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.
May 2026 Meeting and Show Table
Tag: May
Plant Sale – May 2026
We had another brilliant and successful day in the Charlton House Peace Garden on Sunday. We were so happy, after all these weeks of tending our plant babies, to see them go off to loving new homes!
Thank you to everyone who grew the plants, helped to sell them (all 43 of you!), bought them, or just came along to enjoy the day.
Plant(s) of the Month: The Whites (May 2026)
A blue sky has appeared, white clouds are in retreat and the white flower clusters are glowing in the bright sunshine, after two days of rain.
Outside my window, Matthiola perennis ‘Alba’, the white scented stock, is soaking up the warmth of the sun. Classed as a short-lived perennial, this cluster is most likely 6-7 years old now, with grey-green foliage and flower clusters sitting atop tall, 3 foot, woody stems. Wonderfully perfumed, preferring shelter, full sun, good drainage and poor soil.
Pat’s 10 jobs for May 2026
1. At this time of year when the weather is warm early Dutch honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) and Lonicera americana are a magnet for night-flying moths attracted by the spicy scent, so try growing one if you have the space.
2. If seedlings and cuttings are growing away well, put them outside during the day to harden off then bring them in at night if the weather is cold.
3. Iris are in spectacular full flower now, but be sure to keep their rhizomes free from weeds so they get baked by the sun which will aid flowering next year.
Plant of the Month: Pittosporum tobira ‘Neige du Mont Ventoux’ (May 2025)
This variegated Japanese Pittosporum — P. tobira ‘Neige du Mont Ventoux’ — is a lovely addition to any garden, and particularly courtyard gardens, where space is at a premium, as it is the perfect specimen for growing in a container.
It was at a rare plant fair in Kent many years ago when I spotted this very appealing shrub. It was “twinkling” at me so, naturally, I found I just could not resist it and brought it home! Because of its branched structure, it was placed in a terracotta container and there it has remained, contented, to this day. I hadn’t realised at the time though, that this variety is very suitable for a container, as its height and width is generally no more than one metre at maturity.
Continue reading Plant of the Month: Pittosporum tobira ‘Neige du Mont Ventoux’ (May 2025)May 2025 Meeting and Show Table
There was a great turnout for the CABAHS May meeting, even after the exertions of the previous day’s Plant Sale! A small but beautiful range of items on the Show Table, from a cornucopia of Spring flowers to a single rose and a cactus. Congratulations to Kathy for winning this month’s ‘Best on the Table’ prize with a vase of Salvia, Cerinthe, Teucrium, Hesperis, Centranthus, Luzula and chives.
Continue reading May 2025 Meeting and Show TablePat’s 10 jobs for May 2025
1. Border irises are really doing their thing now and the show can be brief but make sure to keep the soil around their roots free of weeds so their rhizomes can bake a bit in the sun.
2. Time to Chelsea chop your tall perennials to stop them flopping later or to extend flowering. Good candidates are Phlox, Penstemon, Helianthus, Sedum/Hylotelephium – and I include vigorous Clematis too. You can either do the whole plant at once or just some stems to extend flowering, although it may result in smaller flowers.
3. Deadhead displays of pot plants like Violas to keep them flowering and stop them going to seed. Remember to give them a feed to keep the display going.
Plant Sale Bonanza, May 2025
What a day was had at yesterday’s plant sale in the Peace Garden! We had more plants for sale than ever before, longer queues than ever before, and made more money than ever before. The CABAHS members and Charlton House garden volunteers worked harder than ever before too – but it was absolutely worth it. Between us we raised well over £4000 to be divided between the Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice and the gardens maintenance fund.
Plant Sale! 18 May 2025
That’s this Sunday!
11-3pm in the Peace Garden at Charlton House
We are gathering plants, plants and more plants…
Continue reading Plant Sale! 18 May 2025Fantasy garden tables
Those of you who are regular viewers of BBC Gardeners’ World will most likely have noted Monty Don’s table of potted plants, which varies throughout the seasons and looks like something most of us can only dream of! In a recent article by Alice Vincent, she describes what she calls Monty Don’s ‘Fantasy table’. (My latest garden fantasy? An elegant table covered in flower pots)
The scale of Don’s table and the amount he has displayed is something many of us may aspire to, myself included! On a recent visit to Anna L’s garden, I was impressed by how she had similarly grouped a range of plants in pots, a mix of bulbs, a small Phlox stolonifera, Violas, a Clematis waiting to be planted and a miniature Hosta. Anna very kindly listed the plants for me and you can see from this that a display does not have to be carefully curated, but a selection of whatever takes your fancy!
Narcissus ‘Thalia’ and N. ‘Pipit’; Clematis ‘Rising Star’ and C. ‘Bees’ Jubilee’; Pelargonium australe; Phlox stolonifera ‘Fran’s Purple’; Anemone de Caen blue-flowered; Primula ‘Stella Neon Violet’; Phormium; purple Viola; Hosta ‘Lemon Stiletto’
Charlton and Blackheath Amateur Horticultural Society 