HISTORY

Church Crookham Garden Society was founded in 1954 as the Ryelaw Garden Society. It was founded by residents of Ryelaw Road as an outlet for their interest in gardening.

At some time in its early beginnings, the Society began trading garden supplies, and until 1997 traded from sheds located in Moore Close.

The name of the Society was changed to Church Crookham Garden Society to reflect the wider residential location of its members.

Shows were organised, and now two shows per year are run, one in the spring and one in late summer.

In 1997 the ground occupied by the Society’s sheds was subject to planning consent for residential building and the Society moved to a purpose build concrete garage located in the car park of the Crookham Memorial Hall in sandy Lane, Church Crookham.  

·         Main committee  

·         Show committee  

Each committee is made up of elected members, and is chaired by the Society Chairman

Spring Show

A spring show is held during April and is combined with the AGM.  Classes in the spring show are restricted to spring flowers, pot plants and flower arrangements.  

Annual Show

An annual show is held at the end of August.  At this show there are classes for

·         flowers,

·         vegetables

·         flower arrangements

·         pot plants

·         domestic produce (cakes, jam etc)

            ·         wine  

Sales Shed

The sales shed, located in the car park of the Crookham Memorial Hall, is open on Saturday mornings, at 10.00 to 11.15 between February and October.  

It is for members only,  but non members can join at the shed.

The range of goods available is extensive, from composts and fertilizers to twine and canes.  Many of the goods on offer are at prices that are considerably cheaper than garden centres and DIY shops.  

The sales shed is manned by volunteer members.  It is a condition of membership that members help out at the shed when required.  We currently have 13 teams of helpers who do three Saturdays per year.  In addition we have a small pool of reserve helpers who stand in for team members to cover holidays or other times when they are unavailable.  We are always on the look out for additional helpers.

Other products that are available include pesticides and herbicides, lawncare products, ant and slug killers, plant pots and trays, grit and vermiculite.

Due to very limited shelf life, seeds and bulbs are not stocked.  Garden tools are not stocked due to low turnover.  

Plant Sale

On a Saturday towards the end of May, the Society runs a plant sale.  

Members who have spare plants such as bedding or pot plants, offer them for sale and donate 10% of the takings to the Society.  This sale is at the same time as the shed opening, and usually provides one of the busier Saturdays of the year.     

CURRENT OFFICERS

The chairman can also be contacted by fax on 01252 626303, or Email on terry.egginton@hpi-uk.com , or terence.egginton@ntlworld.co.uk.

Conclusion

While the Church Crookham Garden Society is a busy and thriving organisation, new members are always welcome.

Non members can contact any of the officers of the Society, or come down to the sales shed on Saturday mornings to see the Society at work first hand.

Membership is currently £1 per annum.  Subscriptions can be paid at the sales shed or at any of the other functions of the Society.  Alternatively, please contact the Chairman or Secretary.

Although helping out on Saturday morning can be a little hectic, most members find it an enjoyable way of meeting other Society members and of discussing problems associated with horticulture, and of course of learning from other members.