AGS News, June 2018
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Issue 62 June 2018 AGS news Newsletter of the Alpine Garden Society CHELSEA GOLD MEDAL FOR AGS DISPLAY The AGS was delighted to be awarded a Gold Medal at the Chelsea Flower Show last month for its display garden in the Great Pavilion. A full report on the garden’s construction and planting will appear in the September issue of The Alpine Gardener. Picture: Doug Joyce ANNUAL CONFERENCE... AUTUMN BULB DAY... SNOWDROP DAY ooking is now open for the AGS Book now: BAnnual Conference, Autumn Bulb Day and the 2019 Snowdrop Day. This year’s Annual Conference and three AGS our Autumn Bulb Day will both be held in new venues. events you The AGM and Conference will take place on the weekend of November 17 and 18 at the four-star Alveston Manor can’t afford Hotel and Spa in Stratford-upon-Avon, which is set in its own grounds just to miss Continued on page 2 www.alpinegardensociety.net NOTICEBOARD AGS shows A GREAT DAY OUT FOR GARDENERS AGS Centre, Avon Bank, Pershore, BOOK NOW! Worcestershire, WR10 3JP, UK and plant sales AGS Autumn Bulb Day Phone: +44(0)1386 554790 Fax: +44(0)1386 554801 Sunday, September 23, 2018, 9.30am to 3.30pm Email: Admission is by advance ticket only [email protected] Registered charity No. 207478 At Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, Lower Smite Farm, Smite Lane, Hindlip, Worcester WR3 8SZ. Ample parking. Annual subscriptions: Single (UK and Ireland) £35* Tickets for lectures, plant sales, lunch, tea and coffee: Family (two at same address) £38* AGS members £32, non-members £42 Junior (under 18/student) £15 Overseas single £37 ($50) Tickets can be obtained from the AGS Centre. AGS members receive Overseas family £39 ($54) July 7: Pershore Show priority booking. Non-members may reserve tickets after June 1, 2018. * £3 deduction for direct debit Sept 29: Loughborough Autumn Show subscribers October 6: Newcastle Show SPEAKERS WILL INCLUDE: October 13: Harlow Carr Show John Mitchell: Central Asian Bulbs and Alpines Full details for each show are in the AGS Shows Handbook, on the AGS Robert Rolfe: Erythroniums AGS CENTRE website and in the shows calendar Kit Strange: A Bulb Repotting Practical Workshop AUGUST BANK that was sent to UK members in Christopher Grey-Wilson: Greek Bulbs – Spring & Autumn HOLIDAY CLOSURE December last year. The AGS Centre will close at 5pm on Friday, August 24, and will not reopen until Book now for three great AGS members’ events From page 1 Wednesday, August 29. The Sarah Carlton from St Andrews Botanic will appear in the September issue of AGS garden is open every day. five minutes walk from the cultural Garden; former Kew horticulturist AGS News. attractions of the historic Shakespeare Katie Price talking on the ‘Rofan The Autumn Bulb Day on Sunday, town. and Berchtesgaden’ in Germany; September 23, will be held at the © Alpine Garden Society 2018 This year’s E.B. Anderson Memorial David Morris on the joint AGS/RSPB headquarters of the Worcestershire Lecture, which forms part of the AGM conservation project: ‘Mardale – Wildlife Trust. Details are above. Send items for the September 2018 and is free to all members, will be given Recreating A Mountain Meadow in the Details of the Snowdrop Day, on issue of AGS News to Jo Gildea at by orchid expert Phillip Cribb from the Lake District’; and nurseryman Steve February 2, 2019, are on page 5. the address above or email Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Furness on ‘Trough Planting – 101 Tips To book for any of these events please [email protected]. on How to Succeed’. A full programme The deadline is July 31, 2018. Conference speakers will include call the AGS Centre (details opposite). 2 3 NOTICEBOARD ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Saturday, November 17, 2018 AGS Snowdrop Day BOOK NOW The Annual General Meeting of the Alpine Garden Society will take place on Saturday, February 2, 2019 Saturday, November 17, 2018, at the Macdonald Alveston Manor Hotel, Clopton Bridge, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 7HP. Admission is by advance ticket only Full details of the event will appear in the next issue of AGS News. At Ford Hall, Lilleshall National Conferencing Centre, Newport, Shropshire TF10 9AT. Ample parking. ELECTION OF OFFICERS Tickets for lectures, plant sales, tea and coffee, The following Officers are eligible for reappointment and are prepared to continue to serve the AGS (see Note 1 below): Director of Seed Distribution (Mrs Diane two-course lunch: Clement), Director of Shows (Mr Martin Rogerson), Treasurer (Professor John AGS members £35, non-members £45 Galloway) and President (Mr Christopher Bailes). Tickets can be obtained from the AGS Centre. NOMINATIONS FOR TRUSTEE BOARD MEMBERS Tickets are restricted to AGS members until October 31, 2018. Nominations, with supporting statements/citations, are invited from members for the following posts: PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME Two Trustees to serve for four years (see Note 2 below). 9.00 Registration, plant sales & coffee PROVISIONAL AGENDA 11.00 Welcome by AGS President Christopher Bailes 1. To receive and confirm the minutes of the last Annual General Meeting, held on 11.05 Richard Hobbs – Plants and People: an A to Z November 11, 2017. 12.00 Jim Almond – Snowdrops: the Theme is Green 2. To receive the report of the Board of Trustees. 3. To receive the Honorary Treasurer’s report and accounts. 13.00 Plant sales and hot two-course buffet lunch 4. To elect a President, Treasurer and Officers to serve for the ensuing year. 14.30 Anne Wright – Making more Snowdrops 6. To elect two Trustees to serve for four years (see Note 2 below). 15.25 Snowdrop question & answer session with the panel of speakers 7. To appoint Auditors for the ensuing year. 8. Any Other Items of Business as notified to the Society Director in writing, no 15.45 Coffee later than August 1, 2018. 16.00 Event closes Notes on the election of Officers and members of the Trustee Board: Nurseries attending include: Monksilver, Glen Chantry, (1) Officers retire annually and are eligible for re-election as per rule 7.1.3.1 of the Constitution. All Woodchippings, Jim Almond, Matt Bishop and Edulis Nursery Honorary Officers listed have agreed to stand for re-election. (2) In accordance with rule 7.1.4, two Trustees retire annually and are not eligible for re-election for There will also be an AGS stand with a selection of one year. The deadline for Trustee nominations is July 31, 2018, and these should be sent to the AGS gardening books and merchandise for sale. Director Christine McGregor at the AGS Centre (address on page 2). This event is always a sell-out so book now to be sure of your place 4 5 NOTICEBOARD Subscription Rates for 2019 News from the AGS Trustee Board The AGS Trustee Board considers the issue of subscription rates each year and is Rebranding and new website: Much discussion has centred around the always reluctant to increase them unless absolutely necessary. In 2018 we have development of the new website and the facilities it will offer. There will be an experienced an increase in the cost of paper, together with further increases in enhanced members’ area, allowing members to update their own address details postage charges, and so it is felt that a modest increase of £1 is necessary to help etc, together with additional payment facilities. It is anticipated that the launch offset these rising costs. will be in late summer/early autumn and advance notice will be given on the old It is important to remember that the Alpine Garden Society is a charity with website. The development of the Encyclopaedia area will be ongoing as more plant education, cultivation and conservation of alpine plants as core objectives. Over the information is added to this part of the site. years the Society has been fortunate to be the recipient of legacies and donations AGS funded training placement at RBG Edinburgh: A report about our first from members and these funds are being used in support of our charitable aims and sponsored trainee is in the issue of The Alpine Gardener that accompanies this objectives. newsletter. The Trustee Board has agreed to fund a second placement next year, Some members may feel that the Society should not increase subscriptions while again with RBGE. Application details will appear in a future newsletter. it has a very healthy cash reserve. Under Charity Commission rules, however, the 90th birthday celebration: The Society will celebrate its 90th year in 2019 and, to reserves should not be used to subsidise the costs of membership but should be mark the occasion, it hopes to stage a more ambitious display at the RHS Chelsea spent on ‘charitable’ activities. The subscription rate should cover the costs of the Flower Show. Plans are currently being drawn up and external sponsorship is being benefits received by members, which include the Society’s journal (regarded by sought to support the cost of such an exhibit. many as the finest of its kind in the world), free entry to AGS shows, discounts on Local Group Co-ordinators: Members received an update on activities since the publications and access to the world’s largest seed exchange. All this represents last meeting. David Charlton and Ben Parmee are communicating with groups on great value. a variety of issues. They will be circulating some general guidance on the new data The reserves held by the Society are used in many ways, such as the substantial protection regulations. grant to support the ongoing conservation project in the Lake District (jointly with AGS national shows: The policy regarding trade stands at AGS national shows was the RSPB), provision of subsidised places at our annual conference for young reviewed and will remain unchanged.