CLUB NEWS

Chetnole & Leigh Garden Club Monday 6 September

Marion Dale (Summerdale Designs) on: Plants that changed the world

The Chetnole & Leigh Garden Club met in person in Chetnole Village Hall for the first time since February 2020. It was lovely to see members again. With the current background, we maintained a socially distanced event with doors and windows open and we were blessed with a lovely warm evening.

We were able to welcome a “returning” speaker in Marion Dale, who had given us a virtual Zoom talk earlier in the year. A garden designer who also volunteers at Barrington Court, Marion delivered a fascinating talk on a wide variety of plants that, for better or worse, have had an impact on many aspects of lives over the centuries. Part history, part taxonomy, it was certainly thought provoking.

Marion started by covering more obvious plants such as tea, coffee and rubber and how the change from use by indigenous peoples to commercial crops revolutionised trade and introduced species into new continents, e.g. the tea plantations of India and the rubber plantations of Malaysia.

More unusual purposes for plants included the use of hemp for the manufacture of Levi jeans. Levi jeans were originally made from hemp sailcloth, for goldminers in California, who would fill their pockets with gold. At the time, Levi Strauss was selling tents made of hemp canvas. Considering the fabric’s amazing durability, it proved a natural first choice for Strauss when he began making trousers as well.

As well as providing clothing, hemp was used for rope making, which this area was well known for in previous centuries. Bridport’s prosperity and fame was built around the ropemaking industry, which started in the Middle Ages. Bridport rope became so famous that those who ended their days on the gallows with a noose around their necks were said to have been “stabbed” by a Bridport dagger. Dawe’s Twineworks in East Coker is the last surviving Victorian twineworks in the country and was part of this ropemaking heritage.

It was a fascinating and interesting evening, and we are grateful to Marion for giving us such an unusual garden talk.

Gwen Adair

Our next meeting is the AGM on Monday 4 October in Chetnole Village Hall at 7.30pm. We look forward to greeting members to review the months since our last AGM in October 2019. It is also the time when the Committee is elected for the coming year(s), an opportunity for members to support their club by serving on the Committee, an opportunity to

actively lead and propose innovative new ideas and activities for this wellestablished club.

Michele Aldhouse

Yetminster & Ryme Garden, Arts and Crafts Society

After the disappointment of last year and so much uncertainty in recent months, the Yetminster Summer Show finally went ahead on 21 August. It was a triumph. Despite the gloomiest of weather forecasts, the sun shone for us. Our gardeners, photographers, bakers and painters turned out in force and the show became an emphatic affirmation of community spirit.

As people crowded into the Jubilee Hall to admire the produce, craftwork, paintings and photography, there was a real sense that despite all the difficulties of the last months, the essential Yetminster was still strong and vibrant.

The hall looked magnificent. Not only did our gardeners manage to fill the hall with a splendid display of vegetables and flowers but the bakers of Yetminster and Ryme had really gone to town. Who would have thought that the simple Victoria Sponge, following a recipe supplied by judge Susanne Rorriston, would cause quite so much consternation in the kitchen, with reports of competitors on their second or third attempt. But the results were truly impressive – see p31.

A big thank you to everyone who helped on the day – this really is a team effort. We were delighted to welcome Brian King from Castle Gardens to present the cups and there were plenty of very worthy winners.

2021 Show Cup Winners

Novice Trophy: most points 8 years and under – Maggie Doody Needham Cup: best entry 8 years and under – shared by Maggie and Connie

Doody Clarkson Cup: most points Photography – Alec Reek Morony Cup: best entry Photography –

Karen Legge Leadbetter Challenge Cup: most points

Painting and Drawing, and Russell Cup: best entry Painting and

Drawing – Sue Price Howlett Cup: most points Needlework, and Lingeman Cup: best individual entry

Needlework – Anne Gillard Cookery Cup: most points, and Eric

Parkes Cup: best entry Cookery –

Mandy Beaton Kimber Cup: most points Floral Art, and

Asselbergh Rose Bowl: best entry

Floral Art – Daphne Barfoot Tye Cup: most points Flowers – Jane

Hartwell Faulkner Challenge Cup: best entry

Flowers – Douglas Rice Colin King Cup: most points Vegetables and Fruit – Robin Debell Stone Challenge Cup: best entry

Vegetables and Fruit – David and

Penny Gould Overall Champion: most points all classes – Robin Debell

The potato in a bag competition attracts a growing number of entrants each year with unpredictable and often highly amusing results. Our thanks to John Burt, John Ferreter and Robin Debell who conducted the weighing.

Pat Smith emerged the overall winner with the largest crop at 1367g, with Bina Mitchelmore a worthy runner up. Pat Smith also produced the largest potato at 226g, closely followed by Pandy Brown.

Next month, Tuesday 12 October, we are welcoming award winning gardener Katherine Crouch to help us solve some of our gardening problems. If you haven’t been to a Garden Club meeting before, do come along – you will be very welcome and could make some new friends.

Carol Debell

The Chuckers had a very enjoyable afternoon hosting Dorchester on 1 September, the first friendly match since before lockdown. The visitors managed to field eight players and, with the loan of a Chucker who lives down their way, we were able to have six triples games. A good result – 4 games to Chetnole, 2 to Dorchester.

The games were followed by excellent tea and delicious cakes. The Committee thanks all who played, those who made cakes and also Paul for making up Dorchester’s numbers. As always, the visiting team members were envious of the tranquil, lovely setting of our terrain which always looks at its best on a sunny afternoon. By the time this report is published the next friendly match will hopefully have been played against Leigh on September 16 followed by a pub lunch at the Chetnole Inn. Leigh will be fielding nine players, including several Chuckers’ members, so all members who are available should get a game.

Blair Sibun

Chetnole Chuckers’ Match Fixer

Yetminster Short Mat Bowls

We are back at 2.00pm every Thursday in the Jubilee Hall. Come along and give it a try, it is an enjoyable fun afternoon. Beginners will be welcome. We hope to see you soon