Category Archives: Gardening

Gardens Open in South Hill for National Gardens Scheme


On Sunday 12th May, two South Hill gardens, Anvil Cottage and Windmills, will again be opening their gardens for charity under the National Gardens Scheme from 1.30 to 5 pm.  This year, half of the proceeds will be given to St Sampson’s church as well as to national charities such as Macmillan Cancer Support. 

Anvil Cottage garden is largely the creation of Barbara Clemerson, who for many years wrote a gardening feature for the South Hill Connection.  Windmills is mainly the work of Peter Tunnicliffe who has transformed the garden originally created by Dave Moren. 

The two gardens, which were featured in ‘Cornwall Today’ in 2016, are adjoining, and a combined entrance fee of £5 gets you into both of them.  There will be home-made teas and, of course, plants for sale. For more details and pictures go online to https://www.ngs.org.uk

Horticultural Show


Lots happening at the Horticultural Show this year, inside and out and down at the river…..

For the first time the Kit Hill group of the Cornwall Beekeepers Association had a stand at the Golberdon Horticultural Show on the 18th August. The display included bee identification, plants for bees and honey tasting. Geoff and Mary Hardman, (Chair and Secretary of Kit Hill CBKA respectively) cajoled passers-by to try honeys of six distinct flavours – all dependent on what the bees had foraged for. Dale Wood brought along his observation hive which proved very popular with visitors trying to spot the queen.  Kit Hill Beekeepers can be contacted via the secretary Mary Hardman at m.a.hardman@btinternet.com Continue reading →

59th South Hill Horticultural Show, get your schedule here


Everybody has a skill… do YOU grow tasty fruit, perfect vegetables, perfect blooms?  Do you enjoy baking or photography?  Or are you handy with a needle and thread, or a paintbrush?  Whatever your hobby, you could win a prize at the South Hill Horticultural Show on August 18th 2018.

This year we also have a Dog Show and a Duck Race, both organised by Callington Young Farmers Club, raising money for St Luke’s Hospice, show funds and Club funds.

PLUS a CAR BOOT SALE, Bring your items to sell or donate for us to sell, raising money for the Parish Hall Funds, a FIVER a pitch >> contact events@south-hill.co.uk or Ali 384544

Full details in the Show schedule – get yours here…

Tamar Grow Local 10th anniversary


Tamar Grow Local is 10 years old in 2017 Help them celebrate at some of the following events in October! 

Wed 4th October – Honey Fair, Callington Come along to see live honey extraction demonstrations and enjoy a slice of honey cake. There’ll be honey on sale, details of bee-keeping courses and bee-keeping sundries for sale.

Thursday 5th October – Heralds of Spring Daffodil Conference, Tamar Valley Centre celebrating the 2017 Heritage Lottery funded daffodil project focusing on observation and identification of Tamar Valley daffodils. Share findings, hear daffodil experts, listen to oral histories and buy bulbs for the coming season. Free tickets available here

Thursday 5th October – Food & Farming Pub Quiz, The Carpenters Arms, Metherell Get your team together for the TGL quiz which is everything food, farming and the Tamar Valley. Swat up on your vegetables, plants, animals and current affairs to become our winning team! To book a place, please contact info@tamargrowlocal.org or call (01579) 208412  £2 per person with funds donated to the Grow, Share, Cook project.

Friday 6th October –Tamar Grow Local 10 year celebration, Tamar Valley Centre Join us for a day of talks and discussion from inspiring food projects and funders from across the UK. Speakers from Real Farming Trust, Plymouth City Council, Open Food Network UK and Tamar Grow Local and learning how these groups are working towards building a more sustainable food economy. Theere’s also a market gardening exhibition and a mini farmers market so you can stock up on goodies. Full details and tickets available here 

The day is ticketed on a contribution scheme so please leave the free tickets for those who may not be able to meet the cost of attending. This event is not-for-profit, TGL are looking to meet the costs of providing lunch and speaker travel expenses. For further details, visit the website at www.tamargrowlocal.org

Saturday 7th October – Apple & Chilli Festival, Apple Pressing. Carpenters Arms, Metherell, 10am – 4pm Our monthly Brunch & Produce Market turns into a celebration of apples, chillies and Autumn produce in October. Bring your apples for pressing for a donation, Music from Robin Roper and over 25 varieties of chillies to try and buy!

Saturday 7th October – Foraging Walk, 2pm A circular walk introducing wild food foraging, identification of edible plants & how to create your own hedgerow salads. 2pm, £9, Meet at the Carpenters Arms. To book, please contact    rachaelforster@tamargrowlocal.org

Check out the TGL sowing guide here http://www.tamargrowlocal.org/sites/default/files/vegetable-planting-planner.pdf

South Hill Horticultural Show


On Saturday 19th August 2017 the 58th South Hill Horticultural Show took to Golberdon Village Hall with 600 exhibits of cookery, vegetables, handicrafts, photographs, flowers and children’s entries from 62 exhibitors. It was great to see so many new faces enter and support the show on the day.

The weather held off which aided in a successful day. Callington Mayor and Town Portreeve Mark Smith presented the trophies to the many winners and Liam Hartley of Maders presented the gift of a wooden crafted pen to Mark at the start of the prize giving. The prize winners were as follows below:

  • Committee Cup (Most points in show)- Brian Arthur
  • K. J. Uglow Cup (Runner up)- Peggy Ede
  • Cup third place most points- Judith Ayres
  • Barbara Ede (New entrant, most points)- Chloe Coombe
  • E.C. Pomroy (most points floral arrangements)- Cat Ede & Susan Hicks
  • Maureen Hindle (Best floral art exhibit)- Andrea Hill
  • Best Cut Flowers in Show- Brian Arthur
  • F. Eggins Memorial Trophy (Most points cut flowers)- Brian Arthur
  • Best exhibit in Pot plants- Barry Jackson
  • Gilbert Rickard trophy (most points in Veg classes)- Peggy Ede
  • H. Trewartha (best exhibit in Veg classes)- Barry Jackson
  • Best collection of vegetables- Brian Arthur
  • Buckingham Trophy (most points in handicrafts)- Andrea Hill
  • Best Exhibit in Handicrafts- Andrea Hill
  • Mrs S Rickard (most points in cookery)- Sharon Jasper
  • Best exhibit in cookery classes- Marina Herbert
  • Sheila Cup (most points in photography- Graham Hartley
  • Best entry in Photo Classes- Sue Skelton
  • Parish Council (Miss Alvery Cup Local Child most points)- Nathan Brent
  • Child 5 & Under most points- Chloe Coombe
  • Child 6-10 most points- Emily Robbins
  • Child 11-15 most points- Nathan Brent
  • R.H.G Gimblett (best photo by a child)- Liam Hartley
  • Jenny Jane (best rose in the Show)- Sue Skelton

Many thanks to Spar of Callington for donating the joint of beef for the “Guess the weight of the roast dinner” won by Erin Beale and Trevallacks Farm Shop for donating the cream tea for two for the game “Guess how many buttons in a jam jar” won by Josh Gosling. The roast dinner weighed 6.132kg and there were 256 buttons in the jar for anyone wondering how close you were! Many thanks also goes to sponsors Helluva Pasties, Janet Harding Alterations, Keltic and Callington Fresh Produce for their sponsorship.

Next year’s show will be Saturday 18th August…. Please put it in your diaries and keep it free, it will be great to see you there and fill the hall with exhibits again! J

If you would like more information or would like to become part of the team, please contact Lucy or Cat Ede on 01579 382182.

South Hill Horticultural Show


Schedule Final 2017

Classes include: Floral Art, Pot Plants, Fruits & Vegetables, Preserves, Cookery, Handicrafts, Photography and new tallest Sunflower Children’s classes include: Animal made from fruit & vegetables, Garden in a seed tray, Recycled model, Handwritten verse, 3 cup cakes, Mini pizza, Lego model, Decorated boiled egg, Photographs.

The Sunflower class is an addition to the Horticultural Show Programme, and is open to everyone, the winner will be the plant that has grown taller than the person that planted it.       On August 14th submit your entries including your height and the height of your sunflower!

Trebartha Open Gardens n Hydro System


Trebartha  open the file for more info on Trebartha.

The Hydro system has been operational since December 2015. Water is taken off at the in take area on the Withey Brook, just below Hawks Tor, through a 1.2 kilometre stretch of pipe, dropping 90 metres down to the Turbine House. The turbine is a 4 jet vertical shafted pelton wheel, with a 350 kw generator. The power is fed to a high voltage transformer in the adjoining enclosure before being exported to the local WPD grid. The scheme is estimated to generate some 1,000 MWhs of energy a year – enough for some 2000 domestic properties – this could vary +/- 30% depending on rainfall.