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Hampshire

Since October 1962
Monthly meetings consist of a lecture / presentation, refreshments, raffle, plant sale and display table. In March/May look out for our plant and photographic competitions and in April we hold our annual plant sale at one of our open garden events. Garden visits are arranged throughout the year. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, we will be hosting a series of meetings at Chilworth Hall plus some Zoom lectures through the winter months for those who prefer not to attend in person.
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  • Welcome

    Welcome to the Hampshire Alpine Garden Society Webpage.

    Our friendly, active group has been established since October 1962 and one or two original members still turn up occasionally!

    We currently have a membership of 70+ and they range from those new to alpine gardening to experts with a wealth of experience.

    We have an excellent programme of lectures on a wide range of topics, always stimulating and interesting. We serve tea, coffee and biscuits and there is a chance to chat to other members of the group. We have a raffle, a plants sales table and a display table each month.

    In March we have a competitive plant show for the David Benton Rose Bowl and in May a photographic competition for the Margaret Hedges Trophy. April sees the Annual Plant Sale which we all look forward to with much excitement and takes place at one of our Open Garden events!  Several garden visits are organised in the spring and summer.

    Membership of our group is open to all – you don’t have to be an AGS member, although always recommended to enjoy the wider benefits of the Society. Do come along as a visitor and see if you’d like to join us regularly. You would be most welcome.

  • Contact Details and Subscription

    Contact Details

    Ben Parmee (Secretary): Tel: 02380 265672 or 07501 083504

    Email: Ben.Parmee@alpinegardensociety.org

    Subscriptions

    AGS members: £10. (Joint £14)

    Non-members: £11.00. (Joint £15)

    Visitors: £2.50 (per meeting)

    Students: Free

  • Events programme

    2022 – 2023 Programme of Meetings and Talks

    2022

    22 September 2022 – At Chilworth Hall

    Razvan Chizu – Horticulturalist and AGS Digital Manager

    Autumn bulbs in the Pelopennese and the last of the summer flowers

    27 October 2022 – At Chilworth Hall

    Christopher Bailes – AGS Immediate past President

    The Dry Garden: adapting to a changing climate

    24 November 2022 – At Chilworth Hall

    Dr Timothy Walker – Oxford Botanic Garden

    A Rockery in the Garden

    8 December 2022 – Via Zoom – note this is the second Thursday

    Seasonal meeting including the quiz written by David Butcher and short presentations by Group members Christine Hughes, Julia Corden and our Chairman, Malcolm Calvert.

    2023

    26 January 2023 – via Zoom

    Adrian Cooper – Ex AGS Board member and Kent Show Secretary

    Growing Alpines and Choice Plants

    23 February 2023 – via Zoom

    Anne Repnow – Author, artist and Galanthophile, based in Germany

    My Snowdrop Garden

    23 March 2023 – At Chilworth Hall

    Julia Corden – Head Gardener at the Goodwood Estate, Group member, plant collector and tour guide.

    Meconopsis ‘Bhutan in the Footsteps of George Sherriff’

    Plant Competition: The David Benton Rose Bowl is awarded to the winner of the Plant Competition

    March/April – Annual Plant Sale – Date and venue to be announced.

    27 April 2023 – At Chilworth Hall

    Annual General Meeting and …

    Jon Evans – AGS Show Photographer and member of AGS Surrey Groups

    Wildside Nursery

    25 Thursday May 2023 – At Chilworth Hall

    Diane Clement – Ex AGS Director of Seed Exchange and Show Judge and Exhibitor

    Chinese Lanterns and Tibetan Prayer flags – the AGS tour of Sichuan

    Photographic Competition Presentation and Results. The Margaret Hedges Trophy for the photographic competition winner.

     

     

  • Next Meeting

    Hampshire Alpine Garden Society

    Meeting at Chilworth Hall

    7.30pm Thursday, 23 March 2023

    Speaker: Julia Corden

    Meconopsis ‘Bhutan in the Footsteps of George Sherriff’

    Julia Corden has recently taken up the post as Head Gardener at The Goodwood Estate, she is a member of Hampshire AGS, tour guide and a modern day plant collector. Despite moving south she is also heavily involved with the Scottish Rock Gardening Club, currently their immediate past President and involved in their 2023 Discussion Weekend.

    (Julia is stepping in following the cancellation of a talk by Hester Forde due for this date; we are very grateful to Julia.)

    Annual Plant Display and Competition

    Our March meeting also includes our annual plant competition, judged by Martin Sheader, ASG Show judge. Please bring your plants on the night, see below for rules and regulations.

    For more info: Email Ben.Parmee@alpinegardensociety.org / ring 07501 083504

    Directions / venue http://chilworthhants.org.uk/index.php/village-hall/

  • Open Garden Event and Plant Sale

    Next Hampshire Group Open Garden Event and Plant Sale

    Paddy and Ben Parmee are opening their garden for spring alpines and the Group’s annual plant sale during the spring. There are expected to be at least three open garden events this year. Paddy and Ben’s alpine garden featured on Gardeners World, episode 4 2022.

    The first event showing Paddy’s snowdrops was a great success and the next event is being planned for Early April 2023. The garden will have changed greatly from Snowdrop-time with lots of newly emerged alpines and bulbs, watch this space for updates.

    The April event will include refreshments and a plant sale.

    AGS Members and friends are invited to join Paddy and Ben at their garden in Chandlers Ford to enjoy Alpines at their best.

    AGS Groups – if you would like to arrange a visit specifically for your Group, please contact Ben to arrange a date. (Details Below)

    Details:

    Venue: 179 Hursley Road, Chandlers Ford, Hampshire, SO53 1JH

    Entry: Free entry – donations for refreshments to support the Hampshire AGS.

    Date and Time: TBC

    Parking: Please park in Cuckoo Bushes Lane 50 metres to the North or other nearby street parking.

    We look forward to seeing many of you in March / April.

    Best wishes Paddy and Ben

    Please contact the Secretary on 07501 083504 or 02380 265672; Email Ben.Parmee@alpinegardensociety.org

     

  • 2023 Plant and Photographic Competitions

    2023 Online Plant and Photographic Competitions

    Online Photographic Competition
    Entries for the annual competitive Photographic competition for the Margaret Hedges Memorial award will this year be submitted online and judged by an independent judge from outside of the AGS. We are most grateful to Steve and Angela Lobley who have again taken on the task of organising the competition this year.

    The intention is that whilst submission of entries and judging will be online, all entries will be shown and results announced on 25th May at our meeting at Chilworth Hall.

    Hampshire AGS DIGITAL Photographic Competition Guidance and Rules
    1. Entrants must be a member of Hampshire AGS.
    2. Ideally images should have been taken since our last competition closed i.e. any time since April 2022. Previous entries not allowed.
    3. Images can be of any Alpine flower, in macro, or normal mode, in the ground or in a pot. The pot does not have to be shown.
    4. If necessary the organisers will divide images into appropriate categories (macro, close up, grouped plant etc.). If so there will be class winners and an overall winner who will receive the award.
    5. Entries will be judged on the quality of the image, not the rarity or quality of the plant.
    6. Digital Images ideally to be in jpeg or jpg format.
    7. Maximum 3 images per person.
    8. If possible can you name the image and send to Steve Lobley as follows:
    a. Your name – Plant name. (i.e. Steve Lobley – Pelargonium Ardens)
    b. If you are not able to name the image, then please add this information in the text of your email
    c. Email images to:- lobville@gmail.com
    9. The competition is now open.
    10. The Closing date is 23rd April 2023
    Guidance:
    Images taken on a camera phone are acceptable. However, these need to be of a minimum file size of 1mb (approx. 1200 x 1200 pixels). Sending by share or message text will not typically give this size. Images should ideally be downloaded from a phone and sent as an email.

    Annual Plant Competition
    The annual competitive Plant Show for the David Benton Rose Bowl we hope can take place on 23th March at our meeting at Chilworth Hall. Steve and Angela Lobley will again organise the competition at the meeting. We have also been lucky to secure the services of Martin Sheader AGS Shows judge and Group member, to judge the Plant Competition, with the results
    announced on the night.

    Hampshire AGS Open Plant Competition Guidance and Rules
    Plants for entry into the competition should be brought to the hall, ideally before say 7.15 for registration to take place before the meeting. For guidance on acceptable plants please click on this link to the AGS shows directory below:
    http://shows.alpinegardensociety.net/pdf_files/show/Wimborne.pdf
    1. Entrants must be a member of Hampshire AGS
    2. Any Alpine Plant, either in flower or for foliage is acceptable.
    3. Entries will be judged on the rarity and/or quality of the plant.
    4. Three categories are available
    a. An alpine plant in flower/bud
    b. Grown for foliage
    c. A miniature Alpine Garden i.e. in a pan no bigger than 36cms.
    There will be class winners and an overall winner who will receive the award
    5. Maximum 5 plants/entries per person across one or more categories. Plants should be labelled with the plant name only.

  • Newsletters

  • Useful Links

2022 Photographic Competition winning entries (1st Victor Humphrey, 2nd Angela Lobley and 3rd Jo Whitfield)

2022 Plant Competition winning entry by Dot Sample

Members' Articles

Photographic Contributions

Two wonderful pictures of Crocus sativus, at Sounion, Greece photographed by Elizabeth Wells

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Autumn colour and wildlife, Colclicum being enjoyed by Hoverflies and Salvia with Humming Bee Hawk Moth, photographed by Paddy September 2022.

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Paddy’s flower arrangements entered into AGS shows

Group Facebook Page

Topical debate, photographs and information

More Info