Welcome to Hellesdon Horticultural Association

A friendly club which meets on the 3rd Monday of each month from 19.30 to 21.30 at Hellesdon Community Centre, Wood View Road , NR6 5QB.

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Would you like to join us?

Get a Welcome and Membership Form here! For more information on coming events, visits and other news go to News.

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April 2025 News

Our thanks to Shirley King for organising our Visits and Events and providing notes for the following:

SPRING SHOW & TALK - MONDAY 7 APRIL, 7.30 PM

This Monday is our Spring Show, so please remember that if you plan to exhibit, you should go to the Community Centre from 6.30 pm as all exhibits must be in place by 7.20 pm. One thing to note is that there will NOT BE A TABLE TOP COMPETITION on Monday!

The Show and Talk will begin at 7.30 pm. The talk is by Matt Wickens and is entitled:

 NWT SWEETBRIAR MARSHES A WILDER NORWICH FOR ALL

The reserve sits by the River Wensum and forms a ribbon of green through an otherwise urban environment. It is a fabulous mosaic of wetland habitats, including grassland, tall-herb fen, veteran hedgerows, and scrub. This wetland is important for declining plant species such as early marsh orchid, devil' s-bit scabious, and ragged robin.

Sweet Briar Marshes are wonderful for wildlife throughout the year. In winter, spot noisy flocks of small birds, such as long-tailed tits, searching for seeds in the trees. Listen out in spring for the rambling notes of sedge warbler and the loud, repetitive call of song thrush. Come summer, the meadows brim with flowers, dragonflies, and feeding butterflies such as red admirals, brown meadows, and skippers.

NWT's vision is to protect and enhance the site for the city, its wildlife, and its residents. We also aim to ensure this wonderful green space thrives as a hub for education and the well-being of the wider community through appreciation of the natural world.

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VISITS

VISIT TO ALAN BIDEWELL’S GARDEN -  SATURDAY 19th JULY (change of date!)

OUR PRESIDENT, ALAN BIDEWELL, invites members to his Garden on Saturday 19th, July, NOT the 26th. This is a highlight for members in the growing year when there is an opportunity to see and talk about the planning, development and fruit of Alan’s labours at his home and garden.

CAMBRIDGE BOTANIC GARDENS - WEDNESDAY 18th JUNE

There are still six seats left for the outing to Cambridge Botanic Gardens on Wednesday, June 18th. PLEASE REMEMBER that members can now bring friends.

BROADWAY FARM - THURSDAY 26TH MAY

Tickets will again be on sale for a visit to Broadway Farm, Scarning, on Thursday, May 26th, at 2 p.m. £10, which includes refreshments.

HELP NEEDED!

We want more members to come forward to help with The Hellesdon Horticultural Stall on Saturday, June 21st. We have made a rota system of one-and-a-half-hour slots, so please put your name on the list on Monday.

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Norfolk & Norwich Horticultural Society Events:

NNHS will hold their Spring Show on Sunday, 13th April, at the Costessey Centre from 10.00 - 16.00. 

This year, there is to be a special Daffodil competition in memory of Peter Firman, who was a very special grower/exhibitor at NNHS who sadly died last year - you can enter just one stem of any daffodil cultivar, which will need to be taken to the Costessey Centre on Saturday morning of the 12th April.   On the afternoon of the 13th at 13.30, there will be a talk by Gwenda Kyd on 'Twelve Tremendous Trees' tickets are £5.

Wednesday 25th- Thursday 26th June - Royal Norfolk Show   - This year, HHA would like to enter into the Affiliated section, and we would like to involve members to join in with this, so please let us know if you think you'll have -  3 large blooms of roses, two flowering pot plants and two foliage plants 

Saturday 2nd August - Dereham Memorial Hall - Gardening, Plants and Floral Art Day. A special Question Time will be in the morning with Alan Gray, Ian Roofe, and Jonathan Moseley chaired by Richard Hobbs. In the afternoon, there will be a Flower Arranging Demonstration by the famed English flower arranger Jonathan Mosley. There will be trade stands and other events still to be announced.

Tickets are on sale on the NNHS website (https://www.nnhs.org.uk/)

Photograph Competition - Monday 17th November

The Association holds an annual photograph competition each year on the night of its Annual General Meeting. Now is the time to start thinking about taking photographs when you are out in the natural world. Entries should be printed 5" x 7" without white borders.
The themes for this year are:

• Plants Close-up
• Public Gardens
• Trees in Fruit
• Climbing Plants
  

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Use your Membership card:

Your HHA Membership Card provides proof of membership to access the following discounts at certain local outlets:

1. 10% reduction on production of a membership card is available at Woodgate Nursery , Cawston Road, Aylsham, NR11 6UH (this excludes compost)
2. 10% reduction at Edgefield Nurseries , Norwich Road,  Melton Constable, NR24 2RL (this includes compost)
3. Priced items at Hellesdon Allotments on Bush Road at the the Allotment Hut - usually manned on Saturdays from 10.00 am to 12.00 noon:

• Blood, Fish & Bone, Growmore, Chicken Pellets all at £1.50 a kilo
• Soil testers at £5
• They have a book exchange and Coffee & Tea is available at 50p
• Pre ordering can be done on Facebook or phone Mark Vincent 07305 737 577

You can send your £12 Annual Membership fee through BACS • NEW Members and those renewing please use the following:

Account details:

Santander

Hellesdon Horticultural Association

SORT CODE: 090154

A/C NO:12773902

REF: YOUR NAME

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Please check these links regularly for updated features and many interesting opportunities.

The links below to take you to the latest news from various organisations with which we are either affiliated, are members, have a working relationship with or h an interest in their activities.

RHS - Royal Horticultural Society

NNHS - Norfolk and Norwich Horticultural Society

NGT - Norfolk Gardens Trust

NOG - Norfolk Organic Group

HAHA - Hellesdon Allotment Holders Association Facebook Page

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