Sedgemoor Gardens Club

A club for those interested
in gardening in Langport and district

www.sedgemoorgardensclub.co.uk

Sedgemoor Gardens Club is a club for all those in the Langport area who are interested in growing plants and gardening. During the autumn/winter months (September - April) we meet once a month, on the second Tuesday, in All Saints Hall in Langport.  We have a speaker every month (except in December when we have our Christmas buffet party and quiz) who usually starts talking about 7.40 pm. Before the talk we gather from 7pm onwards to chat and take part in monthly competitions. We also have regular  seed swops and plant sales. After the talk there is time for a further chat over tea/coffee and biscuits and often a chance to buy plants from our speaker.

In March we hold our Spring Daffodil Festival in Long Sutton Village Hall. This is always a feast for the eyes, with the hall full of beautiful daffodils, tulips and sweet smelling hyacinths, as well as cakes and preserves. Although only members can enter the show, our judges are always impressed by the standard of our entries and have commented that some of our entries which fail to win prizes would in fact be prize winners in some much larger shows!

We are members of the Gardens Group Gold Club (Brimsmore is one of their garden centres) and as such get discounts and special offers on many plants and gardening items during the year. The Gold Club sponsors our website and hosts us for an evening of shopping, with 25% off everything, in May, giving us a talk with refreshments to finish off the evening. Our club outing is in June - the 2024 coach outing to Castle Drogo was a great success. In July we have a visit to a local garden, travelling in members' cars. This year's visit to the garden of Helen Toon took place on a perfect summer's evening and was enjoyed by all.

Our AGM is in September, followed by a short talk. We are a friendly bunch and would love to see some new faces so if you are interested, please contact our Secretary to find out more( Jean on 01458 259025) or, from September to April, just turn up at All Saints Hall on the second Tuesday of the month between 7 and 7.30 pm.

The cost of a year's single membership, payable in September, is £15, (£25 per couple). Members also buy a £1 lucky ticket, which then goes in the draw for a £5 garden token, at each of our meetings, and these fees allow us to pay for a wide range of interesting speakers. Non-members/visitors - £3 entrance fee.

 
About Us image


Date                                                                            Speaker                                                                                           Topic

September 10th 2024Sylvia & Peter GoodenoughPlants of the Somerset Hills, Levels and Moors
October 8th 2024Christina AngelucciDahlias
November 12th 2024  
Julie HaylockPlanning your Garden Borders
December 10th 2024
CHRISTMAS  BUFFET & MEMBERS EVENING
Christmas Buffet & Quiz    
January 14th 2025
Andy DayoneCommonwealth War Graves and their Horticulture
February 11th 2025
Gold Club SpeakerSuccess with Houseplants
March 11th 2025
 March 22nd 2025
Fred Rumsey
DAFFODIL FESTIVAL
 Ferns in our Gardens and in the Wild


April 8th 2025
Hilary LittleIn Pursuit of the Plants of Peru
May 13th 2025    
GOLD CLUB DISCOUNT EVENING at BRIMSMORE

June 10th 2025
COACH TRIP tbc

July 8th 2025EVENING GARDEN VISITLocal NGS garden



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                                                           CHRISTMAS  BUFFET & QUIZ













 





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Members' Benefits

We are members of the Gardens Group Gold Club, which offers members 25% discount on a varied selection of bulbs and garden materials in the autumn. There is also a Discount evening in May when we are entertained in the Garden Centre with 25% of everything, tea/coffee and biscuits and a talk by a member of of the Gardens Group staff. They also provide us with daffodil  bulbs for one of the classes in our Spring Show and plug plants in April - we look forward to seeing these again in September when there is a prize for the best mature plant.  

Kelways Plant Centre gives members, 10%  off outdoor plants and shrubs on production of our membership card and we can also apply for a club discount card from Overt Locke in Somerton, who give our members a 10% discount on everything. 


Monthly Competitions These run from September to April. Members are invited to enter as many of the five classes as they can each month - up to 2 entries per member in each class. Complete the entry card provided on the evening and place it by your exhibit with your name face downwards. In each class 1st - 3rd will be awarded and given 6,4,2 points respectively. Every other entry gets one point. There are no competitions in December.  At the end of the season the winner of each class will be the member scoring the most points from 6 or less entries and garden tokens will be awarded to the winners at the AGM in September. 


Classes:   Every month two classes are the same - the Single bloom or stem is always Exhibitor’s choice and the Houseplant is always either a  flowering or foliage plant


The Flower class: 

September - 3 Dahlias or 2 sprays of Floribunda roses

October   - 3 Michaelmas daisies or 3 Dahlias

November - 2 sprays of berries or autumn foliage

January   - 2 Iris or 2 Christmas roses

February  - 3 different Hellebores or 3 different seed heads

March    - 3 different daffodils or 3 snowdrops

April     - 3 sprays of Polyanthus or 1 spray of blossom


The Vegetable class:

September - 5 runner beans or 1 cucumber or Exhibitors choice

 October -  1 cabbage or marrow or Exhibitors choice

 November - 3 carrots or potatoes or 2 Exhibitors choice 

January   - 6 sprouts or 2 cabbages or Exhibitors choice

 February  - 5 onions or 3 shallots or Exhibitors choice 

March    - 5 leeks or 1 lettuce or Exhibitors choice 

April      -1 cauliflower or 5 Spring onions or Exhibitors choice


The Fruit class:

September - 3 dessert apples or tomatoes

 October - 3 dessert pears or 3 nuts

 November - 3 dessert apples

January   - 2 cooking pears or cooking apples

 February  - Exhibitors choice (not frozen) 

March    - 3 cooking or dessert apples 

April      - 2 stalks of rhubarb

  • All Saints Hall Langport Somerset
  • Langport Somerset TA10 9RQ

Please contact our secretary, Jean, on the number above or, as she is often away (lucky thing!) ring 01458 250091/ 07903030533 to get our President www.sedgemoorgardensclub.co.uk

Club visit to Sutton Hosey Manor, Long Sutton in July 2022

Club visit to Exbury Gardens May 2022

Members and friends enjoyed a lovely day at Coleton Fishacre, an Arts and Crafts National Trust property in Devon, on 7th May. The weather was kind to us and we had a great time exploring the wonderful (if steep!) gardens and the fascinating house, which was dressed as if the D'Oyly Carte family still lived there.


Visit to Polden Wines 2021













Minutes of AGM 2024

                                                    SEDGEMOOR GARDENS CLUB  


 Minutes of the AGM held in All Saints Village Hall  


Tuesday 10th September 2024 at 7.30 pm  

Peter, welcomed those present, and gave brief details of the running order of the meeting. 


Apologies:  Mary Bromby  


Present:  Club Officials:  Peter Goodenough, Sylvia Goodenough, Jean White, John Tipping, Joan Tipping, David Geach, Anne Geach, Janette Gay and Andy Gay. 

Club Members:  13 other club members, and 1 visitor attended.  


Minutes of the last AGM:  These were read and agreed by all present. 

Proposer: Linda Dodimead              Seconded: Carol Birchby 


Matters Arising:  None 


Chairman & Secretary Joint Report: In Brief – For the benefit of new members and visitors, David gave a brief summary of who we are and what we do throughout the year. He explained, what being a member of the Gold Club involved and what we are entitled to and how we receive discount vouchers and are also eligible for a discount evening. The Gold Club is run by The Gardens Group through Brimsmore Garden Centre, Castle Gardens and Poundbury Gardens Centres. He gave a brief account of some of the interesting and varied talks given to us throughout the year.  He also mentioned our coach trip to Castle Drogo and our local garden evening visit to Badbury Flowers at Isle Brewers. Both of which were very good. David went on to thank all of the Committee Members for their dedication and hard work through the year. He also thanked the Members for their help and support and hope they will continue to come up with ideas and suggestions, and maybe even join the committee.  Without your core support the Club would not exist. Thank you all of you. No issues or questions were put forward. NB. This is to be read in conjunction with the full chairman's and secretary’s report. 


Treasurer’s Report In Brief- In the absence of Mary -Jean read the treasurer’s report which been compiled by Mary. In her report she explained about a missing cheque £261.75 for the hire of Long Sutton Village Hall, for the Daffodil Festival in 2022, which hadn’t been cashed and gone missing, so was added back into the account in 2023. In 2024 a payment request for this amount was received and finally paid out in 2024, which in turn distorted the account figures somewhat, making it look as if there was a deficit in the daffodil Festival end of year figures where there was a net surplus for the 2024 daffodil Festival. Mary had included a comprehensive schedule of the accounts detailing the fixed expenditures and the income for all the events held in 2023/2024. Both the Daffodil Festival and Christmas Buffet did very well again, having a positive effect on our income. The raffle held at the Christmas buffet added £70.00 to the total income, for this event. Based on our current reserves I recommend the membership subscriptions will remain unchanged at £15.00 single £25.00 for a couple. No Issues were put forward. NB: to be read in conjunction with the full schedule of accounts. 


Programme Secretary’s Report John gave a comprehensive run down of the speakers arranged for the year, giving a brief description about each one. The speakers for 2024/2025 are listed in the Membership Card. The club coach outing for 2025 has yet to be decided but will be on 10th June. John is going to investigate 3 possible suggestions, these being Minterne Abbey, The American Museum in Bath, and Tredegar House and Gardens. Our discount evening will be at Brimsmore on 13th May. The evening visit on 8th July will be to a local NGS Garden and has yet to be arranged. John asked members for any suggestions for speakers or for club visits.  


Show Secretary Report: In Brief-  Sylvia is handing over the organising reins for the 2025 Daffodil Festival to Andy & Janette Gay and hopes you will continue to support them as you have supported her in the past. She wishes them well.   The Daffodil Festival is on March 22nd 2025.   Sylvia explained about the about the Bulbs paid up members have received – these are to grow and then be brought to the show in March as there is a trophy to be won. She went on to explain that out of 43 members only 21 actually exhibited. However, there were a total of 157 entries between them, so well done. There are a few tweaks to the show schedule for 2025, one of them being the Home-made  Wine / Slow Gin is being made broader to include any Home-made Beverage/ Beer/Cider. But not from a Kit. An item of Craft can be Knitting / Crochet / Embroidery made in the last 12 months. The cake recipe will be provided by our Judge Naomi. And will be a separate flyer inside the show schedule. Please make sure you read your show schedule and lookout for any slight amendments that have been made. We hope you make the effort to enter in 2025 even if you haven’t done so before. It’s a good fun and a great afternoon. NB. To be read in conjunction with the full Show Secretary Report.

 

Revision to the Constitution: There is a need to update a small section of the Constitution to keep it in line with the new regime of BACS payments. David explained the change in wording and why it was necessary to do the amendment, which is to provide an audit trail when the accounts are being verified. The new wording was agreed as follows:- “All invoices/receipts for payments must be approved via email by one other committee signatory prior to payment by Treasurer via BACS.” Proposer:  Neil Burrows      Seconded:  Linda Dodimead 


Website:   Joan gave out the website address and explained the type of information which can be found there. As our website is sponsored by Gold Club there are often posters relating to some of their upcoming and interesting events. Joan also places our Speakers Schedule and the Daffodil Festival Show Schedule is also placed there. It is a good advertising platform as it reaches a wider audience. Joan asked for topics or photos or even questions relating to anything which may be of interest or helpful to members which can be put on the website. She encouraged everyone to take a look as it is there for club members. 


Election of New Committee Members and those who are willing to stand again.  It was unanimously agreed to re-elect those committee members at the end of their term of office. These being Mary Bromby and Anne Geach. No new members came forward for election. Proposer:  Carol Birchby    Seconded: Joan Burrows 


A.O.B  Joan Burrows suggested we bring our surplus plants, cuttings or seeds, to the monthly meetings whereby a donation towards our funds could be made for the plants. Good Idea! The sachets of silicon gel can help to keep seeds dry. There was a request for anyone with spare raspberry canes they can bring in.


Presentation of Prizes for Monthly Competitions:   

Janette thanked members for taking part in the monthly competitions for last year. She then read out the winners and prizes were presented by the President. 

Single Bloom – Linda Dodimead    

 Flower          - Joan Burrows 

Houseplant    - Janette Gay  

 Vegetable     - John Tipping   

Fruit            -  Jean White 

Plug Plant     - Joan Burrows


 Meeting closed 8.20 pm approx.

 Date of Next Committee Meeting – Tuesday November 5th 2024 @ Beechfield Farm 


Peter Goodenough gave an interesting talk about the ‘Plants of the Somerset Hills, Levels & Moors 


Refreshments.











TREASURER'S REPORT 2024

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