers under 10", these glorious arrangements are shown on the home page.
Growing Vegetables - February 2019 meeting
Our guest speaker for February was Ian Stocks, who is chair of the Scottish Branch of the National Vegetable Society.
Ian briefly introduced the National Vegetable Society and lots of information about the organisation can be found on their website www.nvsuk.org.uk .
After asking us all to first address the question "What do you want to grow?" the next question was "How are you going to grow them?". Ian introduced us to hydroponics and Thanet Earth, in Kent, at 220 acres, the largest greenhouse facility in the UK where tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers are grown for the major supermarkets. More can be seen in this video, www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWKAY9mI0xc . Realistically soil and compost are still the most used growing mediums for amateur gardeners, although small scale hydroponic systems are becoming more readily available.
Ian shared his 37 years of experience with us covering all aspects of vegetable growing, from seeds, pests, diseases, composts, and looking after your soil. The afternoon concluded with many members asking questions.
Ia
Our guest speaker for February was Ian Stocks, who is chair of the Scottish Branch of the National Vegetable Society.
Ian briefly introduced the National Vegetable Society and lots of information about the organisation can be found on their website www.nvsuk.org.uk .
After asking us all to first address the question "What do you want to grow?" the next question was "How are you going to grow them?". Ian introduced us to hydroponics and Thanet Earth, in Kent, at 220 acres, the largest greenhouse facility in the UK where tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers are grown for the major supermarkets. More can be seen in this video, www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWKAY9mI0xc . Realistically soil and compost are still the most used growing mediums for amateur gardeners, although small scale hydroponic systems are becoming more readily available.
Ian shared his 37 years of experience with us covering all aspects of vegetable growing, from seeds, pests, diseases, composts, and looking after your soil. The afternoon concluded with many members asking questions.
Ia
Is your houseplant really necessary? - January 2019 meeting
Our guest speakers were Dr Stanley da Prato and Andrew Hogarth. First Stanley shared his extensive knowledge with us, everything you ever wanted to know about houseplants and more! Moth orchids, peace lillys, cactii, african violets, were just some of the plants discussed. Also included were a few surprises, like water plants in an aquarium.
Andrew then gave a practical demonstration on propagating some houseplants, this included pelegonium stemcuttings, streptocarpus and begonia leaf cuttings
Andrew then gave a practical demonstration on propagating some houseplants, this included pelegonium stemcuttings, streptocarpus and begonia leaf cuttings
FESTIVE DECORATIONS- November 2018 meeting
Starting with a breadbasket full with foliage from her garden, Margaret Ann Crawford, our Club Chair, beautifully demonstrated how to use your plants to create festive arrangements and decorations, giving us all useful hints and ideas along the way.
As well as the traditional holly and ivy, many other plants were used including Skimmia leaves and berries; Hebe, Brachyglottis, Juniper, variegated Pittisporum and Cypressus foliage; white Rowan and Snowberry berries; dried seed heads including fir cones, allium eryngium. Whilst the majority of the materials were from the garden, Margaret Ann cleverly and creatively added silk flowers and other props to enhance the displays.
One hint we will all take away from the event was “How to make holly leaves look as if they are sprinkled with snow”. Take your holly sprig, mist with water using a spray, place the sprig in a plastic bag that is already half full of sifted white flour. Shake. When you remove the sprig it looks as if it is sprinkled with snow and can be placed directly in the arrangements.
By the end of the meeting, we had a selection of decorations including a door swag, wreath, candle decoration, Santa’s sleigh and Christmas tree
As well as the traditional holly and ivy, many other plants were used including Skimmia leaves and berries; Hebe, Brachyglottis, Juniper, variegated Pittisporum and Cypressus foliage; white Rowan and Snowberry berries; dried seed heads including fir cones, allium eryngium. Whilst the majority of the materials were from the garden, Margaret Ann cleverly and creatively added silk flowers and other props to enhance the displays.
One hint we will all take away from the event was “How to make holly leaves look as if they are sprinkled with snow”. Take your holly sprig, mist with water using a spray, place the sprig in a plastic bag that is already half full of sifted white flour. Shake. When you remove the sprig it looks as if it is sprinkled with snow and can be placed directly in the arrangements.
By the end of the meeting, we had a selection of decorations including a door swag, wreath, candle decoration, Santa’s sleigh and Christmas tree
Members photos, Autumn Colour in the Garden
AUTUMN SHOW
North Berwick Gardening Club held its first indoor meeting under its new name, when a large number of members and friends took part in the Autumn Show. This attracted over 100 entries in traditional classes with the addition of baking and a children’s section. While the judges were making their difficult decisions, club vice-
chair Cathie Wright conducted a well-received gardening quiz which proved both entertaining and informative
The trophy winners were Mary Brown for her indoor plant, Peter Atkins for first prize in the class with the most entries, Margaret Ann Crawford for the most points overall and Claudia Gehrig for the best in show. All shown here receiving their prizes from judge, Dr Stan da Prato.
AUTUMN SHOW
North Berwick Gardening Club held its first indoor meeting under its new name, when a large number of members and friends took part in the Autumn Show. This attracted over 100 entries in traditional classes with the addition of baking and a children’s section. While the judges were making their difficult decisions, club vice-
chair Cathie Wright conducted a well-received gardening quiz which proved both entertaining and informative
The trophy winners were Mary Brown for her indoor plant, Peter Atkins for first prize in the class with the most entries, Margaret Ann Crawford for the most points overall and Claudia Gehrig for the best in show. All shown here receiving their prizes from judge, Dr Stan da Prato.
First prize in the Children's section: Iona Saddler's winning Garden flowers and foliage in a jam jar
