THE club was pleased to welcome its very own Katherine Crouch speaking on Chelsea Gold.

Kath was the BBC’s first winner of the Gardener of the Year competition and subsequently BBC Gardener of the Decade. The next chapter in her horticultural history saw her enter the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in its centenary year working with King’s Seeds in its 125th year.

King’s is based in Essex and many will have used its seeds in their gardens and on their agricultural land.

The concept was to show the evolution of selling seeds alongside the development of Chelsea Flower Show.

Kath had only 48 hours to put forward the proposal for the King’s stand but when she heard she had been successful the really creative work started – with only 13 weeks to the show all minds were totally concentrated.

Raids of the King’s Seeds store rooms and offices revealed a treasure trove of artefacts that facilitated dressing the stand but the brief lead-in time reduced the number of growing plants that could be sewn from seed and be ready for showing.

Moving towards March, thoughts are turning to seed planting and dividing herbaceous plants – the club relies on members’ contributions for the plant sale in May and gardeners are invited to pop an extra few seeds in a pot or two to take to the event.

The Spring Flower Show is on April 2 and entry is open to everyone, members and nonmembers.

Exhibits should be taken along during the afternoon. Visitors are welcome to attend the show from 6.30pm when entry is £1.

For schedules and details contact Paul Pickering (52229).

The next meeting, Wall Shrubs and Climbers, is on Thursday, March 5, at 7.30pm at Horton village hall. Anyone who has not already renewed their membership is asked to pay £10 at the meeting.