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1 Registered Charity No. 1166431
Friends of Cressing Gardens Newsletter Spring 2016
Welcome to our first newsletter of 2016. We hope that this year will even more successful than the last and that you will all visit the gardens to see how much has been achieved since we were set up in early 2013. Already this year we have had a well-‐attended quiz and informative AGM. Then, just as this newsletter was being written, the Friends were granted charitable status, so we are now a registered charity.
Plenty of activities have been planned for 2016, either organised or funded by the Friends. Plans are afoot to encourage those that call in for coffee to step out onto the site and a number of new projects using Friends money and help are in the pipeline. These include replacing the rather ancient lavenders that greet you at the entrance to the Visitors Centre.
Rebecca has more ambitious plans to repair or replace the rose arbour in the walled garden and to make a start on a new community project behind the propagation area. The gardens are looking great, with spring flowers blooming and the winter repairs making a real difference. Do come and have a look!
Charitable Status This week we finally heard that the Friends have been granted charitable status. This is great news for us as we can now claim gift aid on all memberships and donations and it opens the way to apply for various grants. If you want to have a look, we can be found on the Charity Commission’s website under charity number 1166431 or under the name ‘The Friends of Cressing Temple Gardens’. The trustees are David Andrews, Jane Palmer, Karen Perry, Nigel Thompstone and Christine Townely -‐ Wakelin.
AGM As those of you who attended the AGM this year will know, the Friends have made a real difference to the gardens over the last three years. Achievements in 2015 included successful fund raising through plant sales, repairs and improvements to parts of the walled garden and repairs to and use of the bakehouse. None of this could have been done without hard work by members of the committee, volunteers and others who have given their time.
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In case you didn’t manage to read the AGM report, the Friends gross income in 2015 was £19,500. This was mostly from plant sales (do contact Lesley if you want to get involved) as well as the £5,000 grant from Essex Heritage used to complete the brick path in the walled garden. To date, the Friends have provided £8,000 worth of assets for use in the gardens.
After the meeting concluded, Dr. John Macefield, Chairman of The National Sweet Pea Society and MD of Seedlynx gave a really interesting and informative talk on sweet peas. In case you don’t already know, Cressing has a close link to sweet peas, as the previous owner, Frank Cullen was a successful sweet pea breeder. Those who attended the AGM were also able to go for free into the Oakleigh Fair which was taking place that weekend. A donation of £50 was made by the Friends to Cancer Research UK as a thank you for John Macefield’s talk.
New Trainee We welcome to the gardens Alison Warwick, who has come to us through the Women’s Farm and Garden Association’s training scheme, WRAGS (Work and Retrain as a Gardener). Alison started in mid-‐February and will be working with Rebecca for two days a week for a year. The great thing is that she has been paid for by the Friends. The extra pair of hands will be a real help through the year in maintaining and improving the gardens.
The walled garden The winter is a time for garden repairs and maintenance. If you have visited Cressing recently, you may have noticed that the bed edges in the culinary gardens have been replaced, which makes them look so much neater and the whole area look more professional. That part of the garden is a showpiece of types of plants that Medieval and Tudor gardeners may have grown for the kitchen and
medicinal uses. A list of the plants can be found on our website under the tour of the garden section The gates in the North wall and the West wall were both mended and strengthened with cross bracing by Joe Bispham over the winter. In return, Paula and Rebecca provided a tour of the garden tour for his group of Numismatics who were holding their annual conference nearby.
If you walk around to the far corner, not only is the new path looking good – after being protected through the winter, it is now uncovered and looks great – but you will also notice new wattle fencing around the pumpkin patch. This was kindly made by Stephen Westover and his daughter Becky.
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Tree planting Winter is also the best time to plant deciduous trees. The rather stunted quince trees in the flowery mead have been replaced with two new specimens, Cydonia oblonga ‘Meeches Prolific’. Hopefully these will live up to their name and produce lots of fruit in the next few years.
In the Cullen garden, two trees have been planted which will add colour and interest all year. Firstly, Sorbus commixta 'Olympic Flame', or Japanese rowan. This has large pinnate leaves which turn bright orange-‐red in autumn and large heads of white flowers followed by clusters of red berries. Secondly, Malus commixta 'Comtesse de Paris’, a crab apple which will be covered in white blossom in spring and small yellow fruits in the autumn.
Quiz Our annual quiz has become ever more popular. Because the restaurant is now leased by Tiptree, this year the quiz moved to the conference centre and all available tables were booked. As usual, the quiz masters, Lynette and Kevin Bowers-‐Flint did a great job at providing us with entertaining and challenging questions. The raffle proved popular and the committee provided teas, coffees and cakes. Congratulations go to the winning table who went home with a prize of bottles of wine. As a bonus, the income for the Friends totalled £290.
Beekeeping Also new for 2016 are our two experienced and enthusiastic beekeepers, Jan and Walter French from Great Leighs. They have offered to take care of our hives and are running an introduction to beekeeping at Cressing (see craft workshop programme, below). Thanks must go to Anthony Stark who has looked after the Cressing bees and honey production for many years.
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Plant sales The popular and successful plant sales table and team are all ready for the season and below is a message from Lesley, plant rota coordinator:
Do you like plants and people? If the answer to the above is yes, then we have the ideal pastime for you at Cressing! On a number of weekends from Spring to Autumn, Cressing Temple hosts a variety of events from Food Fairs to Living History days and, on these occasions, the Friends man a stall selling a wide variety of perennial and herb plants at the bargain price of just £2. Although plants are available every day, with an ‘Honesty Box’ on the stall, it has become apparent over the last year that plant sales increase drastically when there is a person on the stall to chat, answer questions (if they can!) or just pass the time of day. With this in mind, when events are on we do our best to ensure that the plant stall is manned. Last year we were blessed with good weather for the majority of events and it is a lovely way to spend a few hours in a glorious setting. You don’t have to be a plant expert to help out, just the ability to chat with people, make them feel at ease and hopefully part with some cash! I am co-‐ordinating the list of volunteers for this season and would love to hear from you, even if you can only spare a couple of hours; we particularly need people to cover Saturdays. A full list of our 2016 events can be found on the website so, if you feel you would like to help out – and I promise you will have a good and interesting day into the bargain -‐ please contact me at: [email protected] Thank you.
Invitation to View In June 2015 the Friends hosted guests from the Invitation to View scheme for the first time and due to its success three more days are planned for this year, offering places to 20 visitors: Saturday 30th April at 2pm, Wednesday 6th July at 6pm and Sunday 18th September at 2pm. Those who sign up are offered tours of the barns and gardens with refreshments supplied by Monika from the bakehouse.
New community garden project As mentioned in the last newsletter, Rebecca wants to develop the space behind the poly tunnel and greenhouse for use as a vegetable and fruit growing area. As you can see in the photographs, the area is being used
for nothing at present. The aim is to involve the local community. On Sunday 19th June there will be an open day for anyone interested to have a look at the area and see plans. All those who are interested in getting involved are welcome.
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Workshops For the third year running, our successful apple pruning workshops rook place in the dead of winter when the trees were dormant. Since these workshops began, most of the trees in the Jubilee apple orchard beside the visitor centre have been pruned -‐ under the expert eyes of Anna Baldwin from the East of England Apples and Orchards Project -‐ with improvements seen in structure, health and productivity. More needs doing, so hopefully Anna will be persuaded back next winter. Looking forward to the rest of the year, various workshops are taking place organised by the County Council; details can be seen in the box below. The administration required for these has been rather too much for the Friends to cope with, despite valiant efforts by Rebecca and Paula. Friday April 22nd 2016 – Felt Making for beginners -‐ £45pp Saturday April 23rd 2016 – Flower Arranging -‐ £60 Sunday April 24th 2016 – Brickwork in the garden -‐ £70 Friday April 29th 2016 – Horticulture and All Things Wild -‐ £35pp Saturday April 30th 2016 – Willow Garden Structure Workshop -‐ £50pp Monday June 27th 2016 – Garden Design Workshop -‐ £45pp Saturday July 2nd 2016 – Brickwork: Re-‐Pointing -‐ £70 Friday July 8th 2016 – Willow Weaving Basketry Course – £45pp Friday August 5th 2016 – An Introduction to Beekeeping -‐ £15 Friday September 2nd 2016 – Horticulture and All Things Wild -‐ £35 Sunday September 11th 2016 – Flower Arranging -‐ £60 Friday September 16th 2016 – Felt Making Course -‐ £45pp Friday November 5th 2016 – Christmas Special Willow Weaving Course £45 Friday November 18th 2016 – Christmas Special Angel Felt Making Course -‐ £45pp
All dates are subject to minimum numbers and may be cancelled by Essex County Council no later than two weeks before if it is not considered suitable to run. If there is a need to change the date, we will also give you at least two weeks notice.
For any booking enquiries, please contact us: 0333 013 2738 [email protected]
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Dates for your calendar • Saturday 30th April: Invitation to View (ITV) visit at 2pm • Sunday 19th June: Open Day for Community Garden Project • Wednesday 6th July: ITV visit at 6pm • Saturday 30th July: Herb Society AGM and the Healthy Living Fair-‐ we will be asking
for help to sell plants and other tasks • Sunday 18th September: ITV at 2pm • Sunday 9th October: Apple Day
Thanks and Reminders! We would like to thank all those who have helped us this year. Current garden volunteers are Lisa Gymer, Andy Robson, Valerie Wade, Sherry Lynn-‐Gerard, Jane Casement, Jane Gardiner and Sue Lewis and new for 2016 are Lynn Jones and Michael and Mary Madders. Sherry is leaving us soon, Dorset is rather too far to commute from and we wish her luck in her new life.
As always, if anyone wants to help us in any way, either on a regular basis in the gardens or on event days, contact one of us, using any of the methods below.
Many of you have paid your subs for 2016 already. If you haven’t, do send them to Jane at the address below.
Contact Details The Friends: [email protected] Rebecca: [email protected] Plant sales rota: Lesley Killin at [email protected] Membership: [email protected]. Subs to: Jane Palmer, Old Wills, Little Tey Road, Feering, Essex, CO5 9RP Website: www.cressingtemplegardens.org.uk Have a look, the more views the better! Facebook: Look for the ‘Cressing Temple Garden Friends Group’ Our address: The Friends of Cressing Temple Gardens, Witham Road, Braintree, Essex, CM77 8PD