Soaring temperatures did not deter members of the Wokingham Horticultural Association who staged two events over four days last month.
The first, on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 12, was a Lavender Wands workshop held in the Garden Room at the Ormonde Road allotments site.
The sleep-enhancing and moth-repellent properties of lavender are well known.
Members got together to practise the ancient art of weaving lavender wands – a pretty way of preserving the wonderful perfume of the flowers.
Saturday, July 16, saw the fifth in a series of mini-horticultural shows held at the Ormonde Road Trading Store.
Vegetables and fruit were the order of the day for the Grow Your Own show.
Five-year-old Charlotte Lambert, who has just finished Foundation at Emmbrook Infants, won in the Young Exhibitors class with a fantastic exhibit including rainbow carrots and new potatoes.
Roy Rabbitts’ excellent vegetables won him the Parmentier Cup whilst Lynda Arnold took the Peter Remnant Cup for most points in the fruit section.
There were three fabulous entries in the Mixed Collection comprising a dish each of fruit and vegetables, a pot plant, and a vase of flowers.
Sue Farrington came out tops and won the Millennium Cup.
The annual Allotments Open Day on Saturday, August 13, is the next event to be held at the Ormonde Road allotments.
It is organised with Wokingham Town Council and, along with fun for all ages, offers an opportunity for those interested in renting an allotment to see what current tenants are growing.
There’s more information about WHA on the website: www.w-h-a.org.uk
Pauline MacBrayne
