How to join

 

Please email the membership secretary, Alison Veale at downleygardeningsociety@gmail.com and ask for a membership application form to be sent to you. 

 

The membership rates are:

 

Individual £5 per annum

 

Family £8 per annum

 

We ideally prefer to receive payments to DGS via standing order which we ask you to set up with your bank. Our account details are:

 

Account Name: Downley Gardening Society

Sort Code: 20-40-71

Account Number: 30317780

If this is not possible please put the correct money in an envelope with your form and deliver it to Alison Veale, address on the membership application form

 

Cheques, if preferred, should be made payable to Downley Gardening Society.

 

Our membership year runs from 1st April - 31st March.

 

You are welcome to bring your form and payment to one of our meetings when you join.

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Benefits of Membership

 

Illustrated Talks

These cover a variety of subjects and take place on the third Monday of the month from October - May.  They are held at St James's Church Hall unless members are advised that they will be on Zoom when the link is distributed by email.  The professional speakers talk for an hour or so and are happy to answer questions 

 

Members are asked to pay £1 when they arrive, £2 for visitors.  This includes refreshments (usually tea, coffee and very good biscuits) which are available after the talk.  (There is no charge for Zoom meetings). 

 

There is a regular raffle with plants, edibles and assorted gifts as prizes.  Tickets cost £1 each.

 

Newsletter

The society produces a newsletter every month containing society news, details of forthcoming meetings, places to visit, general gardening tips and recommendations shared by the members.

 

Outings

We aim to organise one outing each year to a notable garden for which we arrange a coach and entrance, taking advantage of group discounts where possible.  We also arrange a group visit to one of the RHS gardens which is free for up to 50 members.  This is usually RHS Wisley.

 

Some local gardens and nurseries open to groups during the summer months and we arrange an evening trip to one each year.  Usually members make their own way to these, although lift shares can be arranged, if necessary.

 

Annual Horticultural Show

This is usually held on the first Saturday in September.  A show schedule is distributed in the summer to enable members to plan which categories they may like to enter their produce.  Entries are invited in a variety of sections - Vegetables, Fruit, Flowers, Floral Art, Photography, Handicrafts, Wine and Beer, and Domestic (cakes, jams, jellies etc).

 

There are several cups & trophies to be won for the best exhibits, most points in certain sections and total points in the show.  These are retained for one year.

 

This is a fun afternoon with just a hint of competitiveness!