Welcome to the Saffron Walden
Horticultural Society Web Site
Corona Virus
Update
Dear Members & Friends,
I do hope you have kept fit and well during the lockdown. As so many of our members come into the vulnerable group it has been decided by the Committee that there will be no shows or talks for the remainder of this year. If you have paid your membership subscription it will be extended to cover all of 2021 when we hope to get some things nearly back to normal. In the meantime it has been a good growing year and you will be enjoying your flowers and show vegetables in the garden - actually sitting and relaxing some of the time!
We hope to be able to arrange some Shows for 2021 and will inform you in a few months of the dates and we hope to be able to start with our talks in March 2021.
We will not be changing the 2020 Schedule, so please refer to the Spring Show in this year’s Schedule with a change for Class 21 which would normally be “A daffodil supplied by the Society, flowering in a pot as grown, but as this not be possible, it will be “a of daffodil of your choice flowering in a pot as grown”.
Unfortunately, 3 long serving members of the Society have died this year, not from the Covid-19 Virus.
Yvonne Law - who supported the Society for many years and supplied plants for the plant stall at the Shows.
Anne Dawson, who was a valued member of the Committee until a few years ago and we all remember her wonderful cakes that she made, which we all enjoyed with a cup of tea on Show afternoons.
John Bartram - , showed his prize winning cactus and vegetables, and who together with his wife Kath supported the society for many years.
They will all be sadly missed and we send our sincere condolences to their families.
Keep Safe and another Newsletter will be sent later this year with dates for next year’s Shows.
All the best
Doreen Townley Chairman and Kate Chambers Secretary
A Brief History of the Saffron Walden Horticultural Society
Established 1819
The above Society was originally established for the encouragement of Horticulture, Botany and Agriculture.
The President was the Right Honourable Lord Braybrooke and it is recorded that 2 very prominent citizens of Saffron Walden William Chater (1802 – 85) and Francis Gibson were both committee members when it was formed in 1819.
The Saffron Walden Horticultural Society held its summer fete intermittently in Bridge End Gardens during the 19th Century. In 1883 the Summer Exhibition was held in the Ornamental Grounds, Bridge End, by kind permission of Lewis Fry, Esq, M.P. and included the mounted band of the Royal Artillery by permission of the Assistant Adjutant General. These exhibitions developed into large annual shows and were held at Audley End Park. Extra trains were laid on from Colchester and Cambridge to cope with the influx of visitors for these important events.
However by 1901 the Society had hit financial difficulties with a loss of patronage and falling membership, it was decided to disband.
It was eventually revived in 1922 under the leadership of the Town Mayor, David Mill and in the inter war years, smaller shows were held in conjunction with other organisations, such as the Horse Society.
Very few shows were organised during the Second World War and by 1951 support for the Society had again diminished, so the decision was taken to disband the Society for a second time. A completely fortuitous revival occurred in 1977, when George Scrivener organised a Rose Show as part of the Jubilee celebrations, which later evolved into the Saffron Walden Rose Society and ultimately the Saffron Walden Horticultural Society was reborn.
Ever since the Society has gone from strength to strength and is now established boasting a substantial membership and a busy programme of events with which to celebrate their Bicentenary.
Data Protection Policy
The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) came in to force on 25 May 2018. Under the new regulations, the society needs to advise members how we use the personal data that they provide as part of membership applications. You can read our full policy by clicking this link.
Join Our Facebook Group
If you have a Facebook account, please feel free to join our Facebook group.
We hope it will be a forum for discussion of all things horticultural as well as a way of letting members know about upcoming events.
Visit our Facebook Group and send us a request to join.
To join Facebook go to www.facebook.com
News
newsletter
Read our latest newsletter here
Thinking Ahead for 2021-
Subjects for Photography Classes
| Juniors | Adults | |
| Spring Show | Selfie | Touch of Frost |
| Summer Show | My Bike | Graffiti |
| Autumn Show | My School | River Scene |
SUNDAY 16 JUNE 2019
Summer Show - Rose & Floral
The Saffron Walden Horticultural Society Summer Rose and Floral Show was held on Sunday 16th June 2019 at the Golden Acre Community Centre. This is the second Show being held during the 200th Anniversary of the forming of the Society in 1819.
Despite the rain last week there was a good display of Roses and other flowers, vegetables and plants. Although entries were down, there were entries in all classes from Flowers and plants through to the cooking and craft. Everyone who visited the show in the afternoon enjoyed tea and cake, after admiring the exhibits.
more
SUNDAY 14 APRIL 2019
Spring Show – Daffodil & Floral
The Saffron Walden Horticultural Spring Daffodil and Floral Show was held on Sunday 14th April 2019 at the Golden Acre Community Centre. This is the first of several events and Shows being held throughout 2019 to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the forming of the Society in 1819.
The number of Exhibitors was slightly down from last year and unfortunately, the number of Daffodils was down due mainly to the warmer weather some weeks ago, but there was a good number of entries for other plants and flowers, as well as the Domestic Section and Junior section. more
September 2018
AUTUMN – HORTICULTURAL Show
For the list of winners click here
June 17 2018
Summer Show - Rose & Floral
For the list of winners click here
April 15 2018
Spring Show – Daffodil & Floral
For the list of winners click here
SEPTEMBER 16 2017
AUTUMN – HORTICULTURAL Show Golden Acre Community Centre, Ross Close S.W
For the list of winners click here
For older news please see our Archive page