October 2025 Meeting Report:

NO DIG FOR VICTORY    Millie Carmichael

Millie told a little about how she came to be a gardener, having had other careers before attending Lackham College to study horticulture. Early local experience included planting the vegetable garden at Edington Priory. Millie’s enthusiasm and knowledge of her subject was communicated with humour and evidence of the depth of her experience.

She touched on the wartime initiative Dig for Victory which ensured food security at a difficult time, and compared that to the current situation, when 40%  of our fruit and vegetable produce is imported. She showed slides showing how little of our country is given over to growing these crops.

Our existence depends on six inches of soil, and rain, and soil is lost 10-40% faster than it can be replaced when it is blown or washed away. By minimal disturbance, i.e. not digging, and keeping soil covered, helps minimise soil loss and permits roots to be maintained year round.

Reasons for No Dig

*Weed seeds are not exposed to light which can reduce germination by up to 95%

*A friable surface allows plants to grow quicker and stronger, a defence against pests and diseases.

*New growing areas created quickly

*Maintains vital soil structure, which allows the myriad organisms like bacteria and fungi and creatures like worms, beetles springtails etc, who inhabit, it to thrive.

Millie described lasagne planting, where layers of material are laid over the soil and break down to form a rich compost (much like in a compost bin, and planting into this medium can take place very quickly, The key is to exclude light, which kills weeds. Cardboard, grass clippings, shredded pruning’s, garden compost in layers soon decompose to form a perfect growing medium, requiring minimum effort.

Members asked questions which were well answered, altogether an excellent talk.

Jacky

September 2025 Meeting Report:

Edington & District Gardening Club First Thursday in the month 7.00pm Parish Hall

What a wonderful display of produce and craft in the Parish Hall for this year’s Flower & Produce Show. Despite such a hot summer and challenging weather, we had a fantastic array of produce to show off, together with photos, (the most ever!), art and crafts. It amazes me how each year different produce and flowers come to the fore.

Thank you to all those who entered and those who helped in any way, including offers of cake and muscle power for the marquee and trestles, the committee, stewards and independent judges. Everything came together, making it a very successful day.

The results are shown separately.

Jacky

Edington & District Gardening Club Annual Flower & Produce Show will take place at 2:30pm on Saturday 6th September in the Parish Hall. There are categories for everyone to try their hand at: Flowers, Fruit, Veg, Cakes, Handicrafts, Art or Photography. Details can be found at: Poster, Village Shield Competition, Schedule & Entry Form. More information can be found here.

Summer Outings 2025 Report:

We were lucky, 13 of us, with the weather! We had a visit to Cortington Manor, which is one of the gardens open for charity under the National Garden Scheme. We were shown around the garden by the owner, Simon Berry. A beautiful garden of 4 acres, built up over the years from being stables and yards to a wonderful peaceful haven. We thoroughly enjoyed the evening which was finished off with a glass of bubbly, and nibbles, served to us by Simon’s wife. Well worth a visit.

For our afternoon visit to Forest Lodge, Somerset, we were not deterred by the rain, and we were warmly welcomed by Lucy Newman, the owner, armed with brollies we were shown around this beautiful garden. There was no garden at all when the owners took over the property in 1996. Starting with a blank canvass, all the hard landscaping was done around the house first, with paving and steps and pond all with curved features, and circular lawns. The sloping vista took the eye down to large pond below. Being in a valley it was very sheltered. This green sand site gave plenty of scope for an abundance of flowers (all year round) and there were many specialist trees and shrubs. The sheltered vegetable area and greenhouse at the side of the house, again with lots of pots of flowers everywhere acting as pollinators, was wonderful. The rain stopped before the end of the tour, which was followed by tea and cake.

On a beautifully sunny evening the wonderful views down across to Wells Abbey at Milton Lodge made this very memorable. Simon Tudway Quilter, whose family have been on the estate since the 11^th century, introduced us to the history of the property and then David the gardener, who has been head gardener there for the past 28 years, showed us around the beautiful, well stocked garden. His knowledge of the plants and trees was exemplary. Simon’s great grandfather relocated the family home further up the hill from the original large family mansion, in about 1900. We finished the evening with tea and cakes and of course a few plants were purchased! Milton Lodge has been in the NGS garden scheme for 60 years. It is open under this scheme 3 times a year, so do pay a visit if you can, it is well worth it.

Simpson Seeds at Keepers Yard, Horningsham finished off our summer trips. Matt Simpson moved to his new site in 2023, and work is still in progress, 2 polytunnels and several greenhouses housed a variety of tomatoes and chillies amongst other things. He showed us the hydroponic systems in use and then we had a tomato tasting session, of at least a dozen varieties, all very tasty! Matt sells his seeds and plants by mail order but is also open at certain times. He attends the various Chillie festivals, including Westbury, and has a variety of bottled chilli sauces, some very hot!  He is very well respected in his field. 

Jacky

8th May 2025 AGM Report:

Two new members joined us for the AGM and meeting. We welcome Shelagh and Donna, we hope you enjoy our meetings. There were no pertinent items to be brought up by members for the AGM, so the meeting quickly dealt with the items on the agenda. The Treasurers report and the existing committee members were all approved, and a report of the past year was read out. Thanks were given to the hardworking committee and the members who are always willing to help. Roses of Devizes and Bratton Plant Centre were also thanked for their support, and Lisa Parmley was thanked for sponsoring the village tubs for her 3^rd year. A special thanks go to the Village Squad for helping with the damaged village box and to those who plant them up.

Jacky