We are looking forward to the Christmas holidays and will be celebrating at our annual Christmas party on 12 December. This year’s party will feature the brilliant Ben Pope and his talk on ‘Gardening to Save Time’ – a topic that will interest many of us. Beautiful gardens with a great deal of interest throughout the year does take some work and planning but hopefully leaves plenty of time for everyone to sit back and enjoy the garden as well. We are expecting another full house at The Winn Hall and look forward to an evening featuring food, wine, quiz, talk and raffle with ample opportunity to chat with fellow members.
The Society is looking forward to next year and cannot wait to celebrate its 100th anniversary! At a time when a record number of horticultural societies and gardening clubs are closing down, we should be proud of this achievement and hope that many of you, whether you have lived in the village for decades or have recently moved here, will join us in our celebrations and exhibit in our wonderful horticultural shows in June and September. We look forward to sharing details of our plans in the New Year.
We have finalised the programme of talks (both online and in-person) for next year and are pleased to offer a wide range of topics. The talks in January and February will be held online via Zoom, allowing participants to stay warm and dry in the comfort of their own homes.
In January the focus will be on ‘Encouraging Wildlife in Your Garden’ with entomologist Andrew Halstead discussing how the choice of plants and wildlife-friendly management can provide habitats and food sources for different animals and insects. Insects, like the hoverfly pictured here, and other invertebrate animals are vital components of a healthy wildlife garden, providing services such as pollination, recycling of dead plant material and providing food for birds bats, hedgehogs, frogs and toads.
Then in February, we welcome nature-educator and author Michael Holland for a fascinating talk exploring the rich world of plants and the powerful substances they produce. From ancient medicinal practices to modern uses, discover how the flavours we enjoy—bitter, sweet, spicy, or sour—are more than just a delight to our taste buds; they offer medicinal protection for us, just as they do for plants.
Be sure to mark your calendar for these dates:
23 January 7pm (online): Encouraging Wildlife in Your Garden with Andrew Halstead
13 February 7pm (online): Food as Medicine with Michael Holland
20 March 7pm (Winn Hall): Shrubs – The Backbone of Your Garden with Geoff Hawkins
29 April 7pm (Winn Hall): Drought Tolerant Plants with Steve Edney, No Name Nursery
The lectures are free to DHHS members and £5 for non-members. All the Zoom talks will be recorded and made available to registered participants for one week after the event. Attendees will need to book these talks in advance and details on how to book will be available on our website shortly.
Please note that membership is due for renewal from 1 January. Membership remains £10 per person and can be paid via BACS directly to the Dunsfold & Hascombe Horticultural Society Bank Account, the details are as follows:
Bank Name: National Westminster
Sort Code: 60 11 08
Account Number: 16513371
Ref: Surname ‘Subs’
New members are most welcome. Please click here to sign up: https://www.dunsfoldhascombehorticulturalsociety.org.uk/membership or email chairdhhs@gmail.com if you are interested in joining. We thank you for your support and wish you and yours a Happy Holiday! Show Programmes and Schedules will be sent out to all members in January.
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