Cultivating a Love for Gardening
Welcome to the Chiddingfold Horti , we are a dedicated gardening club.
We are committed to fostering a love for horticulture within our community and provide a platform for gardening enthusiasts of all skill levels .
We share our knowledge, exchange ideas, and cultivate friendships. Our diverse range of events including plant shows and practical talks designed to inspire everyone we meet.
Join us to enhance your gardening skills, discover new techniques, and contribute to a thriving, green environment. Together, we nurture not just plants but a community of
passionate gardeners in Chiddingfold.
Our Commitment to Horticulture
Join Our Vibrant Gardening Community
Together, We Grow
We are dedicated to fostering a love for horticulture within our community.
Our events inspire and educate gardening enthusiasts.
Join a network of fellow gardeners passionate about nurturing plants and friendships.
40 plus
Active Members
5
Annual Events
3
Plant Shows Hosted
Featured Highlights of Our Society
Explore the key offerings and highlights of the Chiddingfold Horticultural Society:
Community Engagement
Chiddingfold Horticultural Society needs YOU!
Chiddingfold Horticultural Society
As we near the end of the Horti Year we would like to offer free entry to your friends to join you and attend our forthcoming events, whether you are a Horti Member or a reader of the Parish Magazine.
Do come, we would love to see some new faces and you can see first hand what Horti can offer.
On 5th September we have the Autumn Show in the Village Hall, open to ALL from 11:30 tea, coffee and cakes available.
On 16th September our talk in the Village Hall, at 8pm is “A Year on the Allotment”.
AUTUMN SCHEDULE
Schedule Autumn Show 2026
Saturday 5th September in the Chiddingfold Village Hall. Show opens at 11:30am.
Tea, Coffee and Cake available
Judging begins at 10am
Division 1
VEGETABLES: W.G.C.DIPLOMA, TICKNER CUP, NATHAN CUP ( 1st Overall 1-18)
- Beetroot (75mm leaf stalk) 3 veg
- Onions large (over 250g per bulb) 3 veg
- Onions small(250g or under per bulb) 3 veg
- Onions red, small (250g or under per bulb) 3 veg
- Shallots ( any type) on a plate provided 6 veg
- Carrots (75mm leaf stalk) 3 veg
- Potatoes ( each between 200-250g) 3 veg
- Tomatoes with stalks on a plate, provided ,medium to pass through a 60mm ring
5 veg
- Tomatoes small outdoor kinds ( Cherry, Gardeners Delight etc.) with stalks
on a plate provided to pass through a 30mm ring 6 veg
- Runner beans 5 veg
- Courgettes (100-150mm) 2 veg
- Any other vegetable not specifies in this division ( numbers not specified) Rule 20
- Collection of 4 individual vegetables ( 4 varieties exhibited in standard see tray) Rule 19
- Collection of 4 groups of vegetables from: Onions 5, Runner Beans 8, Carrots 3, Marrows 2, Tomatoes 5, Cabbage 1, Potatoes 5 Beetroot 3, Shallots 8, Parsnips 2, Lettuce 2 Rule 19
- Runner Beaans race – 3 beans (any condition) laid end to end – longest wins
- A truss of Tomatoes, not necessarily ripe
- Named, unusual vegetable 1 veg
- 1 flower, one vegetable,
FRUIT
On a plate provided. W.C.G Diploma
21. Cooking Apples 1 variety 4 fruit
22. Dessert apples 1 variety 4 fruit
23. Pears 1 variety 3 fruit
24. Plate of any other fruit not specified in this division ( numbers not specified Rule 20)
FLOWERS
JACK WHALE TROPHY II – classes 30-33
BARLOW CUP – classes 42-44, MRS STEIN CUP, classes 47-49,
GIBBS CUP, classes 52-55, MARY TIMMS CUP, class 56.
Fuscias, each class on a board provided
30. Fuschia florets, semi double, 6 of any
31. Fuschia florets, single, 6 of one variety
32. Fuschia florets, single, 6 of 3 or more varieties
33. Fuschia florets, double or semi-double 6 of 3 or more varieties
34. Clematis on board provided 3 flowers
35.Petunia on board provided 6 florets
36. Hydrangea 3 heads
37.Gladiolus on board provided 3 florets
38. Gladioli “Cycle of Bloom”, on board provided 3 florets
39. Gladiolus PHILLIPS CUP 1 spike
40. Roses, large flowered 1 bloom
41. Container of mixed roses (Own container may be used)
42. Dahlias, under 115mm 3 blooms
43. Dahlias, small, 115-170mm 2 blooms
44. Dahlias medium/large- over 170mm 2 blooms
45. A container of Dahlias, any kind (Own container may be used)
46. Geraniums/Pelargoniums 5 cut stems
47. Coloured foliage, one or more kinds 5 cut stems
48. A vase of cut stems of garden flowers 2 kinds
49. A vase of flowering/fruiting shrubs one or more kinds 5 stems
50. A Fuscia – young plant less than 1 year old
51. A Fuscia – old plant
52. A pot plant flowering ( Fuscias/orchids excluded) max container 300mm
53. A flowering Orchid max container 300mm
54. A pot plant, foliage max container 300mm
55. A container of one or more cacti/succulents max container 300mm
56. a flowering Begonia in a pot not larger than 61cm
57. Any garden plants not specified in this division, one or more kinds 5 stems
58. A vase of 3 annual flowers grown in the garden
59. A container of cut garden flowers (one or more kinds) grown in the open
(own container may be used)
60. A container , planted up for its effect. Container not larger than 300mm.
W.G.C.Diploma
DIVISION II
FLOWER ARRANGING
SADLER CUP FLORAL ART CERTIFICATE
( Accessories allowed- Height unlimited)
HAZELBRIDGE CHALLENGE BOWL
W.C.G. FLORAL ART CERTIFICATE
Class. ( Accessories allowed- Height unlimited)
61. Small Class: “ Small is Beautiful” Space 300mm
62. Medium Class: An arrangement in a vegetable. Space 600mm
EGGS
64. 4 x Eggs of the same breed in a small basket
WINE
65. Homemade Sloe Gin in a clear bottle
DIVISION III
CHILDREN ONLY
Must be the child’s own work.
Please state age at date of show and fix to the exhibit
Class
68. Up to 4 years A Decorated Pebble
69. 5 – 7 years A Lego Model
DIVISION V
COOKERY
Class
74. A jar of your favourite chutney
75. A double Crust Apple Pie
76. 4 Squares of Gin and Lime drizzle tray bakeSee recipe below
77. 6 pieces of fudge
PHOTOGRAPHY
( Not previously exhibited)
All photos to be suitably mounted on card with preferably a 25mm border, maximum print size 220mm x 150mm
Class
85. “ Fantastic Foliage”
86. “Landscaaape”
87. “Berries” ( Wildflower Trophy 2)
88. “Autumn”
AUTUMN SHOW RECIPE
GIN AND LIME DRIZZLE TRAYBAKE
225 g (8 oz) baking spread from the fridge
225 g (8 oz) caster sugar
275 g (10 oz) self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
2 tbsp milk
Zest of 2 limes
Topping:
175 g (6 oz) granulated sugar
6 tbsp gin
Juice of 2 limes
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas 4. Grease and line a 30 x 23 cm (12 x 9in) traybake tin with non-stick baking paper.
Measure all the traybake ingredients into a large bowl and beat with an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy.
Spoon into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 30-35 minutes, until well risen and lightly golden in colour.
Meanwhile, to make the topping, measure the sugar, gin and lime juice into a bowl and mix well.
When the cake comes out of the oven, pour the sugar mixture over the tope of the warm cake and spread out to the edges. Leave to cool in the tin.
Cut into 16 pieces.
JUDGES FOR THE AUTUMN SHOW
Flowers Vegetables and Fruit: Nicky Cornell
Flower Arranging, Children
And Photography: Francis Collins
Cookery: Sally Stainton
PRIZE PRESENTER
President
Sandra Gilbert BEM
AUTUMN SHOW
11:30am 5th September
TALKS FOR YOUR DIARY
ALL TALKS ARE IN THE VILLAGE HALL AND COMMENCE AT 8PM. DOORS OPEN 7.30PM
1".
16th Sept - Barry Newman "A Year on the Allotment".
21st Oct - TBC
Friendly Network
Connect with fellow gardening enthusiasts and build lasting friendships.
President
Sandra Gilbert, BEM
Vice Presidents
Myrtle Ballard Sheila Rapley Ciss Denyer
Robert Walker
Committee
Chairman: Sheila Rapley
Secretary : Annie Fernie
Treasurer: Martin Lacey
Membership Secretary: Elizabeth Baker
Programme Secretary: Georgia Lacey
Archivist /Website: Ben Baker
Committee Member: John Marshall
Tendershoots Network
As part of your Membership , you will have free password protected access to the Tendershoots on line network.
Tendershoots is an online garden club for individuals and garden groups, open to anyone, novices are especially welcome. What we offer:
- Gardening zoom talks during the autumn & winter,
- 50% seed catalogue discounts & other offers
- Maps to find gardens, independent nurseries, dog friendly gardens, plus more
- Summer garden visits & meetups
- Plus Tendershoots provide support for garden groups/clubs/societies
- Monthly zoom networking sessions to share advice & help
Get in touch
information@chiddingfoldhorti.co.uk
The Garden in SEPTEMBER: Robert "Greenfingers" Walker
The Garden in September
Some animals that you might find in your garden, can you solve?. Eilqrrsu
Deegghho
Embody
Badger
Abbirt
Adilrz
September is the start of Autumn with shortening days and less warmth from the sun. With the recent hot dry weather the leaves have already started to fall. Lack of water has been a major constraint for all gardeners, pity the farmers!
There is now a variety of fruit to be gathered, including blackberries, early apples, plums, damsons and Autumn fruiting raspberries. Ready to harvest are potatoes, onions, beetroot, carrots and many salad crops lettuce, radish, peas, beans, tomatoes and cucumbers.
Sweet peas and the hardier annual and perennial seeds can be sown and bulbs planted , preferably in groups, in lawns and rockeries. In the vegetable garden sow chard, kale, spinach, garlic , Japanese onion sets and winter lettuce.
Cuttings can be taken from roses, fuchsias, geraniums and hydrangeas. Other jobs include dead heading roses and other dead flowers nd finish summer pruning of fruit trees, apples
and pears.
Enjoy any Indian summer while you can.
Solutions to animals
Squirrel
Hedgehog
House
Badger
Rabbit
Lizard
Happy gardening. Robert 'Greenfingeers' Walker