NEWS
A View from the Potting Shed March 2025
Intro
Hello Spring - March’s blustery winds and improving temperatures mark the transition from winter to spring, as plants are prompted into growth. It’s a busy month for gardeners, but whatever you do make sure that Tuesday 25th March is highlighted on your calendar. That’s the date for our celebrity social evening, when Gardener, BBC broadcaster, writer and lecturer Pippa Greenwood will visit us and give a talk entitled ‘My Life in Gardening.’
Pippa started young, with her own mini-plot from the age of four. Now, nearly 60 years later, she has an illustrious career behind her and continues with a busy schedule including her own Hampshire garden.
N.B. This is a ticketed event, see Members Notice Board for further details.
Topic – Heritage Daffodils (Narcissus)
The fun competition at the March social is 3 daffodils in own vase, which is bound to attract numerous entries for this spring favourite that has more than 26,000 cultivars. Daffodils have been around for millennia, known by the Greeks, and the Romans, who are said to have used them medicinally, although all parts of the plant are toxic! They are grown in many parts of the world, but the UK produces the most daffodil crops, predominantly in Lincolnshire and Cornwall.
Daffodils were enjoyed in Tudor and Elizabethan gardens; Shakespeare penned them ‘Daffodils, that come before the swallow dares,’ while William Wordsworth’s famous ‘Daffodils’ poem in 1804, was inspired by wild daffodils in the Lake District, probably ‘Lent Lilies.’ However, it was in the latter part of the 19th century that daffodils had a major revival of interest due to exciting new cultivars, plus species brought back from European travels.
The Rev. George Herbert Engleheart (1851-1936) a renowned daffodil breeder, registered more than 700 named varieties during this period, some of which are still available. Suffolk has the National Plant Collection of Engleheart daffodils, managed by the Suffolk Group of Plant Heritage. The Sussex Plant Heritage Local Group has its own dispersed collection of Noel Burr bred Narcissus cultivars. Viewing by appointment, see plantheritage.org.uk
Members’ Notice Board
Social evening Tuesday 25th March 6.45 at St Luke’s, Walmer Road. Pippa Greenwood on ‘My Life in Gardening,’ tickets £8. Contact Jan Williams on 07879 818809, email williamsjan67@yahoo.com
Fun competition – 3 daffodils in own vase, plus seed and plant sale.
Fund raising event on Tuesday 22nd April 7pm. Fish and Chip supper with quiz at Chyngton Methodist Church, tickets £12.50.
Coach trip to Windsor Castle on 12th June £54. See programme or website seafordhorti.com for details.
Payments can be made by bank transfer to SDHS account sort code 30-95-01, Account 03152293
Membership renewals contact Cheryl Webb on 07779 348236 email webbcheryl@hotmail.com
Jobs to do in March
Give dahlia tubers a head start in trays of compost in a greenhouse or frost-free place (Show classes 7-11)
Plant gladioli corms 10-15cms deep in well-drained soil in full sun (Show classes 12-15)
Start begonias in boxes of compost. Once sprouted plant in separate pots. (Show class 16)
Bring overwintered pelargoniums into growth for cuttings. Repot, water and keep frost free (Show class 23)
