Minutes

Highfield WI April 2019 members’ meeting

Monday 29th April 2019

 

27 members joined us for our April meeting, and started filling in the gardening quiz on arrival.  Clare welcomed all, including Jeanne Taylor, our speaker.  Clare invited members to take home one of the plastic patio pots kindly donated by Liz Mizon to fill with flowers/fruit/veg which will be passed on to the Refuge as part of our project to help improve the outside space at the there.

 

Cath gave out the April notices.

• Hampshire Federation have arranged a walk on Wednesday 22.5.19 starting from Ashurst at 10.45 – all welcome.  No need to book.

• Any remaining members who wish to sign up for the Craft sub-group to add their names to the clip board.

• Another clip board was sent round to invite volunteers to sign up for the 2019 Hampshire General Knowledge Quiz.  Clare Price, Pauline Hutchins, Maureen Tomlinson and potentially Jenny Turner have signed up so far.

• The New Forest Show will be on July 30, 31st & August 1st.  Clare Price gave details of the co-operative entry which she has designed for us to start work on at the AGM.  She requested members bring along scissors.  She will then assemble the finished piece on our behalf.  Our thanks to Clare for doing this. 

• Cath reminded members that next month is our AGM and encouraged as many members to support this important meeting as possible.

 

Then Jeanne introduced herself.  Jeanne is a member of ‘Southampton in Bloom’, a small local charity founded in 1986 which aims to encourage gardeners across the city to fill spaces big or small with plants/veges/fruits which will enhance the environment for everyone, generate civic pride, encourage wildlife, water conservation and composting.  An annual competition with categories to meet the needs of all our city dwellers helps to enhance the look of our city gardens, balconies, public buildings & spaces.

 

The charity has a few small sponsors, including Mayfield Nurseries but generates most of its funding by selling plants at the Gardener’s Fayre every year.  They made £800 last year at this event.  Judges spend 2 weeks in July visiting the many entrants’ gardens, including an Under 16 category and Schools category.  Some local companies/individuals sponsor categories with a cup.  The Chief Gardener at Exbury takes on the final judging and an award night is held for all the winners.  Jeanne showed us photographs of many of the previous entries and they certainly all had the ‘wow’ factor she says judges are looking for. 

Jeanne finished by making some suggestions for members who might like to consider entering.  Some of her favourite plants include:

 

Coleus              Cosmos Pot marigolds with carrots,         Blueberries with snapdragons, Sweet peas and ivy.              Summer bulbs such as Cala lilies.  Dwarf sunflowers and petunias,  Aonium and gypsophilia.             Zinnia and nasturtium.                    Small French beans.

 

Cath thanked Jeanne for her talk and presented her with a £30 cheque.  Clare gave the answers to the gardening quiz and handed out prizes.  Members and Jeanne then enjoyed soft drinks and biscuits with a botanical flavour.  The evening came to a close around 9.45pm.