BLEWBURY AND UPTON VILLAGE PRODUCE ASSOCIATION – Your local village gardening club

Our summer garden visit takes place on SATURDAY 4^th JUNE and we will depart from Blewbury Village Hall at 9.30am and have a pick point in Upton at the Village Hall at 9.40am.

Our trip is to HIDCOTE MANOR GARDEN in the morning (arrive 10.30am) and KIFTSGATE COURT GARDENS in the afternoon (arrive 2.00pm), both in CHIPPING CAMPDEN.  Cost:  Hidcote Manor – £10.90 (National Trust members free) / Kiftsgate Court – £8.00.  Plus – Transport £8.00.  Café at Hidcote for lunch.

PLEASE BOOK YOUR TICKET AT BLEWBURY POST OFFICE OR THROUGH MAGGIE MAYTHAM in Upton (01235 850126).

A REMINDER FOR ALL GARDENERS IN BLEWBURY & UPTON – We have a selection of tools and equipment available for use – for a donation.  Here is a reminder of our list of equipment:

Mantis Rotavator with various attachments and a Projector for presentations – contact Karen Brooks 850219

Fertiliser Distributor, Long Arm Pruner and Garden Roller – contact Joyce Gilbert 850388

Gazebos, Lawn Scarifier & Aerator and Electric Leaf Vacuum – contact Margaret Maytham 850126

Don’t forget we have an e-mail address:  vpa.in.bl.up@gmail.com   If you have any gardening problems, please send us an e-mail and one of our members will be in touch to help you with advice.   We do have a lot of experts in our team.  Please take advantage by talking to some of our members who have a vast amount of experience and knowledge.

We also have a website!! Please have a look – https://blewburyanduptonvpa.wordpress.com/

DID YOU KNOW?  Caterpillars can devastate a crop of cabbages like a biblical plague of locusts, but you can help protect younger plants by adding about half a tablespoon of salt to your watering can.  The plants absorb the salt, making them unpleasant for caterpillars who bloat and die if they consume it, but the cabbages will have expunged the salt by the time they reach maturity.

Happy Gardening

Eileen

BLEWBURY & UPTON VILLAGE PRODUCE ASSOCIATION      

GARDEN VISITS AND EVENTS 2016

The VPA is organising a series of garden visits and other events during 2016. Full details of costs for the outings will be issued in the Blewbury Bulletin and on the Upton News Website prior to the event and you will need to register four weeks before the event.

If you are interested in visiting any of these gardens listed below, registration will be available at the Blewbury Post Office or contact:   Margaret Maytham on 01235 850126 or Eileen Bracken on 01235 510095 You can also contact us on our e-mail address:   vpa.in.bl.up@gmail.com     We will advise transport arrangements when we have numbers.

SATURDAY 16^th APRIL (day visit)

BATSFORD ARBORETUM, Moreton-in-Marsh, Glos.

Is home to a unique collection of some of the world’s most beautiful and rare trees, shrubs and bamboos.

SATURDAY 4^th JUNE (day visit to two gardens)

HIDCOTE MANOR GARDEN, Chipping Campden, Glos. (Morning visit)

Is one of England’s great Arts and Crafts gardens. Created by Major Lawrence Johnston with outstanding herbaceous borders

KIFTSGATE COURT GARDEN, Chipping Campden, Glos. (Afternoon visit)

Three generations of women gardeners have designed, planted and sustained this garden, with spectacular views of Malvern Hills

SUNDAY 4^th SEPTEMBER (day visit)

LOSELEY PARK, near Guildford, Surrey

The garden is part of the grounds of Loseley Park and Includes a walled garden largely based on a design by Gertrude Jekyll

EVENTS

SAT.   9th JULY	ANNUAL SUMMER SHOW at BLEWBURY VILLAGE HALL   2.30pm – 4.00pm
SUN. 23rd OCT	PLANT SALE AT THE RED LION PUB, BLEWBURY 1.00pm – 3.00pm with Sustainable Blewbury’s Apple Day
WED. 2nd NOV	ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – The Vale Room 7.00pm
SAT. 3rd DEC	XMAS SOCIAL at UPTON VILLAGE HALL – 7.00pm

BLEWBURY AND UPTON VILLAGE PRODUCE ASSOCIATION – Your local village gardening club

We are about to have this year’s first garden visit.   It takes place on SATURDAY 16^th APRIL and we will depart from Blewbury Village Hall at 9.30am and have a pick up point in Upton at the Village Hall at 9.40am.

Our trip is to BATSFORD ARBORETUM in GLOUCESTERSHIRE which is home to a unique collection of some of the world’s most beautiful and rare trees, shrubs and bamboos. (The Café serves hot lunches 12noon – 2pm and snacks). The cost – including transport is £17 (£16 for seniors).

YOU WILL NEED TO BOOK YOUR TICKET BY THE 16^th MARCH AT BLEWBURY POST OFFICE OR THROUGH MAGGIE MAYTHAM in Upton (01235 850126).

Let’s hope the weather improves so we have a nice dry day.   Let’s hope it also improves so we can get into our gardens and onto the allotments to get everything shipshape for the spring.

Don’t forget we have an e-mail address: vpa.in.bl.up@gmail.com – we are offering a special service to you for the first time – it’s absolutely free!! If you have any gardening problems, please send us an e-mail and one of our members will be in touch to help you with advice or sorting out any gardening queries you may have.   We do have a lot of experts in our team. (No, we won’t come and dig the allotment for you!!) But please take advantage of talking to some of our members who have a vast amount of experience and knowledge.   We also have a website!! Please have a look – https://blewburyanduptonvpa.wordpress.com/

DID YOU KNOW? Charles Dudley Warner wrote in 1871: “I am told that abundant and rank weeds are signs of a rich soil, but I have noticed that a thin poor soil grows little but weeds.”

Happy Gardening

Eileen

BLEWBURY AND UPTON VILLAGE PRODUCE ASSOCIATION – Your local village gardening club

We might be complaining about the rain and wind here – but aren’t we lucky we don’t live in Cumbria and further north. I do hope they are drying themselves out and getting back to normal.

First sprinkle of snow when I woke up this morning (17^th Jan) – but didn’t last long. Hopefully this cold snap will get rid of these horrible ‘flu and cold bugs which have hit a few of us this winter.

Last year, the Committee made the decision not to have monthly meetings during 2016 but to have garden visits throughout the year.

Our first visit will be to Batsford Arboretum in Gloucestershire on Saturday 16^th April. Full details will be in next month’s Bulletin.

We’re all planning our garden and allotments chores, once the weather improves.   Don’t forget that the VPA has a variety of tools available for use by all residents of Blewbury and Upton.   A donation is all that’s required which helps to keep the equipment in tip top condition. These tools are great for the garden or allotment.

Mantis Rotavator with various attachments – contact: Karen 850219

Long arm pruner. garden roller, fertiliser distributor – contact: Joyce 850388

Lawn scarifier and aerator, electric leaf vacuum, gazebos – contact: Margaret 850126

DID YOU KNOW? Camomile lawns were popular in Tudor times. Drake’s famous game of bowls before he set sail to defeat the Armada was played on a camomile lawn.

Happy Gardening

Eileen

BLEWBURY AND UPTON VILLAGE PRODUCE ASSOCIATION (Your Village Gardening Club)

We concluded our 2015 programme with our Xmas Social – a very enjoyable evening was had by all, with lovely pizzas provided by The Blueberry – really delicious, plus lots of fun and games.

As you may already be aware, the VPA is not holding monthly meetings during 2016, but we have planned garden visits instead. The Programme of Outings and Events will be in the February Blewbury Bulletin and The Upton News.   To enable you to make a note in your 2016 diary, the Garden Visits are listed below.

Saturday 16^th April          Batsford Arboretum, Gloucestershire.

Saturday 4^th June            Hidcote Manor Garden & Kiftsgate Court Gardens, Gloucestershire

Sunday 4^th September  Loseley Park, Surrey

Full details will be given two months before the date of each outing in the Blewbury Bulletin, Upton News and Blewbury Post Office to enable you to book your tickets one month in advance of the event.

Another important date is SATURDAY 9^th JULY 2016 which is the day of the ANNUAL SUMMER SHOW.

 There are many new residents in the villages who may be reluctant to take part in the Show – PLEASE DO!   The Show has a long standing tradition and fosters pride and friendly competition. The Schedule is being re-designed and being made more user friendly.   It will be available at the Blewbury Post Office and by e-mail (vpa.in.bl.up@gmail.com) in early Spring.

Finally, the VPA Committee thank you for your support in 2015 and we are hoping it will continue in 2016.  On behalf of the VPA Committee – HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND PEACEFUL NEW YEAR.

DID YOU KNOW: John Evelyn, the influential gardener and garden writer of the mid-seventeenth century, leased his house, Sayes Court in Deptford, to Peter the Great of Russia for three months in 1698.   He was horrified to discover the state of repair into which his garden had fallen when he returned.   Peter the Great apparently enjoyed being transported in a wheelbarrow, in and around, through and over, Evelyn’s immaculately laid-out plots!!

Happy Gardening

Eileen

BLEWBURY AND UPTON VILLAGE PRODUCE ASSOCIATION – Your Village Gardening Club

September began with a talk from Stuart Mabbutt on wildlife and wildlife gardening.   It was very interesting to learn how to encourage insects, bees, butterflies and birds into our gardens.

Our next event is A PLANT AND HOMEMADE CAKE SALE on SATURDAY 10th OCTOBER AT TOAD HALL, STREAM ROAD, UPTON, OX11 9JD .   Do come along a visit us and have a cup of tea in Maggie Maytham’s garden.

A copy of our questionnaire was put into the October Blewbury Bulletin, for everyone to complete, so we can find out what you would like from us.   Please return it to Blewbury Post Office or send your answers to  vpa.in.bl.up@gmail.com  and you will be entered in the lucky draw to win a bottle of wine or chocolates.  CLOSING DATE is the 28TH SEPTEMBER.   Draw takes place at the A.G.M. on Wednesday 4th November.

Our Annual General Meeting is on Wednesday 4th November at 7.00pm in the Vale Room, Blewbury Village Hall.   We will have our “Beetroot Bonanza”, which should have taken place at the Annual Show in July.  The summer weather did not allow the 19 varieties of beetroot being grown to reach their required potential, so our display and special beetroot recipes was postponed until the AGM.

We will have special beetroot recipes you have never seen before, for tasting and sampling.   Of course, we will have our usual AGM wine and nibbles.

Do come along and find out what our plans will be for the future, following an analysis of the questionnaires that have been returned.

Please pop the 4th November in your diary.

DID YOU KNOW?  A snail can sleep for three years!   There are more insects in one square mile of rural land than there are human beings on the entire earth!  Each year, insects eat one-third of the earth’s food crops!

Happy Gardening, Eileen.

Note – Apologies for the late posting of this item due to a technical problem. I have still posted it in case someone in the future would like to know what the VPA did in October 2015.    Mike B.

BLEWBURY AND UPTON VILLAGE PRODUCE ASSOCIATION (Your Village Gardening Club)

We held our October Plant and Cake Sale in Upton this year and thank you to everyone who supported us, with a special thanks to Margaret Maytham for allowing us to use her garden.

Our ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING takes place on  WEDNESDAY 4th NOVEMBER AT 7.00PM  IN THE VALE ROOM AT BLEWBURY VILLAGE HALL We will be announcing the Committee’s future plans for the VPA given the response to our questionnaire which went out in the September issue of the Blewbury Bulletin.

Our BEETROOT BONANZA will also take place on the 4th November Over 15 varieties of beetroot have been grown for tasting  –  PLUS special and unusual recipes.    We will also have our usual wine and nibbles during the short business meeting. PLEASE JOIN US  To end 2015 on a high note we are holding our XMAS SOCIAL on SATURDAY 5th DECEMBER – 7.00pm at UPTON VILLAGE HALL.  Our theme is an “Italian Evening”.    On arrival you will receive a complimentary glass of wine and nibbles, continue with a beautifully cooked pizza from The Blueberry with homemade salad and finish with a traditional Italian dessert.  (Please bring any other drink you may want).  We have an unusual table quiz and a couple of extra special indoor games!!   Everyone is welcome, so why not make it a family evening out.   Tickets are £9 per person. Tickets will be available from the 1st November at Blewbury Post Office, or you can telephone and book your ticket with Margaret Maytham – 01235 850126 or Eileen Bracken – 01235 510095.     You will need to book your tickets by Tuesday 1st December at the latest.

DID YOU KNOW?  Three old sayings:  1. Clear moon, frost soon.  Halo around the moon, rain soon. 2.  If you see the underside of the leaves in the gentle breeze, it will rain before you sneeze.     3.  A summer fog for fair, a winter fog for rain.

Happy Gardening Eileen

BLEWBURY AND UPTON VILLAGE PRODUCE ASSOCIATION (Your Village Gardening Club)

Our visit to the Harris Garden at Reading University, in June was amazing – a 12 acre garden in the middle of Reading. Ann our guide gave a perfect tour and we concluded the visit with a lovely lunch at The Griffin in Caversham. Those of you who didn’t come missed a really good outing!!

CALLING ALL EXHIBITORS

Don’t forget our next big event is the ANNUAL SHOW on SATURDAY 11^TH JULY.

HAVE YOU GOT YOUR COPY OF THE SHOW SCHEDULE SO YOU CAN DECIDE WHAT TO ENTER??

It’s available at Blewbury Post Office or via our e-mail vpa.in.bl.up@gmail.com We do need Blewbury and Upton villagers to support this traditional event to make it a worthwhile activity.

The planned ‘Beetroot Bonanza’ for the Show is going well. The 19 varieties of beetroot are surviving despite the wind, rain and hail that has attacked them. Let’s have some June sunshine to help them grow!! Provided they grow big enough between now and the 11^th July, there will be recipes and tastings for all the visitors to the Show. If you didn’t like beetroot when you arrived – I’m sure you will by the time you leave.

August is our month off – but there will be a short questionnaire in the next Blewbury Bulletin and Upton News which we would like everyone to complete. You can either send you reply by e-mail or pop it into Blewbury Post Office. So keep an eye out in the September issue.

Date for your diary: Wednesday 2^nd September 7.30pm in the Vale Room, Blewbury. We have an expert coming to give a talk about Wildlife and Wildlife Gardening.

DID YOU KNOW? The SUNFLOWER is a native plant of the Americas, where the Indians used its seeds as an important source of food. The Incas of Peru were sun worshippers and used it in religious ceremonies. The sunflower leans towards the sun in a process known as heliotropism.

DID YOU ALSO KNOW? Sunflower stems were once used to fill lifejackets before the invention of synthetic materials.

Happy Gardening

Eileen

Your Village Gardening Club

A group of us battled the high winds on the 6th May and made it to the evening tour of the LIME CLOSE GARDEN in Drayton. The owner of the 3-acre garden, Marie-Christine de Laubarede, gave us a very interesting tour identifying very unusual trees and shrubs that had been planted from seed over the past 25 years.

Don’t forget to book your seat for SATURDAY 13^th JUNE when we visit THE HARRIS GARDEN at READING UNIVERSITY and then a lunch at THE GRIFFIN PUBLIC HOUSE, CAVERSHAM. Transport will leave Blewbury Village Hall at 9.30pm. There is a bonus to this outing – we can also visit Caversham House Gardens after lunch – it’s about 200 yards from the Griffin. Apologies – there was an error in the May Bulletin, the price is as follows. Ticket 1: Garden tour, one-course lunch & coffee – £8 per person

Ticket 2: Garden tour, one-course lunch & coffee, plus transport – £14 per person

PLEASE BOOK YOUR TICKET(s), CHOOSE YOUR LUNCH BY FRIDAY 5^TH JUNE THROUGH KAREN AT BLEWBURY POST OFFICE OR MAGGIE (IN UPTON) ON 01235 850126 OR EILEEN (IN DIDCOT) ON 01235 510095 AND BOOK TRANSPORT IF YOU REQUIRE IT. Please call these numbers if you have any questions.

HAVE YOU GOT YOUR COPY OF THE SHOW SCHEDULE SO YOU CAN DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO ENTER IN THE ANNUAL SHOW??? It’s available at Blewbury Post Office or via our e-mail vpa.in.bl.up@gmail.com We already have exhibitors registering from Didcot and surrounding villages – so we need Blewbury and Upton to support this traditional event on Saturday 11^th July. The planned ‘Beetroot Bonanza’ is going well. Nineteen varieties of beetroot have germinated despite the mixed weather. We now need sunshine to help them grow!! Tastings and recipes you have never seen before will be available on the day of the Show. Beetroot is a good source of iron and folate (naturally occurring folic acid). It also contains nitrates, betaine, magnesium and other antioxidants (notably betacyanin). More recent health claims suggest beetroot can help lower blood pressure, boost exercise performance and prevent dementia.

DID YOU KNOW? Americans started using blueberries in their muffins when they discovered that the fruits exploded on reaching a certain temperature and distributed their flavour throughout the sponge.

Happy Gardening

Eileen

Your Village Gardening Club

In April we had a very interesting talk, by Stefan Edwin White, about the story of John Tradescant and his family. It was such a shame that we had a small attendance – I guess it was because it was a cold and miserable evening and people didn’t want to venture out.

On the 6th May our meeting is an evening garden visit to LIME CLOSE GARDEN (arrive at 6.30pm), 35 Henleys Lane, Drayton, OX14 4HU. The garden is famous for its displays of Iris. Tickets are £6.50 and available from Blewbury Post Office or through Maggie Maytham in Upton on 01235 850126. Don’t forget to say whether you need transport.

SATURDAY 13^th JUNE we have a visit to THE HARRIS GARDEN, READING UNIVERSITY and then a lunch at THE GRIFFIN PUBLIC HOUSE, CAVERSHAM.

(Harris Garden, Pepper Lane, Reading, RG6 5RQ. The Griffin P.H. 10-12 Church Road, Reading, RG4 7AD).

Arrive at Harris Garden at 10:30am for guided tour and then lunch at The Griffin, Caversham at 1.00pm.

Transport will leave Blewbury Village Hall at 9.30pm.

Ticket 1: Garden tour, one-course lunch & coffee – £7.50 per person

Ticket 2: Garden tour, one-course lunch & coffee, plus transport – £13 per person

PLEASE BOOK YOUR TICKET(s) THROUGH KAREN AT BLEWBURY POST OFFICE OR MAGGIE (IN UPTON) ON 01235 850126 OR EILEEN (IN DIDCOT) ON 01235 510095 TO CHOOSE YOUR LUNCH AND BOOK TRANSPORT IF YOU REQUIRE IT. Please call these numbers if you have any questions.

THE SCHEDULE FOR OUR ANNUAL SHOW ON SATURDAY 11^TH JULY IS NOW AVAILABLE at Blewbury Post Office and through Maggie or Eileen. Included at the Show will be a ‘Beetroot Bonanza’. We hope to have eighteen varieties of beetroot on display (grown by our committee members), together with tastings and recipes you have never seen before!! More news on the Show next month.

DID YOU KNOW? Britain’s Richard Hope holds the world record for growing the longest beetroot, stunning visitors to the 2003 Llanharry Giant Vegetable Championships in Wales with a whopper measuring 6.146 metres!!!

Happy Gardening

Eileen