Meetings – Charlton and Blackheath Amateur Horticultural Society

August 2026 Talk: The Exchange, Erith

Selina Ozanne, head gardener at The Exchange, Erith. CABAHS August 2026

It was a pleasure to welcome Selina Ozanne to our August meeting to hear about her work as Head Gardener for The Exchange, Erith, a community led arts and craft organisation based in the town’s former Carnegie library.

The refurbished listed building is now home to craft production workshops, a cafe and shop, along with a varied programme of community events.

The Exchange gardens were designed by Chelsea Gold medal winner Sarah Price. The site has various challenges from a sloping roadside front garden exposed to sun and wind from the Thames, to a woodland-edge rear garden with a steep incline. Sarah’s design pulls together these diverse elements together using sustainable materials and matrix planting to make the garden flow coherently in a way that everyone can access.

Spring flowers at the Exchange. Photos: The Exchange Erith

August 2026 Meeting and Show Table

Sweet, small mixed posy on the Show Table, August 2026 — Show Table August 2026

A summer posy on the Show Table, August 2026 — Show Table August 2026

The drought continues and we weren’t sure what members would be able to bring to the Show Table this month – but they came up trumps with extraordinary vegetables, beautiful posies and healthy specimen plants.

July 2026 Talk: Hardy Geraniums

Graham Spencer talking about hardy Geraniums, CABAHS July 2026

July’s meeting featured an entertaining and informative talk about hardy geraniums by Graham Spencer who has been involved in the horticultural industry for over 30 years, including 15 years as a nursery manager and perennial plant specialist. In 2003 he set up Plants for Europe and now works with plant breeders to bring new varieties to market giving him a strong understanding of current trends and an expert insight into what makes a plant exceptional.

Graham gave us a comprehensive overview of this huge genus, with fascinating insights into the different species, their natural habitats and the many hybrid varieties bred to take on the the best characteristics of parent plants. Easy to grow and loved by bees, this popular group of plants includes 120-130 species and some 500-600 named varieties. Once established most are drought tolerant and flower from April to June or July. After a dormant period many flower again in September. British native geraniums include Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) although many think of it as a weed.

Geranium robertianum / herb Robert / stinky Bob
Sannse at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons — Some very different pink *Geraniums*, including herb Robert!

Geranium × oxonianum f. thurstonianum — Some very different pink *Geraniums*, including herb Robert!

July 2026 Meeting and Show Table

Show Table July 2026 — CABAHS Show Table, July 2026

Well it’s been quite a month for weather! In June, we had had heavy downpours as well as blistering heat, but there has been no rain and yet more 30 degrees + heatwaves since then, as well as the imminent imposition of a hosepipe ban. It was good to be able to see such a range of healthy plants on the Show Table despite the difficult drought conditions.

June 2026: Gardeners’ Question Time

Our version of Gardeners’ Question Time was back for the June meeting and proved once again to be an informative and enjoyable event.

Members look around the Old Pond Garden before the CABAHS GQT, June 2026 — Lots to learn from and admire in Charlton House Old Pond Garden

The evening started with a pleasant stroll around the Old Pond Garden, admiring the plants and taking in the evening sun.

Back in the Old Library, we set about tackling questions that had been submitted by members before the meeting. In a change to previous years, there was no formal panel or guest expert. Instead, questions were answered by our very own experts with lots of discussion and contributions from CABAHS members, compered by Kathy and illustrated with slides.

June 2026 Meeting and Show Table

Show Table June 2026 — The June 2026 Show Table

The evening started with a pleasant stroll around the Old Pond Garden, followed by our annual, friendly and informative ‘Amateur Gardeners’ Question Time’. As usual, there were was a raffle and a selection of plants for sale and reliable Show Table exhibitor Annie finally got to take away her trophy as winner of the 2025 Show Table Cup.

May 2026 talk: Miss Willmott’s Ghosts

We were delighted to welcome Sandra Lawrence, author of an excellent book about Ellen Willmott FLS VMH (1858-1934). The book’s full title is ‘Miss Willmott’s Ghosts: The Extraordinary Life and Gardens of a Forgotten Genius’ and Sandra told us a lot not only about the forgotten Miss Willmott but also why she has been forgotten and what it has taken to bring her life and legacy to light once more.

'Miss Willmott's Ghosts: The Extraordinary Life and Gardens of a Forgotten Genius' by Sandra Lawrence

Ellen Willmott was actually very well-known in her own lifetime, but after her death her name slipped into relative obscurity, accompanied only by increasingly wild anecdotes about her character and actions… only some of which were true. The story that most of us have heard, but which is unlikely to be true, is that Miss Willmott secretly scattered the seeds of Eryngium giganteum (aka sea holly) whenever she visited a garden. The following year, a magnificent and ghostly-looking plant – now known as ‘Miss Willmott’s Ghost’ – would appear to remind everyone of her presence.

May 2026 Meeting and Show Table

Monday’s May meeting, the day after the Spring Plant Sale, drew members old and new, a fragrant and colourful Show Table and a fascinating talk on ‘Miss Willmott’s Ghosts’ by author Sandra Lawrence.

March 2026 talk: Plants for Shade

At our meeting on Monday 16 March we welcomed Lynne Moore of Moore and Moore Plants to talk to members about shade loving plants. A specialist in plants for shade for over 30 years, Lynne was clearly passionate about her subject and described herself as a ‘plantaholic’. She noted that from their very first time exhibiting at the Chelsea Flower show, one of the most common complaints she heard from visitors was that ‘nothing grows in the shade’ and this may be why our meeting attracted a large number of attendees. Lynne set out to prove that this is a very mistaken view…

Speaker Lynne Moore of Moore & Moore Plants, speaking at CABAHS, March 2026 — Lynne Moore talking about ’52 Weeks in the Shade Garden’

A slide from Lynne Moore's talk about plants for shade, March 2026 — Lynne Moore talking about ’52 Weeks in the Shade Garden’

March 2026 Meeting and Show Table

The March 2026 meeting had an energetic, spring-like atmosphere, with great attendance from members old and new as well as a number of guests. Thanks to all who took the opportunity to renew their membership for the year. We welcomed Lynne Moore of Moore & Moore Plants, who gave an inspiring and informative talk on plants for shade.

Everyone enjoyed refreshments, took part in the raffle, bought plants and seeds, collected their potato for the autumn potato growing competition and, of course, there was the regular Show Table. And what a lovely display there was this month – thanks to all who brought in their joyful and interesting plants and flowers: