'Bringing Gardeners Together'

'bringing gardeners together'

NEWSLETTER November 2017

Dear Members, Most of you will have heard by now about the sad and sudden death of Adam Greathead last week. Many of us were immense fans of Adam and had visited his amazing, plant packed garden in Stourbridge, (where he is pictured above) and enjoyed the tea and cakes put on by Adam and his Mum. By popular demand, Adam had been booked to talk at our next January meeting. When Adam first emailed me I thought it was a typo when he wrote ‘I’m a 25 yr old gardener, garden writer, judge and speaker and also Chairman of Wollaston gardeners guild. I open our own small plant- packed garden 'Duck Pools' for charity every year and also open to small groups serving tea and homemade cakes.’ But as we all discovered, there had been no typing error. He was just an amazingly talented and inspirational young man with a great love of gardening and everything horticultural. He will be sorely missed. Ashwood Nurseries, where Adam worked as John Massey’s Head Gardener, have written movingly about him here - https://www.ashwoodnurseries.com/news/ashwood-mourns-loss-head-gardener/ Adam’s funeral will take place at 11am on Thursday November 30th at Our Lady and All Saints Catholic Church, New Road, Stourbridge DY81PQ Our next meeting in November is our AGM. It’s frightening how quickly these seem to come around. As always we shall be having Mulled Wine and Mince Pies and will keep the ‘business’ to a minimum. It will also be an opportunity to thank Bob Langford who at the AGM will be stepping down as KDHS President. Bob has worked tirelessly for the Horti for many years. He was Chairman for no less than 25 years before becoming President in 2012. Do come along and join us. Hope to see you there, Carole

Chairman - Mrs Geraldine Wooddisse. Treasurer - Mrs Rosemary Pope. Secretary - Mrs Carole Lacy email [email protected] Tel 01384 873321 www.kinverhorti.org.uk Charity No. 701258 Last meeting:- I couldn’t make our last meeting so thanks to Rosemary and Geraldine for putting together this interesting piece about Mike King, our last speaker, and his carnivorous plant collection.…. It all went pear shaped for Mike when his projector stopped working but he still gave in interesting insight into keeping the plants. His interest began when at 5 he was stung on the ear by a wasp. It caught his attention when he was told there were plants that ate wasps and flies and he began a collection. His interest grew until he had a greenhouse full. Another greenhouse and another were required to house everything. He began work which took him away from his plants so gave them all to his grandmother to look after. He then moved up to Telford and had so many plants that grandmother was unable to cope so they were farmed out to friends. After marriage and acquiring a large garden he quickly filled two, then three greenhouses and various small glassed areas with his ever growing collection. His wife didn’t really share his enthusiasm for the plants. They moved to a larger house and garden and this was also quickly filled with several greenhouses and one 67ft x 15ft which houses his collection comprising of Sun dews, Venus Fly Trap and Sarrecenias - native of America. He explained that all the plants were frost hardy to freezing and snow hardy and keeps some of his outside all year. Water with distilled water, keep in a tray with rain water or distilled water in the bottom, in a sunny position on a window ledge and not too hot. Sundews have sticky soft spikes that impale insects and then they suck the juices out. Venus Fly Traps have sensitive hairs on the inside of their leaves and react by closing only after the second knock to them, trapping the fly or wasp inside and the plant sucks the life out. This gives them all their nutrients so no need for plant food. When knocked they will close after exactly 20 seconds. The Sarrecenia's long vase shaped 'body' can easily fill up with insects as the inside of the throat is sticky and will not allow the insects to exit. They have been known to fill up completely. These plants come in the most wonderful range of colours, deep reds, pinky reds, oranges, yellows, greens with some mottled and some plain. We have been invited to view his collection which was most impressive. Monthly competition winners – 1. Rosemary Pope, 2. Margaret Wiseman, 3. Rosemary Pope.

Thursday 30th November 7.30 pm St Peter's Church Hall Vicarage Drive

AGM Agenda 1. Welcome 2. Present – to be signed in attendance book 3. Apologies 4. Minutes of the AGM of 2016 5. Matters arising 6. Adoption of minutes 7. Presentation and adoption of Annual Report of 2017 8. Presentation and adoption of the Accounts for 2017 9. Election of President and Vice President for 2018 10. Election of Committee Members for 2018 11. Election of Officers for 2018 12. Election of Social Committee for 2018 13. Annual Subscriptions for 2018 14. Appoint Accounts Examiner for 2018 15. Any other business at the Chairman’s discretion 16. Mulled Wine & Mince Pies!