Fernhurst
Horticultural Society
Horticultural Society
Click on the Schedule for the full programme of the Society's talks etc
Behind the Scenes at the Autumn Show - 'The Judging' our thanks to Peter Searight of 'The Remarkable Studio' for taking these photographs for us.
The eye-catching planting in the raised bed on the corner of Vann Road, opposite Crossways Fruiterers, has attracted lots of attention and praise this summer. It’s been a real delight and our thanks go to Judith Turner for master-minding the colourful transformation and to those who generously donated plants. But as the fine weather slips away and the colours fade it is time to think about the future. Chichester District Council has licenced Fernhurst Horticultural Society to take responsibility for the area so plans are afoot for a radical overhaul. By the time you receive this copy of the Fernhurst News we may have had the first frost. Either way, most of the plants will be dying back and we will be starting to clear the bed. Very little will go to waste. The dead annuals will find their way to a compost heap, but not before we have saved seed. The perennials and small shrubs which we intend to use in the new planting scheme will be carefully lifted, potted up and cared for until we are ready to replant next year. The plants that will not fit into the new scheme will either find fresh homes around the village or be saved for sale at our plant stall at Revels 2021. Lastly, we will tackle the gloomy old evergreens that have dominated the bed for years. These are past their prime and will be lifted and disposed of. Once the clearance work is finished the area will be covered with stable manure and we will allow the worms and then the winter weather get to work on the soil. So, what next? Our plan is for a drought-tolerant planting scheme that will give colour and interest all year round with shrubs, perennials, annuals and bulbs carefully chosen to give a regular food source for pollinating insects and other wildlife. We aim to keep the birds, bees, moths and butterflies well fed! The bed will remain empty for a couple of months and some replanting will begin in late winter or early spring but we will have to be governed by the weather. Permanent structure will eventually come from the shrubs but as we can no longer rely on regular summer rains, most of these will not be planted until autumn next year. Even drought tolerant shrubs need moist soil whilst they get established! So, in the meantime, for next spring and summer you can look forward to a colourful display of cheery bulbs annuals and herbaceous perennials.
News of two exciting new planting plans for Fernhurst
The Second Project is to upgrade the land on the corner of the junction of Vann Road and The Leys; This will entail an overhaul of the grassed area and replant with wild flowers, lightly prune the bushes and trees at the back of the plot, add more bee-friendly perennial plants and install a seat as a centrepiece; (the project also includes the re-siting of the dog waste bin to make it more accessible and to encourage its use!) The attached plan illustrates the concept to promote rewilding of the area by creating a wild flower area in response to The Blue Campaign - https://bluecampaignhub.com/about-us
AGM 3 December 2020
Our AGM will be held on 3 December followed by a talk 'The Winter Garden' by Jane Moore.
Jane Moore - Jane is a hands-on Head Gardener, an award-winning journalist and a regular speaker. She is well respected in the horticultural world as an innovative gardener with a broad knowledge of plants and has embraced diverse challenges such as planting a National Collection, creating a garden at Chelsea Flower Show and guest presenting on BBC Gardeners' World.
Both the AGM and the talk will be held via Zoom and details of login etc will be sent to members nearer the time.
Exciting News Works has begun on the Second project: Week Beginning
16 November: earlier this week Lesley and Peter Buckley cut the grass, cleared leaves, and scarified the area. On Thursday 19 November, Lesley, Penny and Bob, joined by Tony and Sally Klein, spread sand, raked then sowed the wildflower seed. Lesley has marked out the position of the bench, ready for Neil Mariner to install flagstone plinth. Louise Buchanan cut willow/hazel stakes and bent then into hoops to make an attractive, rustic boundary around the area to protect the newly seeded areas. Perennials will go behind the seat hopefully before Christmas.
16 November: earlier this week Lesley and Peter Buckley cut the grass, cleared leaves, and scarified the area. On Thursday 19 November, Lesley, Penny and Bob, joined by Tony and Sally Klein, spread sand, raked then sowed the wildflower seed. Lesley has marked out the position of the bench, ready for Neil Mariner to install flagstone plinth. Louise Buchanan cut willow/hazel stakes and bent then into hoops to make an attractive, rustic boundary around the area to protect the newly seeded areas. Perennials will go behind the seat hopefully before Christmas.
