BELBROUGHTON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY Founded 1961     Affiliated to The RHS Chairman Mr Alan Starling 07858 576532 Secretary Mrs Gill Barber (01562) 730983   Email bhs@epsilon9.co.uk Meetings for 2019 Meet at Belbroughton Church Hall 7.30pm New members welcome; first monthly meeting visit free February Meeting Belbroughton Church Hall Friday 21st February 2020 7:30pm Conservatory & House Plants Philip Aubury Monthly Competition 1. Pot Plant 2. A Decorated Cup Cake We bid a warm return welcome to Philip Aubury. Many will know Philip from his time as the general manager of Birmingham Botanical Gardens and also from his many visits to Belbroughton and Clent. For our February meeting Philip will be talking to us about Conservatory and house plants. During the cold winter months those with a conservatory or keen house plant collectors use this time more due to the potential cold wet weather. As always Philip will have some of his home raised plants for sale. Why not banish the winter blues and come along for some top advice and help. Looking Back December 2019 Our final meeting of 2019 saw us welcome in the festive season with a lovely meal and musical entertainment from Peter and Hazel. Our catering team cooked up a lovely chicken and beef casserole's plus vegetarian option. A wonderful festive feast, I know some had difficulty moving afterwards! :-) This was our second social event and one we all look forward to. It would have been nice to welcome more new people so if you are thinking of coming along to any of our events in 2020, please do, you will be most welcome. Friday 20th March 2020 7:30pm Herbaceous Perennials Ingrid and John Millington (Hill View Hardy Plants) Monthly Competition 1. Daffodil 1 Single 2. Daffodil 1 Double (Max 3 Entries in Each Class) Its been some time since we enjoyed a visit to Hill View Hardy Plants but I recall we made very welcome by Ingrid and John Millington back in 2006. For our March meeting we welcome back Ingrid and John to talk on herbaceous perennials. March hopefully will be getting warmer as the days get longer and we can all at last be spending more time in our gardens getting ready for the summer. This is a time when many hardy perennials are starting to grow back so its a fitting talk to give us help and advice on helping them along and to also look at new varieties and possible additions to the garden. Looking Back January 2020 Our first meeting of the new year was our members evening. We were firstly entertained by a lovely presentation from John Taylor. John showed us gardens of the world and also some slides from old annual shows right here in Belbroughton bringing memories back for many. After our tea break we enjoyed a second presentation from Alan Starling showing us Ventnor Botanic Garden Isle of Wight. This covered the history of the former consumption hospital that once occupied the site to its transformation into today’s botanic garden. If you are thinking of coming along to any of our events in 2020, please do, you will be most welcome. TIPS FOR THE GARDEN

March is planting time for: Bare root roses, summer-flowering bulbs such as Gladiolus, Lilies and Ranunculus, Snowdrops in the green, herbaceous perennials, sowing flower seeds and hardy annuals.  Vegetables: sow early broad beans and early peas in seed trays, begin chitting seed potatoes, plant asparagus beds from crowns, plant onion, shallot and garlic sets.  Direct sow carrots, radishes and lettuce in greenhouse or under cloches.  Sow winter brassicas in seed trays. Fruit garden: plant apple, cherry and other fruit trees in a sunny, sheltered spot, plant raspberry canes