Once upon a time each of the old ‘villages’ of West London used to have their own horticultural society but now only the Fulham Horticultural Society remains. This society was founded in 1924 and still, today, holds three Flower Shows a year when a variety of cups and other prizes can be won including the Royal Horticultural Society’s Banksian Medal, the National Vegetable society medal and the British Pelargonium and Geranium Society’s Spoon.
There is a spring Show, usually early in April to catch all the differing varieties of daffodils and other spring bulbs and flowers; the Summer Show in July to catch the roses and all the summer flowers, and the Autumn Show in early September for the dahlias, chrysanthemums and other plants representing the time of mellow fruitfulness. There are classes for pot-grown plants for those with patios or living in flats. As well as flowers and pots, the shows have classes for all sorts of vegetables, and for the more domestically-minded, classes for cakes, jams and bottled and pickled fruits. It also caters for the creative with a section for handicrafts, and often most beautiful and skillful, floral art – vases of flowers designed to represent a given theme. There are also classes for children to show off their creative skills.
The Gardens Competition in July is for every sort of garden imaginable – from window boxes and hanging baskets to the largest garden growing flowers, shrubs and vegetables. The Photographic Competition will win prizes for all those holiday snaps with a horticultural theme. The Fulham Horticultural Society’s handbook is available from Public Libraries within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham or by ringing 020 7731 3906.