Page 52 - Simply Veg 4 2022

East Yorkshire District Association
Nearly 40 people attended our May 2022 meeting which featured Pat Inman who presented her talk - Plants that earn their keep. Pat is a member of the Hardy Plant Society as well as the RHS Committee.
With the aid of a slide show, Pat talked about the various plants that she feels are worth growing, either because they are attractive, long-lasting, or suit particular aspects of her garden. She highlighted several tall-growing varieties which were self-supporting and so did not require staking. She also cautioned against some plants which tended to ‘run’ and cover large areas quite quickly. For example, small- leaved bamboo varieties are said to be less invasive than the large-leaved varieties.
Euphorbias (of which the popular Christmas Poinsettia is a member) exude a white milky sap when the stems are cut or broken which can cause skin irritation and blistering (to which I can personally attest!) unless care is taken and protection worn. Other plants such as Geranium macrorrhizum are strong-smelling
which deters rabbits (and presumably other animals) from eating it. She also emphasised the need for proper plant trialling by highlighting the case of the first-launched orange Echinacea variety which was very attractive in appearance but died after only one year in her garden. Pat claims that the pink varieties last much longer than the yellow ones.
She generously provided us with a list of the plants mentioned in her talk. It is
Onion harvest time
reproduced on our EYDA website (Less Hot News page) together with suggested growing conditions and a list of plant websites which may stock at least some of the plants she mentioned.
In June we welcomed Nick Smith - Director of Harrogate Shows - where he presented his talk - The Show Must Go On.
The Harrogate Flower Shows are organised by the North of England Horticultural Society. All profits from the shows are returned to the charity and used
to promote gardening and horticulture
in the North of England. Typically, grants totalling £350-£400,000 are generated and handed out annually. The Charity
was started in 1911 in an attempt to bring
a Chelsea Show experience to people based in the north of England who might not otherwise be able to travel to London and experience such an event. However, due to the Great War and further delays, the first Spring Show was not set up until 1925 inside Harrogate’s Winter Gardens. The event subsequently moved to Valley Gardens where it remained until the 1990s.
The Autumn Show emerged in the 1970s in response to a collective need expressed by various societies and groups for a suitable stage to display their horticultural exhibits. Initially, it was held at the Exhibition Halls up until the 1990s when it moved to the main Harrogate Showground along with the Spring Show. However, By 2018/19 it was recognised that the cost of staging the Autumn Show was becoming
Carrots and brassicas protected by screens from various pests
Pat Inman – Hardy Plant Specialist
52 Simply Vegetables