2012 Gardening Competition

Example of "My Favourite Aspect"Photograph entryWe are pleased to launch our Gardening Competition again this this which is open to all Herne Bay residents and businesses. A trophy and gardening voucher sponsored by local businesses, clubs and societies can be won for all categories.

Details of all categories can be seen on the attached image of the application form and range from Front Gardens, Window Boxes, Hanging Baskets, School Grounds, Environmental Projects to Allotments.

New this year is the category for a photograph of a favourite aspect of your garden which can be taken at any time of the year in any part of your garden. We hope that this category will appeal to gardeners who may have an area that they are particularly fond of and will give an opportunity to showcase their favourite spot.

Entry forms can be collected from Herne Bay divisional offices in William St, the library in the High St or by telephone on 07540 392 916  or by email through this website.

Closing Date 25th June 2012

Make Your own Urban Meadow

Urban Meadow Seeds for sale £4.50 per pktDue to the popularity of our Urban Meadow seeding on grass verges around the town last year we are pleased to say that we  now have a limited  packaged amounts of the seed available for  use in your own gardens which can be sown now ready for flowering  from mid- July onwards.

Full planting instructions are included. Each packet contains enough seed to cover 5 square metres and costs £4.50

Please contact us by email via this website to  check availabilty in first intance.

Beat the Drought - Win £50 and a Trophy

 In the light of the current hosepipe ban which was announced by all major water companies in the South East as from beginning of April and to encourage all gardeners to become more resourceful and economic in their use of water generally Herne Bay in Bloom are launching a competition to find the most innovative and creative ways of beating the drought. This should include the use of “Grey Water”, stored water and/or methods of retaining or conserving water.

The means of getting water to your displays, gardens or plants should be illustrated or described in your own words stating why your idea is so creative and you can also provide images of any systems that you are already using so we can assess the originality of your entry.

We are trying to encourage people to really think “outside the box” and to be as imaginative possible and a prize of £50 awaits the person who it is judged has the most innovative ideas.

A selection of the best ideas that are sent to us will be published on our website in due course,

All entries can either be sent by email to herne_bayinbloom@live.co.uk or by post to The Secretary Herne Bay In Bloom 97 Central Parade Herne Bay CT6 5JJ Closing date will be Monday 25^th June 2012.

Farmer's Market Herne Bay United Church Hall 21st April

Mary,Colleen and Muriel on the Sales Table at the Farmer's Market Sat 21st AprilWe attended one of the regular Farmer's Market sessions now being held at the United Reform Church Hall in Herne Bay High Street on Saturday 21st April. Several members made cakes, marmalade and chutney's which were very popular and we also had a selection of patio plants. Our packets of Urban  Meadow seeds were very popular and there are still a few available by contacting us via this website.

Launch of Herne Bay in Bloom Campaign March 2012

Jean Law with Herne Bay in Bloom members opening the campaign at the CCC Business and Enterprise Fairf had a very successful launch to this year's campaign at the Business & Enterprise Fair at the King's Hall last week. Jean Law,KCC Councillor, gave us a very good send off outlining our programme for the year and inviting individuals,organisations and businesses to become involved in  our activities through volunteering and sponsorship

Free Trees for Schools RHS Queen's Diamond Jubilee Offer

Herne Bay in Bloom are pleased to announce  the Free Trees offer to schools to Celebrate Royal Diamond Jubilee

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has joined forces with  an online nursery www.treesandhedging.co.uk to  offer 2,000 schools five free trees each, in celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Between 10th January and 29th February 2012, schools registered to the RHS Campaign for School Gardening can order a set of bare-root 40–60cm tree saplings for just £5.95 postage and packaging. The five trees are wild cherry, crab apple, silver birch, common hornbeam and field maple*. Each tree is native to the UK and has been chosen for its beauty and heritage.

The RHS Campaign for School Gardening launched in 2007 now has more than 14,500 schools and other organisations registered to it. The campaign encourages schools to develop gardens for use by their pupils as outdoor classrooms. The RHS believes that gardening not only teaches children about the environment and where food comes from but also the life skills of responsibility, resilience and readiness to learn.

Jacky Chave, RHS Strategic Schools Manager, said, “Gardening in schools is a fantastic way of engaging children in learning; not just in science but in every subject, from history to current affairs. We wanted to mark The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee 2012 in a way that was fitting and would leave a legacy for all. These 10,000 trees kindly supplied by www.treesandhedging.co.uk will do just that; providing enjoyment for generations to come, while also supporting local wildlife and ecosystems.”

Schools wishing to sign up to the RHS Campaign for School Gardening need to visit www.rhs.org.uk/schoolgardening – registration is free and once registered they can also access more information regarding the RHS Schools Jubilee Pack of Five Free Trees. information contact: Georgie Webb, 020 7821 3126, georginawebb@rhs.org.uk

or Ed Horne, 020 7821 3356, edhorne@rhs.org.uk

*RHS Schools Jubilee Pack of Five Free Trees

• Acer campestre (field maple)
• Betula pendula (silver birch)
• Carpinus betula (common hornbeam)
•Malus sylvestris (crab apple)
• Prunus avium (wild cherry or bird cherry)

About the Campaign for School Gardening
The RHS has actively involved more than 14,500 schools across the UK in growing and gardening through its Campaign for School Gardening. Children are taught about plants and gardening and their environment. Through gardening they learn about healthy fruit and vegetables, wildlife, and important life skills such as teamwork, social skills and co-operation. Huge benefits are to be had from using an outdoor classroom where children can learn in a fun, engaging way. Information, lesson plans and advice for schools is provided online and is backed up by support from the RHS education team and Campaign for School Gardening Regional Advisors.  www.rhs.org.uk/schoolgardening

Stop Press News - Herne Bay in Bloom selected For Britain in Bloom 2012

The Herne Bay in Bloom committee are pleased to announce that as a result of their excellent successes in 2011 including achieving the RHS Gold Medal in the Large Coastal Town category (South and South East Area)  they have been selected  by the RHS In Bloom Committee to go forward to enter the National Britain in Bloom campaign for 2012.

This will mean that as well being judged by the Regional judges we will also be separately assessed by National judges and will be invited to attend the Britain in Bloom presentation ceremony to be held at St Peter Port,Guernsey in October 2012.

We consider this to be a great honour for Herne Bay as it is a very prestigious event which gives the opportunity to promote, on a national basis, the great facilities that the town has to offer particularly for visitors, and really does help to put us on the map as a top coastal resort.

The committee are aware that this will mean a lot more hard work and are always looking for more volunteers to help in a variety of capacities. Please contact us via this website if you have any ideas for projects for inclusion in our 2012 campaign or can offer any time to help with the many tasks that we will be undertaking in order to maintain and extend our efforts in the coming year.

We wish all our supporters a Happy and Prosperous New Year and assure you that with your help we will be working towards a double Gold Award for 2012.

Presentation to Family Investment Homes - Garden Design Winners

Luisa with her ist prize winning garden design and Colleen Ashwin -Keane HBIB Secretary (please click on images for full view)Members of Family Investment Homes in their Tea Rooms celebrating their Certificate of ExcellenceSome members of the Herne Bay in Bloom Committee visited Elham Valley Vineyards this week which is the base for the Family Investment Homes organisation, to judge the entries which members had designed for the new garden which Herne Bay in Bloom have commisioned for the Hampton Green area in Herne Bay. They were welcomed in the excellent tea rooms run by some of the residents by Peter Buscall,the Garden Centre manager and his assistant Joanne who are going to collate the winning designs ready for construction of the garden early in the New Year.(See Photo Gallery for more winning designs)

After enjoying tea and some delicious homemade mince tart the design winners were presented with their prizes by Colleen Ashwin-Keane, HBIB Secretary and Margaret Burns,Chair also presented all the other members present with their Certificate of Excellence awarded by the RHS S&SE in Bloom for the work which they had done for helping with the 2011 campaign.

Christmas in Bloom Plant and Cake/Craft Sale at Canterbury City Council Staff Canteen

Cake kindly made and donated by June Hancock for our raffleJoyce,Muriel and Mary manning raffle and jams,pickles and cakes stallMargaret Burns and Colleen Ashwin - Kean sorting out plantsWe were invited to use Canterbury City Council canteen to sell plants, homemade cakes and jams ,pickles etc. on 17th November for one of our fund raising activities. We were grateful to Meadow Grange Nurseries who supplied us with a good selection of plants on a "sale or return basis". Committee members made a variety of jams,pickles and homemade cakes,christmas cards and table decorations which were very popular. June Hancock made a lovely Christmas cake to raffle.

Thanks to all who supported us and we are pleased to say that we made a profit of £180

Herne Bay Infants School Crocus Planting in Memorial Park

Getting down to some planting ( Click on images to view)Herne Bay Infants School pupils with British legion and Herne Bay in Bloom committee getting ready to plantThe sun came out in the afternoon  of November 9th when children from Herne Bay Infants School took a trip to the Memorial Park to plant the crocus corms supplied by Canterbury City Council's Outdoor Leisure Dept.

Three members from the Herne Bay branch of the British Legion attended to provide each child with poppies and memorial crosses to place in the grass and Herne Bay in Bloom team  together with Dick Eburne of Friends of Memorial Park helped with the planting. Head Teacher Anne Hooker said " Its lovely that Herne Bay in Bloom invite us every year and the children are looking forward to seeing the crocus when they blossom in the Spring"