Special thanks to all our members who led and participated in our display at the A&P Show. I saw many people talking to us there and this is an important part of our outreach programme.

Christmas is almost upon us and we are all planning family events. There is no better environment for this than in the garden, sharing food from each other’s garden and decorating with flowers and foliage from the garden.

This year why not give someone a gift subscription to the CHS? Participating in our various activities will stimulate ideas for an even better garden and lifestyle.

In my advice to people about their gardens over Summer I suggest the best thing they can do is enjoy the garden. Live in it, eat it, use it as an extra room, have fun. If you want to make changes get a small notebook and write down the changes you would like to make and leave it until Autumn.

Planning is underway for 2016. Shortly we will be issuing a Calendar of Events so you can see at a glance what the CHS is planning for the year ahead. Share these with your friends and family and they may also wish to come along to these. You will notice we are a very busy organisation and there is a great variety of things to do.

Have a safe and enjoyable Christmas and Summer break and we will get together in 2016 for another full year of interactive activities.

Alan Jolliffe CHS President