King's Lynn Horticultural Society klhs.co.uk
April/May 2016 Volume 3, Issue 2
KLHS News
The Athenæum—often used by the KLHS.
KLHS HISTORY REVISITED Members of the King’s Lynn Horticultural Society were surprised to learn at a talk that their organisation was actually over 60 years older than they thought. At the presentation earlier this month at the Royal British Legion Club in King’s Lynn, Society Publicity Officer, Kelvin Fairweather, told them he had traced the group’s origins back to 1826. The group had thought they were established in 1889 and thus had cele-
brated their 125th anniversary in 2014. Kelvin explained that in the process of writing a booklet about the Society’s history, he had started to research the different buildings in which they had met or held shows and that had led him to uncover various snippets of information and newspaper reports. He said he had gleaned some of the information from local on-line forums and had also searched many pages of newsprint via another on-line facility, the British Newspaper
klhs.co.uk
(Continued on page 2)
A sign of spring—a primrose (primula vulgaris).
INSIDE THIS ISSUE KLHS History Revisited 2 Growing Runner Beans 3 New Schedule 3 Annual Meeting
4
Society Visits 4 Plant Fair
4
Butterfly Pots 4
(Continued from page 1)
Archives. Several of the buildings, of course, no longer existed. The resulting presentation, put together by Stephen Fairweather, Society Website Manager, provided an insight into buildings such as the Athenæum, a very large structure, which stood where the former main post office now stands in Baxter’s Plain and the Corn Hall, the predecessor of the Corn Exchange. Both of these were used for meetings and shows. Some of the shows were held outdoors. Some of those shows were rather grander affairs than those experienced nowadays – the Police Band or Lynn Rifle Corps Band occasionally played during or at the end of the proceedings and sometimes there would be a dance!
However, the earlier incarnations of the Society did have their ups and downs, as might be expected. The story of the early existence of the Society was enjoyed by the audience, some of whom chipped in with their memories of some of the buildings or place names. At the end, Chairman, Eddie Barber said Kelvin’s efforts had provided them with a surprise and that he had obviously worked very hard on the project. He said he wished they had as many members and show entries now as they had enjoyed sometimes in years gone by. Eddie added their predecessors had also had their ups and downs so they should not feel too disappointed at the moment.
Kelvin’s booklet, “History of the King’s Lynn Horticultural Society” In 1835, a Society exhibition attract- was put together from information ed about 1,500 visitors, and a show in contained in old minute books dating back to 1889. Copies are still availa1840 was bedecked with 5,000 to ble. 6,000 dahlias alone.
King’s Lynn Police Band, circa 1880s
GROWING RUNNER BEANS By Nolan Mills One of my favourite vegetables is runner beans sliced and cooked as soon as possible after picking. They do not need much space, a 3 foot square of open ground is all that is required. The soil needs to be dug over and plenty of compost incorporated – I remember my father digging a bean trench and all the kitchen waste and other things such as socks and newspapers went into it!
“The variety I choose is Enorma; as its name suggests it is a big long bean so can be picked immature – there is nothing worse than mature hard stringy beans.” You need to buy eight 8 foot bamboo canes. These should be firmly put into the ground in a circle and tied together about 6 foot up to form a tepee. At the base of each cane plant 2 seeds about 2 inches deep. There is no need to do this before May, emerging and young plants are very susceptible to frost. As the beans grow they may need some encouragement to climb around the canes and may need tying. Make sure the plants have plenty of water particularly when the pods are forming and growing. The variety I choose is Enorma; as its name suggests it is a big long bean so can be picked immature – there is nothing worse than mature hard stringy beans. You will get too many but they will freeze nicely. This variety does produce a lot of foliage and some beans may get lost in it – don’t worry about leaving some beans, let them mature, dry them out and you NEW SCHEDULE will have seed for the followThe new schedule, covering shows in ing year. 2016/2017, is now available. Runner beans are grown this way by South Wootton Junior The Amberley Hall Care Home, in King’s Lynn, have kindly donated a new trophy to be School. This year on Grimston Road allotments the vegawarded in the cookery section. etable cup competition is for the longest runner bean. The schedule can be obtained from Rachel Vyse, Show Secretary, telephone 01553 631820, or viewed on-line at klhs.co.uk/show-schedule.
ANNUAL MEETING
PLANT FAIR
At the Society’s annual meeting in March, the officers and committee were all re-elected.
The Society are to take part in a Plant Fair in the Tuesday Market Place, King’s Lynn, in May.
Paul Brandon remains as President, with Elizabeth Nockolds, Veronica Lane and Cyril Route as Vice Presidents.
The event is being organised by the King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council as part of King’s Lynn in Bloom 2016.
The Chairman is Eddie Barber; Vice There will be plants and craft items for sale, as well as opportunities to gen up Chairman and treasurer is Steve on all matters horticultural. Barker. John Player is Secretary, and Rachel A visit from Radio Norfolk’s “The Garden Party” team is also scheduled. Vyse Show Secretary. Society Chairman, Eddie Barber, would Publicity Officer is Kelvin Fairlike to hear from anyone who is able to weather and Stephen Fairweather st retains the post of Website Manager. help run the stall on May 21 . He can be contacted on 01553 671502. Other committee members are: NoAlso taking place over this week-end is a lan Mills, Teresa Brandon, John Hanse Festival. Germeney and Neil Barber.
SOCIETY OUTINGS The Society has planned two outings this year. The first is on Saturday, June 18th when a trip via the train is planned to the Cambridge University Botanic Garden. The 16 hectare grounds contain many species of tree and glasshouses with plants from around the world.
BUTTERFLY POTS How about creating a nectar-rich pot for pollinators this summer? Take a container with drainage holes, peat free compost and plants – preferably plants that flower at slightly different times to provide a longer season.
And report the butterflies which visit your restaurant to Butterfly Conservation via their new Garden And that will be followed by a coach Butterfly Survey on-line recording trip to Wisley, the Royal Horticultural scheme. Garden in Surrey. This visit will See: plantpotsforpollinators.org be on September 17th. & gardenbutteflysurvey.org