From Bloody Butchers and Cream Sausage (tomatoes), from Lazy Housewife (French beans) to Bull’s Blood (beetroot) – the quirky names of the Heritage or Heirloom varieties of vegetable seed are fascinating. A Heritage vegetable, alternatively known as an Heirloom vegetable, is an old cultivar of a plant that was historically grown by gardeners and farmers […]
“The best show yet. “So much colour!” “Inspiring.” These are just some of the compliments we heard repeated by the entrants and visitors to the Rye Flower and Veg Show which took place on Saturday 19th August at Rye Community Centre. The number of entries (311) exceeded all expectations and despite the slow start to […]
It’s such a gardener’s “thing” to blame the weather for almost everything. “Too dry! Too wet! Too windy! Too cold!” But, both this year and last, these complaints were and are absolutely true. The recent rainfall should have helped a little although if there was a class for bindweed and ground elder I know that […]
Here are some more useful tips from Shelley to help you improve your entries and chances! The words are her own and the images are individually credited. Thanks again Shelley. There are 81 days to go (as I write) before the deadline of 5pm, Friday 18th August when you must have registered your entries so […]
I love this time of year. The frosty mornings, the stunning sunsets/rises, the garden planning, the ground cleared ready for planting, the leaves hopefully swept up, few weeds as yet and the veggie seeds arriving in the post. This year I’ve reduced the size of the annual planting area in the kitchen garden by introducing […]
We’ve had so much “weather” recently that the garden has been rather abandoned. Apart from a little hedge cutting, pruning and leaf sweeping I’m waiting for the new year before I really get going again. We will also start planning for next years Rye Flower and Veg Show which will take place on Saturday 19th […]
One of the best things about the annual horticultural show in Rye is the ultra-friendly competitiveness. The overall winner of the Tate Trophy and Banksian Medal together with other awards was Rye resident Pat Wightwick, who produced a stunning display of vegetables, flowers and home baking. But whilst Pat scored highly and won best entry […]
If you’d like to know more about Charles Dickens connection with our horticultural show then you can hear all about it on the brand new podcast at www.ryecast.org We are very excited to have already received dozens of early entries for the 2022 show. It seems that despite the weather, drought, heat etc… we are […]
The schedules are printed and out and about in town, the hall has long been booked, the judges have the dates in their diaries and posters are being prepared whilst stewards are being primed. All that’s needed now is a little rain to help the growing process, because if your veggie plot is anything like […]
MARCH IS FULL OF SAINTS The 1st of March brings happily, not only the first day of meteorogical spring but also, St David’s Day the patron saint of Wales. One of the symbols of Wales is the cheerful, golden daffodil, a flower that really signifies the end of winter and the start of a new […]