1st Plot 6 Peter Topliss 66pts
2nd Plot 4 Geoff Faulkner 64pts
3rd Plot 16 Neil Crump 56pts
4th = Plot 19 Ted Killick 55pts
4th = Plot 24 Jenny Strange 55pts
6th Plot 23 Jim Harvey 50pts

Based on points accumulated from the Spring, Summer and Autumn Competitions, Peter & Alice Topliss are Gardeners of the Year. They were chased hard by Geoff Faulkner, but like Prince Philip and the Queen, he was always just one or two paces points behind the leader.

Our congratulations also to Graham Anderson who has had another very successful year at national level with his gladioli. It has got to the stage where even the Society is being contacted it find out how to obtain corms of his home-bred award winning varieties!

The Society was pleased to assist Rolleston Club with the horticultural section of the Village Gala. We hope that we have tempted other villagers to enter something next year. There is as much pleasure in seeing a colourful harvest display as winning a prize,

We regret to report the passing of long term member and our accounts examiner, Michael Brindley. But, have you ever been to a Church funeral where the reading was a chapter on growing peas from an early 20th century gardening encyclopaedia? We hope that Michael was listening because his wife, Amanda, said that he never managed to grow a crop in this life!

Summer Competition

The dry weather had not prevented our regular prize winners from cultivating high quality crops with plot scores meeting an excellent standard.

It is always good to see a member coming out of the woodwork and showing the old lags how I should be done – congratulations to Mrs Paul for her fine bed of onions!

Best Plot

1st Plot 6 Peter & AliceTopliss 76pts
2nd Plot 4 Geoff Faulkner 75pts
3rd Plot 24 Mrs Jenny Strange 72pts
4th Plot 19 Ted Killick 66pt
5th Plot 16 Neil Crump 64pts
6th Plot 3 Paul Walker 52pts

Best Half Plot

1st Plot 15A Peter Longbottom 63pts
2nd Plot 7A Mrs Petula Paul 50pts
3rd Plot 1 Mrs Carol Webster 44pts

Best Crop Of Vegetables
(not in best plot award)

Plot 7A Mrs Petula Paul
For a bed of onions

She’s not a member, but the Society’s congratulations to Mrs Angie Gillespie for her success at the National Sweet Pea Show. It’s not been an easy year but if you’ve been lucky enough to get one of the “ordinary” bunches that she donates to Coffee Morning in aid of St Mary’s you’ll get an idea of her exhibition standard.

Spring Competition

In spite of the long cold start to the season our leading competitors showed what could be done with over-winter cropping.. However we have one clear leader and it will take some consolidated effort to overhaul them in the summer competition.

Having used his wood turning skills to make a plinth for the trophy, Peter Topliss is determined that no one else is going to polish it!

1st - Plot 6 Peter & Alice Topliss 64pts
2nd - Plot 19 Ted Killick 54pts
3rd - Plot 24 Mrs Jenny Strange 46pts
4th = Plot 4 Geoff Faulkner 41pts
4th = Plot 22 Roy Ottewell 41pts
4th = Plot 23 James Harvey 41pts

Local residents should remember that, in addition to local garden centres, the ESBC Greenhouse, Gardening and Advisory Centre at Stapenhill Cemetery is offering a wide range of bedding and vegetable plants, soft fruit bushes and fruit trees. The centre is open Monday – Friday 10am – 4pm

ESBC Plant Fairs, Stapenhill Cemetery, Garden Centre

Sundays 20th June and 12th September 9.30am – 12.30pm

For the third year running we have had only one resignation from our plot holders, everyone is hanging on to what they have!

We have, however, managed to create three half plots and introduce a few new members to the site.

The long cold spell is delaying a start to cultivation but most members were able to do some autumn digging so the site looks in good order and ready for the off.

A noticeable change in practice is the increasing amount of soft fruit being grown. Recent open autumns have meant that autumn raspberries have cropped particularly well, lasting into October without any special anti-bird protection They bear no comparison with the price and flavour of supermarket imports. Gooseberries and strawberries are also more popular crops. Perhaps the demise of local “pick your own” is another influence?

European regulations continue to clamp down and limit the insecticides and fungicides available to amateur growers, this also means that the site has become close to “organic”. One important deletion coming this year is “Dithane” which, for many years, has been the best fungicide for the control of potato blight. A copper based replacement has been promised for this major disease which is difficult to control by natural means, particularly in wet seasons.

The Society is taking a lead role in the preparation of the horticultural section of the village show and Gala planned for September, as described elsewhere in this issue. We hope that a number of villagers will enter the competitions for the first time. We are looking for a “harvest festival” display as much as prize winning crops.

The Society intends to take a coach to - Malvern Spring Gardening Show - Friday 7th May
Depart Spread Eagle 8.30 am, £27 per person, combined coach and entry
Rollestonians are welcome to apply for any spare seats. Please contact Tom Martin. Tel: 813320 for details

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