On Tuesday 10th January 2023
Ruth Martin will give a presentation about the Winter Gardens at RHS Hyde Hall and winter gardening techniques.
7:30pm at Aldersbrook Bowls Club E12 5DY
Free for AHS members (please remember your lanyards) £5 for visitors.
Our Christmas meeting was very well attended by members, despite the icy pavements and freezing temperatures and it was great fun! One of our members, Sonya Seth Batra and her friend Rashmi Bhatt, both skilled floral artists, demonstrated two floral displays for Christmas. Sonya told us about how, as a child, she got involved in flower arranging, but her career as a Doctor and family commitments got in the way and only in her retirement has she taken up flower arranging again. At the beginning of her demonstration, Sonya explained that the display should follow the shape of the receptacle in which the arrangement is to be displayed. The first arrangement in a florist basket was as wide as the basket and as tall as the handle and filled with evergreen foliage and seasonal cones as well as yellow, orange and red blooms. Sonya explained that blooms of those colours are eye catching and good for floral display. The second circular display had at its centre a white candle, surrounded by variegated holly, pine cones and white and yellow blooms. Sonya explained that variegated foliage is good to use as it lightens the display. After the demonstration members made their own displays and they were all beautifully arranged. In the words of one member – “I didn’t realise how a few leaves so artfully placed could look so impressive”. See our gallery page for pictures of our displays. While members were busy making their arrangements they were served with mulled wine and mince pies by committee members. The best mince pies in Aldersbrook were made by committee member, Janet Hayes. A great time was had by all!!
Before the fun part of the meeting began the AGM took place and the Annual Report and Financial Report were unanimously agreed by members present. The officers and committee were elected unopposed.
That seemed to be the opinion of many of the members who attended the November monthly meeting! It is certainly the view of the speaker, Ken Clarke who shared his enthusiasm and knowledge of the subject, telling us that having too many plants is never a problem – but keeping them alive might be!! House Plants are certainly back in fashion again – well known ‘plant influencers’ having thousands of followers on social media. More and more people want to have the benefit of a garden indoors as well as out, plants are used to improve decor and collecting and swapping plants provide a way of connecting with others. Ken outlined the different types of house plants; foliage, flowers & cactis and succulents. The most important requirement for healthy house plants is light – do some research before putting your plant in a particular place as some will adapt to less light. Ken gave some examples of good house plants to grow – such as the Spider plant, the Swiss Cheese plant, Sanseveria (snake plant); Crassula Ovata; Dragon Tree and the Double Z plant – Zamioculas Zamifolia.
Ken suggested a number of ways in which to ensure healthy plants, putting them outside in summer to benefit from rainwater; ensuring humidity by placing the plants on a saucer with pebbles so the bottom of the pot doesn’t get too wet but remains humid, using a Terranium and grouping plants together. plants should be planted in house plant compost so that it is not too compacted, plants need to be kept dust free, pruned and pinched out like garden plants. They should also be turned to ensure equal light distribution. Ken answered members questions and we were very pleased that the plant stall selling many house plants grown my our members raised money for our funds!!
