LET'S GET DIGGING - BRENTWOOD HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

 The sun's out, so welcome to our green-fingered friends at the start of the gardening year. 

                                

The great Easter Garden Bonanza has already taken off. Maybe many have been dabbling with a little lawn-mowing and tidying up the debris of winter. But with the prospect of longer days and lighter evenings, our green-fingered fraternity have emerged from their cosy homes and are clearing their garden sheds. This time of year is regarded as the traditional Easter period when we sharpen our spades, find the garden hoe and seceteurs, before limbering up for some gentle digging, weeding, seed-sowing and planting.

 When once, living adjacent to one of Brentwood’s eight allotments at Hartswood Road, Brentwood, we realised that the great Eastertide gardening bonanza was about to kick off, All we could see was a plethora of elbows enthusiastically digging in order to get their five-rod of allotment space into shape against a noisy background of modern battery strimmers and mowers working hard before the great sowing sessions ahead. Despite coping with our Essex clay soil, keen gardeners and super allotmenteers all have something in common – a love of growing and joy of the open air.

 Brentwood, Hutton, Shenfield and surrounding villages have historically enjoyed a reputation for their gardening expertise in national competition. The Brentwood Horticultural Society was formed in spring 1872, by a formidable lady – Countess Tasker - who lived at the beautiful Middleton Hall in Taskers Lane (now Middleton Hall Lane), who took advantage of her extensive grounds by inviting local residents to join her new club which she christened  the Brentwood and District Gardeners and Allotment Society.

 Aided by her god-daughter Ellen Willmott, who arrived in Great Warley in 1875, taking over the fine Warley Place mansion with its own wonderful gardens, Countess Tasker shared her fascination with plants with 17-year-old Ellen as an enthusiastic collaborator. Several books have been written about both these ladies who first created their magnificent gardens at Middleton Hall, (now Brentwood Preparatory School) and later at Warley Place, which often attracted  Queen Mary.

 In 1922, local resident, Count Lescher’s wife presented a  trophy for the highest points in vegetable growing and other local upper class luminaries awarded silver cups and ornate salvers.These were returned to the society as perpetual trophies. The well-known philanthropist, Mr Percy Bayman was a wonderful supporter of the Society, presenting the Professional Gardeners’ Challenge Cup which was the pinnacle of Brentwood  gardening prowess. In 1949, the society changed its name to Brentwood Horticultural Society.

Now 150 years later, gardeners still enjoy ‘growing their own’ and meeting and working together at one of Brentwood’s eight well-kept allotments spread around the town.

(For details:  check website:  www.brentwoodhorticulturalsociety.org.uk