Topsham Allotments and Gardens Society
Topsham Allotments and Gardens Society
Welcome to the website of Topsham Allotments and Gardens Society (TAGS).
We celebrated our 50th anniversary as society in 2017 and today we are a thriving group of more than 250+ members who live mostly in Topsham or the surrounding area.
Our common interest is in gardens and gardening. While most members have gardens of all sizes or allotments or, indeed, both, membership is open to all with this interest. So, if you share this love of growing things, have a look at the benefits of TAGS Membership by clicking on the button below.
TOPSHAM STATION.
TAGS has recently been accepted to join GWR’s Adopt a Station Scheme for platform 1 on Topsham Station, and our committee has agreed to take part. We already look after the small garden and topiary on the down platform, and joining this scheme would give us the opportunity to plant up the two new barrels. We could also add new barrels, small boats, and raised planters, to make the platform a floral sensation.
TAGS’s Constitution includes “Encouraging the improvement of the natural environment within the local community” and in my view, the successful completion of this project would be an excellent way to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of TAGS in March 2027.
We would need to have a “Topsham Station Team” to liaise with GWR to set up and implement the plan, and subsequent maintenance. The project would then have to be fully costed and presented to GWR for them to agree to provide the money. The setting up of the new Social Area in just four months, shows what a good team can do.
Do you wish to take part, maybe you now only have a small garden and would like to grow more flowers? If so, request to become a TAGS member, by emailing membershiptags@gmail.com. Annual subscription is £4. Two people at the same address £6. You don’t have to have a garden to be a member of TAGS, just a love of gardens. Have a look at the benefits at www.topshamags.co.uk/membership/
Freddie Bush: President
Autospade for Members.
Bryan Stephenson, who many of you know, has very kindly donated his Autospade to TAGS for the use of all members and allotment holders in Topsham and Countess Weir.
The spade was designed to reduce effort and fatigue in one of gardening’s most arduous tasks. You can dig your garden in about half the time that it takes with a normal spade, and without bending and lifting the spade or the soil. There are full instructions with it that do need to be followed carefully and returned with the spade after use.
The Spade is stored in the Butts Park Trading Hut and can be obtained on Saturdays and Sundays between 10.30 and 11.30. It is really important that you sign the ‘Borrowing Book’ with name, date and contact details. Please return immediately after use and in the condition you found it. Note that you do need to release the two arms of the small coil spring after use. I suggest you use heavy gloves to depress the spring to fit under the arms of the large Bowspring from the outside before use. See Figure 2 in the instruction sheet.
Ralph Hare
Site Manager - Butts Park East
Tuesday October 20th TAGS Gardeners Question Time at 7.30pm in St Nicks,
Tuesday November 15th TAGS talk with Graham White on The Art and Science of Pruning at 7.30pm in St Nicks.
TAGS winter events
We are sorry about the confusion surrounding our October event, Mapperton was actually in September and a great success. However we hope you got along to our Gardeners Question Time, a very timely event given the challenges that the climate is throwing at us these days. More on that in our December article.
In November we are looking forward to hearing Graham White to give us insights into The Art and Science of Pruning. He has 27 years of experience in lecturing on horticulture in Warwickshire, followed by 16 years of hands-on gardening here in Devon. So he's worth listening to !!
This will be at St Nicks on Thursday 26th November. Doors open from 7.10pm and his talk starts 7.30pm. No need to book, just pay £4 on the night if you are a TAGS member, £5 otherwise. Refreshments are on offer following the talk so, you can share your own experiences or have a general chat. We hope to see you there.
And now we would like to share with you some of the delights of our Annual Show, firstly a touching poem from Renee Rabot from the Colour in the Garden or Allotment class and then our winning photograph from Paul and Tina Bailey in the Plant Portrait class. How wonderful to see a hydrangea still able to put on a wonderful display even in a dry year.
David and Stella McLarin, Social Secs
My choice for plant of the month for November is the Holm Oak, Quercus Ilex. I noticed a small plant reaching over the wall of Mays Field when I was walking past, see if you can spot it.
The Holm Oak was first introduced to Britain in the late 1500s from the Eastern Mediterranean. This tree can grow to 20 metres and seeds around quite easily, so beware seedlings appearing in your garden if there is one nearby
The leaves of the Holm Oak are dark green, shiny and shaped a bit like holly leaves hence its biological name and in a young tree they can have spiny edges. Acorns are small and pointed, rather dainty and mature to dark reddish brown in colour.
In Spain and Portugal the acorns are fed to pigs reared for Iberico ham. The wood is incredibly hard and strong and the Romans used it for cart wheels. Now this tree is common in street planting and in city parks, as it is less susceptible to pollution than our native oak.
Thinking ahead to next year, you might still be able to pop in some spring flowering bulbs, in particular tulips are best planted in November to avoid tulip fire disease.
Sue Parr
Garden rep.
Details of what is involved are available and getting more involved with TAGS is a great way to widen your circle of friends and get involved in the community.
HELP WITH OUR MEMBERS OPEN GARDEN SCHEME
Also, as our activities continue to grow and improve, we are looking for a 3rd Garden Rep whose sole Job would be to organise 3-4 open gardens for each Spring and Summer for TAGS members only. You would liaise with our Social Sec's Stella and David and garden owners to help organise visits to their gardens, help provide and drink tea on the day and ensure things go smoothly!! For more info members contact Stella and David. This may also involve biscuits!!
