North London flower shows and charity garden events

But this June I missed the summer show in Hampstead Garden Suburb – so when word came of Chris Page’s plant sale in the Suburb, off I went.

Chris has long been a key member of the Suburb Horticultural Society and his garden behind Wordsworth Walk on a sunny evening in early July was idyllic, green, shady, with golden light and the sort of clientele only to be found in settled, garden-loving places.

Chris Page runs a charity plant sale in his Hampstead Garden Suburb garden. (Image: Ruth Pavey) Chris grows the plants himself. Being an expert with hostas there were some tempting ones, but they also tempt molluscs.

Several different sorts of salvias were being snapped up, but I took an anchusa with very hairy leaves, hoping for those wonderful blue flowers but enough hairiness to deter slugs.

Chris’s wife, Lorna, had a produce stall and there were also donations, so they were able to send £890 to the North London Hospice, all from an event Chris says they only planned a couple of days before, and almost called a clearance sale.

Roxane Stirling auctions off flowers at the Highgate Horticultural Society show assisted by Laura Boothman. (Image: Ruth Pavey) The Akili Trust is a charity supporting children’s libraries and education in Kenya. Through its work, children who would not otherwise have had the opportunity have become teachers, thus helping educate the next generation.

Susan Bennett and Earl Hyde, champion sharers of their remarkable garden in St Regis Close, Muswell Hill through the National Gardens Scheme, also welcome in other groups.

Sweet peas grown by students at gardening charity Harington. (Image: Ruth Pavey) The Akili Trust held a fund raising-party there in mid July where there was information, Kenyan gifts for sale, and The Secret Life Saxophone Quartet adding to the pleasures of the evening.

The event raised more than £900, enough to fund the annual school fees of two students and buy books for three libraries.

The two flower shows I did attend were Muswell Hill Horticultural Society’s on July 5 in North Bank, Pages Lane, and Highgate Horticultural Society’s on July 12 in the United Reformed Church, Pond Square.

At Muswell Hill, being in a graceful room with open French doors to the garden always creates a convivial atmosphere, helped by the main long table, bright with flowers.

As it was the summer show, roses, crocosmia and hydrangeas, especially the lovely hydrangeas of Jenny Kruss, were prominent.

Sweet peas were also to the fore. Since the Harington Lathyrus Project was represented in both shows, let us now move to Highgate.

As featured in these pages in April, Lee Haley, Vocational Trainer for Level 1 Horticulture at the educational charity, Harington, has been concentrating on sweet peas, helping his students study their history, breeding and cultivation.

At both Muswell Hill and Highgate Lee showed several varieties, including pale blue Naomi Nazareth and salmon pink Gilly Norah.

It was a rehearsal for their successful entries to the prestigious Wem Sweet Pea Festival on July 18 at which Harington, novices at this major show, won two 1sts, two 3rds and a trophy.

As usual, the Highgate Show ended with a good-humoured auction of flowers and produce, with Roxane Stirling the auctioneer, assisted by Laura Boothman.