Cobh Flower and Horticulture Club

May Meeting: Ms Mary O’Keeffe AOIFA supervised a worknight during which a large number of members participated in trying out their flower arranging skills based on Mary’s “Teaching Demonstration” at the April meeting. There was a capacity crowd in attendance – too many for comfort. Unfortunately, Cobh does not offer any suitable hall for activities such as ours.

As usual, Mary was extremely helpful to all and gave great advice – many members experimented with horizontal designs and other styles new to them. The fact that we had Mary for two consecutive meetings was very helpful – members felt at home with her and were willing to experiment.

2) 1 Stem of Grey Foliage

Annual Outing: Fifty members and friends set out for Limerick on Sunday 25^th May at 9.30am armed with umbrellas, money and plastic bags. The umbrellas were opened on a few occasions during the day – but only for a few minutes each time. Lots of money was spent on plants in the two gardens and the garden centre. The extremely large boot of the bus was packed to capacity with all sorts of treasures – everything from hostas to pots. The wise had brought their own plastic bags and one old hand had even thought of a felt marker to write the owners names on the bags! We spread ourselves into every room of the house at the first garden – we sampled the punch – and for those of you who are wondering why you suddenly felt like singing-this was due to the ingredients which included beer, schnapps, wine……….. and it went down a treat!

The second garden was a contrast – containing many unusual plants, angels hiding in every corner, and the odd glass butterfly embedded in the concrete paths. The owner was delighted to search for plants and once again we all left weighed down with bags of treasures.

The bus deposited us and our forest of flower pots at about 10.30 p.m. and many passers by were entertained by the sight of 50 bottoms as we all searched inside the boot of the bus for our treasures.

Results of April Crossword: Mary Coleman was the lucky winner this time and received a prize of useful items from the sales table. Because of the small number of entries in the crossword competition – (is it too difficult?) – the May competition consisted of “flowery” words from songs. Hopefully, this will result in a more enthusiastic response…………………………………Are members interested in a monthly competition? Answers on a postcard please, or by e-mail to cfhc@eircom.net I will assume that if I do not get any response I can discontinue the competitions.

A florist had two children – one was a budding genius, the other a blooming idiot.

Final of Inter Club Competition – “When the end of day awakens an old memory”

Final of Floral Artist of the Year – “Spirit of the Woods”

National Competitions 2003 – “In Touch with Nature”

These competitions will take place on 3^rd and 4^th October, 2003, in the Munster Hotel, Cathedral St. Thurles, Co. Tipperary. VIEWING time Sat. 4^th October, 9am. – 6pm.

The finalists for the Inter Club Competition and the Floral Artist of the Year have already been selected at heats held throughout the country during the past two years. However, entries in the National Competitions are open to all.

Class 1 Vase of Flowers. An exhibit featuring garden plant material.

Class 2 The Beauty of the Skies . An exhibit on a grid.

Class 3 Colour and Rhythm. An exhibit to include fabric and accessories. Base provided.

Class 4 From the Fields of Plenty. An exhibit.

Class 5 Airborne. Miniature.

Class 6 Mellow Autumn. Petite.

Class 7 One for the Birds. An exhibit. A wreath to include Autumn berries and flowers. Under 12 years and under 18 years.

Class 8 Created by Nature – Captured with style. A contemporary exhibit. Circular base provided.

Class 9 The Creative Process. Imposed class.

Class 10 Rustic Charm. Collage.

Class 11 Nature’s Palette. An exhibit featuring foliage. Confined to those who do not have an AOIFA/NAFAS qualification.

Further details of size etc available from the Secretary. Entries between 1^st July – 1^st August. Entry fee 5 Euro per class.

The winner of the Floral Artist of the Year will represent Ireland at the next world show.

July and August are holiday months for flower club members. However, with the Eurocarillon taking place from Thursday 25^th – Sunday 28^th September, 2003, many members will be preparing for that event! Last year the World Conference of Carilloneurs was held in Cobh and many world-renowned carilloneurs entertained us from St. Colman’s Cathedral and a great effort was made by the flower club to decorate the church. This time, members are once again invited to help arrange the exhibits for our European visitors.

The next world show will be held in Yokohama,

Japan

from 28^th April – 1^stMay,

An exhibition of Abstract Floral Art, “Freedom of Shapes” will be held in Genoa,

The regional meeting for this area will be held in Conna on 13^th September 2003.

The programme for the day is “Back to Basics” and will include competitions in four

Classes. Two of these will be Open, one in Intermediate and one in Novice. These

Will be to encourage entries in club monthly competitions. All are invited to attend.

NAFAS National Show: Bournemouth 18^th – 21^st June, 2003. There is a daily

NAFAS Home Study Course is available in Floral Art and Design. Level 1 – Modules 1&2 – cost �1250 Sterling. Level 2 – Module 3 – cost �1850 Sterling. More information from Nafas (a link is provided from our website)

Paddy: “I used to wear a flower in my lapel, but I had to stop because the pot kept hitting me in the stomach.”

� Garden Open in aid of Tallaght Hospital Haematology Research Fund, 29^th June 2003, 11.00a.m. – 6.00p.m. at home of Joan Keating, 5 The Paddocks, Naas, Co. Kildare.

� Co. Wexford Garden and Flower Club – 30^th October, 7.30 pm. Lecture “Remarkable Trees of the World” by Thomas Pakenham.

� Kilkenny Flower Club: 13^th November, 2003, Gala Christmas Demonstration by Mary Kehoe.

� Carlow Flower Club: 25^th November, 2003. Gala Christmas Demo. by Gene O’Riordan.

� Cobh Flower Club: 26^th November 2003. Gala Christmas Demo. by Malcolm Kitt.

� Tipperary & District Flower & Garden Club: 3^rd Dec. 2003, Gala Christmas Demo. by Eva Holmes.

� Mallow Homes and Gardens Festival begins on Thursday, June 26^th to Sunday June 29^th. This year’s attractions include – 40 gardens, 200 home and gardens stands, free seminars, traditional Arts and Crafts village, Home Improvements talk by Duncan Stewart, recycled sculptures, Design for Nature competition and amusements for all the family.

� A Garden Festival in the South East (Waterford and Wexford) continues to June 15^th when 15 private gardens are on view. Contact Margaret Power, Abbeylands,Ferrybank, Waterford for further details or telephone 051-832081

� Dr Elma Moore and her husband Fred of Riverside, Castle Road, Blackrock will open their garden on June 21^st from 2pm – 7pm. on aid of the Animal Care Society.

� Backwater Valley Garden Trail runs from June 26^th – July 6^th Contact Ella Donovan at 025-33411 or e-mail elga@blackwater-resources.com

Basic Vegetable Growing – Olivia Goodwillie on 28^th June, Painting Flowers – Daphne Levinge on 12-14 Sept. Further details Tel. 056 7765145. E-mail courses@lavistownhouse.ie Website wwwlavistownhouse.ie

One Visit: Three Different Worlds – St. Fiachra’s Garden, Japanese Gardens and Irish National Stud – all in Tully, Kildare Town, Tel: 045 521617/522963. E-mail: japanesegardens@eircom.net

Mallow Homes & Garden Festival – 26^th – 29^th June. Gardens of all kinds, flower arranging competitions. Tel. 021 4554877 or 086 3345071. E-mail: lscape@gofree.indigo.ie www.mallowgarden.com

Garden Games: Including Croquet Sets, Garden Boules, Giant Snakes and Ladders, Ludo etc. Tel: 045 449704.

Seaside Garden Centre: Seaside plants available from Tel: 087 2809866 near Ring of Kerry just outside Caherciveen to Waterville.

Thermal Weed Control: Garden Flameweeder for drives, yards, borders and beds. Tel: 027 50710 or e-mail: fhf@eircom.net www.fruithillfarm.com

Emily Smyth, Shean Garden, Shean, Garry Hill, Bagnelstown, Co. Carlow. Tel.0503 57652.

Robert and Dorothy Graves, Grave’s Gardens, Golden, Ballintemple, Cashel. Tel. 062 72201

James and Audrey McGuire, Ballymoat Gardens, Ballymoat, Dunhill. Tel. 051 396186. E-Mail: ballymoatgardens@eircom.net

More details of gardens of other counties are available from – RHSI Marlay Park House, Grange Road, Dublin 16. Tel: 01 4951770. E-Mail info@rhsi.ie

Don’t forget to consult last month’s newsletter for more ideas of “What to do this Summer” If you have mislaid your newsletter try looking it up on the website homepage.eircom.net/~cfhc

Mini Club Outing: This year’s mini club outing was to the garden of member Jennifer Crosbie and her husband Alan. Gardeners Nicola and Regina lovingly tend this deceptively large garden on several level – all with magnificent views over the harbour –. The sloping lawn to the front is, according to Alan, the original grass from his grandfather’s time. It was then a field kept in check by goats and cattle tied to a post to allow them to eat the grass in a circle, the post was then moved and the process began all over again. He does not believe in gathering the cut grass, but rather allows it to remain to act as fertiliser. It was a perfect lawn and perhaps we could all follow this example and cut down on the “weeding and feeding”. This lawn was bordered by a great selection of flowers and plants which Jennifer allowed us to “thin out”. Lots of happy faces were apparent as flower club members helped themselves.

Vegetables, fruit and herbs were abundant in the upper sections of the garden, and a whole section was devoted to Lily of the Valley. Many of us remember Jennifer’s marvellous dried flowers which she grew, dried and arranged and sold for charity. She and Alan demonstrated their talents at a club meeting, one night some years ago.

The original glasshouse held peach and pear trees already in fruit and stories of vines growing from the garden through the openings of the glasshouse were told. The amount of work involved in this enterprise alone is daunting – what with watering, pruning, hand fertilising etc – I’m feeling like a lie down just thinking about it!

From the croquet lawn we viewed the “10 of hearts garden” – little flowerbeds laid out to represent that card.

The smell of the Lily of the Valley, the stately spires of Echium, the delicate colours of magnificent poppies, the cultivated look of the 10 of hearts garden, the freedom of the mint growing in the gravel, the downright hard work of keeping everything in order – the whole lot is a labour of love.

And as if all that wasn’t enough, we all trooped into the house to enjoy tea and goodies of every kind – served by Joan, Lynn and friends. Loganberry jam made by Alan, cakes galore made by chefs from heaven. But for those of you who could not make it, �don’t worry! We have persuaded these chefs to part with their recipes and yes, here in this very newsletter, you can read how to make your very own afternoon tea. And who knows, we might even come to see YOUR garden next. (when you have mastered the recipes, of course)

Lots of plants were for sale in the courtyard and it was quite obvious that all the members were hoping to end up with a garden like Jennifer’s!

Many thanks to Jennifer, Alan and friends for allowing us to visit their garden and for entertaining us so well. They generously donated the proceeds of the visit, which amounted to 250 Euro, to the Park Road Centre.

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� To the creators of the Cobh Flower and Horticulture Club Website on achieving a Golden Web Award from the International Association of Web Masters and Designers.

� To Carmel Raftery, Angela Heffron and Sheila O’Shea for representing our club so well in Rosscarbery at a recent Flower Festival.

Next meeting 8^th September – Mary Frahill AOIFA will give a marvellous demonstration. A night not to be missed!

Best wishes to all our members and friends for a great Summer. Who knows – we might even get a little sun!

Don’t forget to check out the website for anything you have missed homepage.eircom.net/~cfhc

I am reprinting the recipes for the jam and cakes we had during our visit to Jennifer’s garden, as I received them from Comdr. Allen Crosbie – Here is what he had to say-

“Herewith are the recipes that you asked for. But I must emphasise that the recipe is only part of the process, at least as important is how you use it. The recipe for the jam is the one on the packet of jam sugar, most of those present must have used it at least once, yet they were still very interested.

Much of what I shall say will seem obvious. But if even one person in the club were to say “I never thought of that”, then it is worth repeating.

The commonest mistake in cooking is to over-cook. There is no surer way of ruining the flavour. If the ingredients can be safely eaten raw, then there is no excuse for it.

Reliable timers are essential. The ideal combination is one electric and one mechanical. The electric one gives a continuous warning, but if it is part of the cooker then it may have a maximum 1-hour setting, and be fixed. The mechanical type only gives one brief warning, but can have a three hour setting, and you can take it with you if you are working out of the kitchen.”

The Jam

Ingredients

On the day that the jam is made, two kilos of fruit are taken out of the deep freeze at about 8 a.m. and decanted into the preserving pan which is a modern one with a relatively small base and high sides. The lumps are broken up and the whole is allowed to come gradually up to near room temperature without any heat being used. No water is added.

The jam is brought up to boiling point on a single ring of an electric stove at setting 3 (half-way).

Each kilo of jam sugar is spread out on a separate flat oven tray. (As these are normally greased I put a sheet of baking parchment under the sugar)

The sugar is warmed to 100C, and not added until the fruit has started to boil. The ring settling is then increased to 4 (maximum continuous) and when the jam has returned to the boil it is boiled for a further 4 minutes, no more.

While this is happening the ten one pound jam jars are warming in the oven on the baking trays, five on each tray. The baking parchment is retained to protect the trays from any spilt jam.

To test the jam I had previously put two saucers into the little freezer compartment on top of the domestic refrigerator. A teaspoon of jam spread out on one of these cools very quickly and if it wrinkles when pushed the jam is ready. This shortens the time needed for the test and limits over-cooking. The second saucer is for a second test if needed.

Experienced jam makers will know from the way the surface of the jam wrinkles away from the boiling point, and the way it clings to the wooden spoon, that setting point has probably been reached. Even so a test is justified.

The ring is then turned down low and the jam decanted into the warm jars as quickly as possible.

I bail it out using a small jug, and hold one of the saucers underneath it to catch the drips. I find this better than a jam funnel.

Wax discs are put on top of the jam as soon as the jar is filled. The best way of doing this is to use a small Marmite or Bovril jar, the lid of which will just go through the top of the jam jar. Leave the lid on the Marmite jar. Wet the Marmite jar lid and it will pick up the wax disc. Centre it on the lid and then gently press it down on the jam. If you do not have a suitable Marmite jar then a Schwartz spice jar (again with its lid on) will do.

A good reason for making jam in small quantities is that it is much nicer when freshly made. The jam you had was only two days old.

The Brack

I got the recipe from my mother’s best friend. It was clearly an old one because the quantities were in cups, but I do not feel that there is anything very special about it. I determined the ounce equivalents.

I made the double quantity size which would be far too large for a normal family.

Ingredients

I put the fruit into the bowl of the Kenwood mixer, with the sugar (demerara) on top. I then pour the tea over it. This carries the sugar down into the fruit. There should be enough tea to come up to the level of the top layer of the fruit.

This is usually done the night before, but four hours soaking is quite sufficient.

I pour the flour with the baking powder on top onto the soaked fruit. The egg is broken and dropped on the top.

I grease the tin with soft margarine before I line it. This makes the parchment stick to the sides. You must cut triangles out of the parchment at the corners of the tin. The parchment should come just over the sides of the tin.

I spoon the mixture into the loaf tin with a serving spoon dropping it along the centre and allowing it to spread itself out to the sides. This creates a natural dome. I then sprinkle it with demerara sugar to give it a shine.

Before the brack goes into the oven I form a cover in foil that will stretch well down all four sides.

The brack goes into the centre of the the oven with nothing on top so that after thirty minutes I can open the door, slip the cover on, and close the door again without causing the brack to sink.

At the appointed time I test with a narrow plastic knitting needle that has had water run over it. This is pushed down the centre of the brack. If it comes out greasy but with nothing stuck to it, then it is done.

If there is uncooked mixture take the cover off and give it another ten minutes before testing again. Do not cook it more than is absolutely necessary. That is the real secret.

Leave it to cool in its tin with the cover back on. When it is cold run a knife round between the parchment and the tin. If you have been generous with the parchment then pulling on this will help you to ease it out.

I cut it with an electric knife. If on occasion a few of the slices near centre seem to be slightly raw at the very top, do not worry, I assure you that no one will notice.

The Shortbread

The basic mixture I got from Mrs. Hanlon, the butcher’s wife, who teaches domestic science.

Ingredients Half

I find that half the quantity is sufficient for our domestic needs. It makes about 30.

I just throw the whole lot into the Kenwood (K attachment) and beat it at high speed. Cover any gaps with your hand to prevent the flour being thrown out. This reduces the mixture to a fine powder, I then slow the Kenwood right down and the mixture collects on the K.

Mrs. Hanlon takes out a quantity about the size of a walnut and rolls it in her wet hands into a ball, and then flattens it out with the rounded side of a fork. I thought that that made the biscuits rather too thick.

My mother used to roll hers out and then cut it into squares with a pallet knife. That avoids having to roll it out a second time.

I part roll it out on quite a thick bed of flour, and sprinkle it liberally with granulated sugar. This is then rolled in. With the mixture about a quarter of an inch thick it is cut out with a star-shaped cutter 2.5 inches (6cm) in diameter. The biscuits will be slightly larger and thicker when cooked. (The biscuits you had were made with a cutter about half that size.)

Shortbread needs to be pricked with a fork. If you vary the pattern between bakings you can tell at a glance which should be eaten first.

What is left over is returned to the beater. Since you are adding flour and sugar the subsequent mixtures will require a little additional butter.

Put the cut out biscuits on greased trays and cook at 180C for 13 – 15 minutes. The time is very dependent on how thick the biscuit is so keep checking the first tray. Opening the oven does not do the shortbread any harm. The second tray can go in before the first one comes out.

When the points of the stars just begin to go a light brown (this happens first) the biscuit is cooked.

They are still very soft when they come out of the oven so allow several minutes before you lift them off onto wire racks to complete their cooling. Leave them too long and they will stick to the tray.

Pound Cake – Lemon and Poppy Seed

A recipe by Regina Dwyer

Mix on first speed until moistened, then on second speed for one minute. Add balance of liquid in the additions and clear. Scrape down sides of bowl after additions. Scale into required shapes.

Castor sugar 150 grams) Dissolve sugar in juice over heat and allow to Lemon juice 120 “ ) cool.