Thank you to everyone who supported our October plant sale at Charlton House Horn Fair! Whether you helped on a stall, donated plants or bought plants – or all three in many cases – it was a fabulous effort. In addition to the serious and successful business of fund raising, everyone seemed to have fun, meet new people (maybe new members or volunteers..!) and of course, talk about plants.
Everyone wanted to meet Miss Willmott, but the plants were, of course, the main draw.
All the stalls looked very professional, as we set them out in the morning sun – thanks to GoodGym Greenwich for their help with that. We opened at 11 and all was going well so it was a pity the recent long dry spell decided to come to an end today! We were glad we had taken up the gazebo challenge and could shelter from the annoying rain bursts. But in between, people still came out to browse the stalls, they must be true gardeners.
This year’s kids’ trail in the Old Pond Garden was based on ‘Miss Willmott’s Ghost’, with children having to find the ten little ghosts and work out the puzzle of what Miss Willmott was sprinkling (sea holly, Eryngium giganteum)*. Educational as well as fun – maybe we will inspire future gardeners! We had a spectacularly life-like Miss Willmott, donated by Fran, which drew in many punters for a photo-op. The ghosts, bats, spiders, pumpkins hidden around the garden were suitably difficult to find, and the Splat-a-Slug game was a popular break stop.
– as well as a chance to meet Miss Willmott on the ghostly trail
The Horn Fair was buzzing this year, with lots of entertainment, craft and food stalls on offer, and many local community stalls too, it was lovely to be a part of it.
Kathy A
* ‘Miss Willmott’s Ghost’ is actually a plant, Eryngium giganteum, also known as sea holly (but even more prickly than holly!). Miss Ellen Willmott, a renowned Victorian gardener and allegedly prickly character, is supposed to have secretly scattered its seeds whenever she visited a garden. The following year, a magnificent and ghostly-looking plant would appear to remind everyone of her presence.
A fascinating book about the real Ellen Willmott, entitled (of course) ‘Miss Willmott’s Ghosts’ has been published and its author, Sandra Lawrence, will be visiting CABAHS to give a talk about her in May 2026.
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