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Why do plum trees fail to come into flower? Possibilities:- Pigeons are eating the blossom. Most plum trees need pollinating; the exception is the Victoria plum  which is self pollinating.  A commercial pollinator may be needed. Feed the tree roots via a drip line at flowering time with Sulphate...

Catherine Hadler, an Area Ranger for The National Trust, spoke to the members of The Littleton and Harestock Gardening Club about the Trust’s management of Stockbridge Down and Marsh. Catherine manages both, working with a team of conservation volunteers. The Down was gifted to the Trust by Rosalind Hill...

Derek Dexter, of Wokingham Fuchsia Club gave a talk on these varied and beautiful plants to Club members. Since 1999, when he started growing and showing fuchsias Derek has won many trophies pursuing his hobby, as he describes it. He demonstrated successful over-wintering of the plants, first cutting down...

Herbaceous Perennials was the subject of a talk given to Littleton and Harestock Gardening Club by Rosemary Hardy, horticulturalist, owner of Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants, and winner of many Chelsea Gold Awards over 25 years. In her book of that name Rosy tells the story of those years, showing...

“Native Orchids” was the subject of the talk given by Leif Bersweden Phd  a botanist whose book “The Orchid Hunter” : a young botanist’s search for happiness” was inspired by his boundless, engaging enthusiasm for “our most charismatic plant.” Fascinated by plants, from childhood, he stayed in this country...

For his annual lecture Ray Broughton, our Club President, chose as his subject Pests and Diseases. Members had been asked to bring examples which Ray studied with a high powered microscope, identified, and advised treatment. Such was the strength and clarity of the special microscope that images, transferred simultaneously...

Geoff Hawkins, gardener, broadcaster and consultant spoke on “All Year Round Colour”. Numerous slides showed a vast variety of plants, shrubs and trees, throughout the seasons, many enhanced by colourful foliage, (some strikingly variegated) and others by bright, sometimes vivid stems. White and gold mark the Winter landscape with...