tulips – Charlton and Blackheath Amateur Horticultural Society

Pat’s 10 jobs for November 2026

Tulipa 'Prinses Irene' — Plant tulips for a colourful display,
and *Narcissus* ‘Pueblo’ for the Spring Show competition

Tulips in spring — Plant tulips for a colourful display,
and *Narcissus* ‘Pueblo’ for the Spring Show competition

1. Time to get those tulips planted either in pots or in the ground. If planting in the ground plant deeply and remember to protect from squirrels who see them as a delicacy. If you don’t have time this month even next month is not too late so don’t worry.

2. Try and get all other bulbs planted so they can get their roots down for the winter. Don’t forget to plant your Narcissus ‘Pueblo’ bulbs in a pot for the Spring Show competition.

October 2026 Talk: Bulbs for the Adventurous Gardener

Anne Barnard of Rose Cottage Plants giving a talk on bulbs. CABAHS October 2026

With nights drawing in and a chill in the air for our October meeting, it was a pleasure to welcome Anne Barnard of Rose Cottage Plants for her talk ‘Bulbs for the Adventurous Gardener’: an introduction to some of the newer and less well known spring and early summer bulbs with advice on how to grow them *.

Our tour through the bulb year started with Crocus. Although most appear late winter to early spring, a few like Crocus speciosus ‘Albus’ are Autumn flowering. This looks good grown through a dark leaved Heuchera, its leaves protecting bulbs from squirrels and mice.

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

Pat’s 10 jobs for June 2026

1. There’s still time to direct sow some annuals like Cerinthe, Nasturtium, Nigella and Calendula for late flowering. Remember to thin out once germinated for decent size flowers.

Cerinthe major 'Purpurascens' — Cerinthe (honeywort), Nigella (love in the mist) and Calendula (pot marigold) can all still be sown now

Nigella damascena (love in the mist) — Cerinthe (honeywort), Nigella (love in the mist) and Calendula (pot marigold) can all still be sown now

2. Lily beetles are rife this year so be vigilant as they can devastate in no time (and they enjoy fritillaries too).

The Gatehouse

Well used to opening in the summer to raise money for the local hospice, this year Ruth and Matthew opened their garden ‘The Gatehouse‘ for the National Garden Scheme in the spring. Ruth said she bought ‘something like’ 2,000 bulbs, not surprising in a garden of this size!

Described in the NGS Handbook as ‘one of London’s largest private gardens’, the grounds were originally part of Eltham Palace and are presided over by a hugely imposing copper beech. The great wall surrounding the garden and the mature trees lend the garden an immediate air of gravitas.

Narcissus 'Thalia' and tulips at The Gatehouse, April 2026 — *Narcissus* ‘Thalia’ and pink & white tulips

A brilliant red and purple which might not have worked together but looked stunning. The Gatehouse, April 2026 — *Narcissus* ‘Thalia’ and pink & white tulips

Spring Show 2026

Another enjoyable evening was had at our 48th annual Spring Show on Monday 20 April. While entries were a little down on last year, probably due to weather variations and unavoidable absences, we still viewed 69 submissions across 14 classes. Indeed our judge for the evening, RHS judging veteran John Hughes, commented on the consistently high quality of entries.

John proved a fair, interesting, decisive and informative judge, explaining his assessments and offering tips on showing plants to their best advantage. Thank you John! Thanks is due also to all who organised, set up, prepared the flags / certificates and did the raffle and refreshments.

Judge John Hughes sharing tips on showing Narcissi CABAHS Spring Show 2026 — Tips and feedback from judge John Hughes

Judge John Hughes waxing lyrical about the teacup displays CABAHS Spring Show 2026 — Tips and feedback from judge John Hughes

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:

Spring Show 2026 – classes to enter

The CABAHS Spring Show will take place on Monday 20 April 2026 and classes will be judged by John Hughes. Here’s a reminder of last year’s efforts!

Getting the 2025 CABAHS Spring Show set up and ready for judging — Spring Show 2025

Some of the 18 entries for Class 13: Narcissus 'Pipit' CABAHS Spring Show 2025 — Spring Show 2025

The classes you can enter this year are shown below, please have a go at as many as you like!

Pat’s 10 jobs for November 2025

1. You can start planting tulips now, either in pots or in the ground. The deeper they are planted in the ground the more chance there is of them reappearing next year – but do protect them well from squirrels who love to eat them.

2. It’s not too late to plant Narcissus and other bulbs like Allium, but again as deep as you can if planting in the ground as squirrels do love to lunch on Allium.

Narcissus 'Elka' bulbs — It’s not too late to plant Narcissus, and the perfect time to plant tulip bulbs for a beautiful display next year!

October 2025 Talk: Flowers in Art

This month we welcomed Ruth Cornett, one of our own members, who talked to us about Flowers in Art, building on some of the themes she had developed in an earlier presentation.

Ruth demonstrated that, over the years, artists have used flowers in their work to indicate and symbolise a range of meanings, from simple decoration to literary references. Depending on the context, flowers have been used to deliver a hidden message, promote certain ideas, to educate, to convey a Christian story or describe the cycle of life. Ruth’s presentation used one or two paintings to illustrate each of these themes.