August 2026 Newsletter.

26 September 2025 Admin

Dear members,

Welcome to our August newsletter. With a virtually dry July just passed and little if any rain for the beginning of August it’s appropriate that our Top Ten Tips should begin with advice on watering and the need to save and recycle water. Those tips are as usual are shown elsewhere on this website. We hope that whatever is growing in your gardens is able to cope with this exceptionally dry period. Apart from the current weather, uppermost in our minds at the moment must surely be our Annual Show on Saturday Sept. 5 [N.B. A WEEK EARLIER THAN USUAL]. We will of course be very grateful for baked items such as buns and cakes for serving as refreshments so if you can help in this respect then please give your name to our Show Secretary Max Asso – maxasso@live.co.uk or 0781 656 4437. In addition Max will be happy to receive donations of prizes for the raffle and tombola AS WELL AS THE PROMPT RETURN OF TROPHIES FROM LAST YEAR’S SHOW please. If you have friends or acquaintances who have further questions about our Show they can email cookridgegardenclub@icloud.com

Please consider entering as many classes as you feel able. This year we are particularly keen to boost Arts and Crafts entries which can be anything made by the exhibitor which they would like to share with our members. We would also like to encourage exhibits in the Culinary section where Jodie Beer will be this year’s judge and keen to taste your home produce. And, of course, it goes without saying that it will be garden produce and floral exhibits which will be particularly crucial in making our Show a success.

The full list of show classes and other details are on this website at cookridgegardenclub.co.uk

If you need more information, in addition to the references given above, you can contact our Club Secretary Joan Waite on 0790 4296209.

Autumn may still seem a long way ahead but do make a note in your diaries that our evening presentations will return on Tuesday Oct. 20th when Sarah Hopps will talk about ‘Gardening to Delight the Senses.’ More details will follow in September’s newsletter.

Preparation not just for the next few months but also for the next year is an integral part of gardening and it is with this in mind that Paul Blom of blomsbulbs.com is raising the subject of spring bulbs in his latest newsletter, focussing in particular on Muscari . . . ‘ often overlooked as one of the most effective spring bulbs . . . Their clusters of small, bell-shaped flowers make them one of the most versatile of all spring bulbs. They can be used to underplant and highlight both daffodils and tulips, in the border and in containers. On their own they can be panted in large groupings, acting as ground cover to uplift any border. The less common varieties are ideal as ‘Jewel Box’ plants where their intricacies can be fully appreciated. Positioned on the patio or by the front door, where they can be seen daily, they will bring delight and interest next spring. They flower from early to mid-spring, providing an explosion of colour for humans and pollinators to enjoy alike. Muscari prefer a sunny aspect and will thrive in any type of soil with reasonable drainage. Plant from September to November 8 cm [3”] deep and 7 cm [3””] apart. When planting in pots plant them closer together than you would in the border and this will add impact to the display. Like many spring bulbs, let the foliage die back, energising next year’s bulb. The bulbs will naturalise if left undisturbed. Dead-head the plant after flowering to prevent seed formation if you want to control their spread. Where clumps become too congested they should be lifted and replanted while they are ‘in the green.’

Please remember, If you wish to look back at earlier newsletters, including the July 2026 issue, they can all be found under the heading “Previous Newsletters”.

Pictures from our Open Gardens Visits in July 2026.