Barley Gardening Club 2023/24

Affiliated to the RHS

Our programme for 2023/24 begins on Wednesday 1^st March 2023 at 8 pm in the downstairs of the Town House, Barley.

Our speaker then is Eddie Collins who will be giving a talk on our Local Birds.

The Gardening Club meets on the first Wednesday of most months except for January, February and November.  The meetings take place in the downstairs of the Town House, Barley at 8 pm with refreshments from 7.30 pm.  There is free parking at the rear of the Town House and the entrance to the hall is also at the rear where there is 1 parking place for the use of those with a disability or for unloading.  Each evening we provide refreshments and hold a raffle and on occasions we sell members spare produce or plants and share garden literature.

At each meeting we usually have a speaker covering various aspects of gardening and related topics.  We do try to vary this and for some years now have introduced a couple of evening garden visits during the spring/summer evenings as well as the occasional day outing.   These have proved very popular.

Membership is £10 per person for the year (2023/24)

Visitors are always welcome at £2 per meeting.

Our Annual General Meeting is held on the first Wednesday of April when memberships are due for renewal.

We also provide an e-newsletter where members or interested parties can keep in touch with what is going on at the club.

This year we have arranged a Day trip on Wednesday 21^st June 2023 to RHS Hyde Hall which is open to all.

Should you be interested in joining Barley Gardening Club or receiving our newsletter please contact -

Alison White on 07910 473264 or alisonwhite@sheepythings.com

History of Barley Gardening Club 

The Barley Horticultural Society is a very well established village club which began its long and interesting history in the late 19th century. This saw the beginning of the Barley Flower Show when the whole village used to participate. In days gone by it was the norm for the winner's name for every event to be listed in the local newspaper.

Barley Gardening Club was formed by a group of enthusiastic parish residents while attending a Parish Meeting. Following the meeting they advertised and were rewarded by an overwhelming response. The first successful meeting was held in the Town House, starting with hired slides and printed details of Clematis.

In 1992 due to the club's affiliation with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) we were invited to exhibit at the Chelsea Flower Show.   Our application was successful and the club entered for four consecutive years between 1992 and 1995 and returned with a medal on each occasion.  

SILVER - 1992

BRONZE - 1993 

SILVER GILT - 1994 

BRONZE - 1995  

Photos of the entries can be seen displayed in the undercroft of the Town House. Due to the club's  affiliation to the RHS, the Flower Show receive a medal from them each year to award at the Show. 

Over the years the club has been fortunate to have had many interesting speakers covering a wide variety of subjects on gardening, nature and the outdoors. We have also enjoyed many day trips to popular gardens a little further afield.  The Club has also organised Open Gardens in the village for charity and these have been great fun, especially the cream teas!