star plant – Charlton and Blackheath Amateur Horticultural Society

OPG Diary – May/June

It’s been a while since there was an update on the walled gardens, it’s been busy! The Volunteers are going strong, and the Old Pond Garden is looking particularly wonderful.

The Long Border started to run away with us, but is getting under control and looking incredibly full and interesting, even if it doesn’t quite have that “designer” look yet! We are waiting for the quote for works to the vandalised iron gates and hoping to create step-free access to the gardens.

We are continuing to point out a “Star Plant” each week. The latest is Silene armeria ‘Electra’, or Garden Catchfly. The Catchfly group of plants exude a sticky brown substance on their stems, just below the flowerhead, where insects get stuck. Have a closer look next time you pass by!

New ideas: we have started a “What’s in Flower” display in Frilly’s café, to entice visitors to come into the garden and see the flowers in situ. Also an Information table in the gardens (when we are there) showing a bit of the background and pointing out the plants coming into flower that week. Looking for more volunteers to do this, if anyone is interested? It’s a sitting-down job!

Kathy was very pleased to be awarded a Certificate of Recognition from the Volunteer Centre Greenwich/ RBG, although she considers that the recognition is for all the volunteers, not just her! Terry accepted the award on her behalf from the Mayor of Greenwich. Thank you to the Trust for nominating us, we do feel appreciated.

Certificate of recognition for 250 volunteer hours and Terry accepting award.

And here are some more recent photos from the gardens this month:

OPG diary – August 2021

The Bank Holiday weekend was enlivened with a play “Family Tree” performed in the gardens, as part of the Greenwich & Docklands International Festival. Based on the life of Henrietta Lacks, it certainly lit up the garden!

'Family Tree' by Mojisola Adebayo, performed in Charlton House gardens as part of Greenwich and Docklands International Festival, August 2021

A very tall flowering plant which is just coming out in the garden has been catching the attention of visitors and volunteers alike. It is Vernonia arkansana ‘Mammuth’ and was featured this week on Gardeners World when Nick Bailey visited Knoll Gardens. Very appropriate as we bought our own Vernonia from Knoll Gardens back in May!

Together 21: Volunteers were in the garden for the borough’s Together 21 Festival. Very sad for visitors that it was such a drizzly day, but at least the garden liked all the water. Spirits not dampened but umbrellas were up!

CABAHS volunteer in the Old Pond Garden at Charlton House, August 2021

This is our bargain plant of the month – a Lysimachia clethroides specimen bought for £10 at Members’ recent trip to RHS Hyde Hall, and now split into 23 new plantlets. Filled up the whole corner of one bed, we are just so thrifty!

CABAHS volunteers dividing a Lysimachia in Charlton House gardens, August 2021

Old Pond Garden, Charlton House, August 2021

Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Firetail' in the Old Pond Garden, Charlton House, August 2021

OPG diary – July 2021

The garden is getting into it’s summer swing now, so much is in flower. It is amazing how complete it looks for a “first year”. Penstemon Garnet is just going on and on and on!

Old Pond Garden, Charlton House, July 2021

This is the view in July from the CABAHS 70th Anniversary bench:

Old Pond Garden, Charlton House, July 2021 - view from the CABAHS 70th anniversary bench

A recent initiative – Star Plant of the Week. No contest: it was the teasels this week, they are gigantic, and covered in bees.

Dipsacus fullonium - Teasel in the Old Pond Garden, Charlton House, July 2021

Betony and Phlox demonstrating The Clash!

Betony and Phlox in the Old Pond Garden, Charlton House, July 2021

And now it’s the turn of the Echinacea purpurea “Magnus”, with white Erigeron annuus frothing at the back and a yellow Patrinia photo-bombing in the front.