Sedgemoor Gardens Club
A club for those interested
in gardening in Langport and district
About Us
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.
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.
Programme 2024-2025
Date Speaker Topic
| September 10th 2024 | Sylvia & Peter Goodenough | Plants of the Somerset Hills, Levels and Moors | |
| October 8th 2024 | Christina Angelucci | Dahlias | |
| November 12th 2024 | Julie Haylock | Planning your Garden Borders | |
| December 10th 2024 | CHRISTMAS BUFFET & MEMBERS EVENING | Christmas Buffet & Quiz | |
| January 14th 2025 | Andy Dayone | Commonwealth War Graves and their Horticulture | |
| February 11th 2025 | Gold Club Speaker | Success with Houseplants | |
| March 11th 2025 March 22nd 2025 | Fred Rumsey DAFFODIL FESTIVAL | Ferns in our Gardens and in the Wild | |
| April 8th 2025 | Hilary Little | In Pursuit of the Plants of Peru | |
| May 13th 2025 | GOLD CLUB DISCOUNT EVENING at BRIMSMORE | ||
| June 10th 2025 | COACH TRIP tbc | ||
| July 8th 2025 | EVENING GARDEN VISIT | Local NGS garden |
Latest News
Members' Benefits
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
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
Join us
- 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
Photos from the Daffodil Festival 2024
Some of the The Trophy Winners
Visits Photo Album
Club visit to Sutton Hosey Manor, Long Sutton in July 2022
Club visit to Exbury Gardens May 2022
Visit to Polden Wines 2021
A.G.M. Minutes
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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