Faversham Life
Faversham Life
Words Posy Gentles Photographs Faversham Horticultural Society and Posy Gentles
Award winning arrangement at The Faversham Horticultural Spring Show
In 1948, the Faversham Sweet Pea and Rose Society and the Faversham and District Chrysanthemum Association merged to become Faversham Horticultural Society and last year it celebrated ’75 years of Growing and Showing’. Its first incarnation was in 1836.
It puts on two shows a year at The Alexander Centre – the Spring Show and the Autumn Show – admission free. The Spring Show is tomorrow, 23 March 2024 and, although you are too late to enter this time if you haven’t already, it is worth dashing along for the wonderful display of daffodils of many classifications – scented jonquilla, poeticus and tazetta, fragile bulbocodiums and blaring yellow trumpets. It opens at 12 noon and there will be presentation of trophies at 3 o’clock.
The Spring Show’s Floral Arrangement category
There are prizes for the best floral arrangements. There are five different sections: one is called ‘New Beginnings’ which should use material from a garden or hedgerow, another ‘Take Five’ which uses five flowers of the same variety.
Competition is fierce for the best rhubarb, lettuces, chitted potatoes and leeks among other vegetables. And in the Home Economics section, there are categories for marmalade, lemon drizzle cake, traditional shortbread, rhubarb and rose cupcakes, cheese muffins and ginger cordial.
Vegetable contenders from the Autumn Show
It sounds enormous fun and Faversham Life is kicking itself for not entering at least a jar of marmalade. Still, there is time to prepare for the Autumn Show at The Alexander Centre on 14 September which will be a riot of dahlias. There are also novice classes and classes for children.
Competing dahlias in the Autumn Show
The winners
Judith Foulkes, chairman and show secretary, says that in the past the competition was more serious – friendly, but serious – than it is today. ‘The professional gardeners of the big houses in Faversham and the surrounding villages would compete with each other but that’s largely gone. Today, we have a lot of enthusiasts and people growing in their allotments.’
Such shows are the stuff of nostalgia but there’s nothing dusty about the Faversham Horticultural Society under the leadership of Judith Foulkes, and her stalwart band of volunteers. There was a period in the doldrums, not helped by Covid but that’s over. Judith says: ‘I want the Society to be in the right century. History is great but …’
Faversham Horticultural Society has just celebrated its 75th Anniversary
The website has been updated and the Society is making connections everywhere. It is focused on all aspects of horticulture, not just growing the biggest dahlia or leek. Last year the Kent Wildlife Trust came to talk to its members about wildlife and gardening. Herb-growing, aromatherapy and plant medicine are also in its remit, as well as talks from experts on pruning and what will grow in the shade. The Society has a good relationship with Jean Griffin who presents Radio Kent’s gardening programme on Sunday.
This year, they have invited Adam Frost from television’s Gardener’s World to give a talk in Faversham on 24 July. Last year, garden writer and presenter Nick Bailey spoke. The pioneering gardener, Steve Edney is speaking on ‘Our Jungle Journey with Exotics’ on 17 April about the garden he has made in Ash. This season’s talks have already included ‘Scentsational Plants’ and ‘Growing Flowers for Cutting’. Guests are welcome to the talks and members receive a discount. The Society also organises trips for members – on April 24, there is a trip to the RHS garden Hyde Hall.
Not surprisingly, Faversham Horticultural Society is steadily attracting more members. Judith says: ‘It’s educational and inspirational but also a social thing. Members share an interest even if they only garden in a window box.’ She makes the point that with so many new houses being built with nothing but grass in their gardens, Faversham Horticultural Society is an excellent place for those who have recently moved to Faversham to meet new people and learn to create a garden.
Text: Posy Gentles. Photographs: Faversham Horticultural Society and Posy Gentles
To join the Faversham Horticultural Society or find more details of their talks, go to the website.
Annual membership is £15 and gives concessionary fees for the talks
