News from the Garden
SPRING NEWS 2012
Your Chairman wishes to report on the very successful Wine & Cheese Party last year for members and a guest. This will be repeated again for 2012 as a thank you to our Members. At this year’s event we will have a short AGM and membership renewal subscriptions of £10 per member gratefully received.
What a huge success the Summer Music Event turned out to be and the weather treated us well. This year’s event is lined up and a glass of wine will be included in the entrance fee, plus a Jubilee Treat – an edible delight to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee Event this year.
Our Carol Concert in the Victorian Arcade, although not the outdoor event as before, had plenty of atmosphere within the surroundings of the Arcade and did make for ease of comfort. Carol singing and supporting music was of the usual high standard, aided no doubt by the mulled wine. It is hoped this year’s event will also be held indoors but more news on this event to follow.
Do put the dates in your diary for this year, shown on the Dates for the Diary notice, and we look forward to seeing you all and thank you for your support in helping to preserve this beautiful square, a historic reminder of Regency Ryde.
I do hope you all managed to see the amazing flower display last year – this was trialled in an area of the garden where we have managed to get on top of the pernicious weed. We will continue with this slow recovery of the garden’s horticulture features but any additional help to support the small band of dedicated gardeners would be enormously appreciated. Gardening dates also shown on the Dates for your Diary.
Best Wishes from your Chairman
12th March 2012
Newsletter Summer 2011
Dear Members,
Thank-you for your support this year with our garden tidy sessions, the Wine and Cheese event and our Music in the Garden.
Autumn Tidy It is our intention (weather permitting!) to have a working session in the garden before the winter months are upon us. There will be expert advice on hand to help any inexperienced gardeners. Everyone is welcome to help, beginning at 10am on Saturday 1st October and finishing by 2pm. Refreshments of tea/coffee and cakes will be provided.
Brief Group Meeting This will be an impromptu planning meeting held sometime during the garden tidy session on Saturday 1st October.
Carols in the Garden It is planned that we hold this popular annual event on Friday 9th December at 5.30pm. Once again Ryde School Brass Ensemble has volunteered to accompany the carol singing. Mulled wine/soft drinks and mince pies will be available. Please bring a torch.
Support your Local Groups Please support local Ryde groups in their various ventures. Historic Ryde Society have opened Ryde District Heritage Centre in the Royal Victoria Arcade, Union Street, which is well worth a visit. They are currently applying for a grant and would appreciate your vote. Details are on their website. Also, Ryde North East Heritage Group continue to ‘keep an eye’ on planning issues.
Dates for you diary
Saturday, 1st Oct 10am – 2pm Garden tidy-up
Friday, 9th December 5.30pm Carols in the Garden
Neil Birkett Chairman - revneil@hotmail.co.uk
News 2009
This article was published in the IW County Press 19th June 2009
I am sure there will be plenty to interest bees, and people, if an ambitious plan to restore one of Ryde’s hidden gems takes off.
It only seems like yesterday I was living in a caravan, estranged from my then partner — now my wife — and working for the old Weekly Post (remember that?).
Oh, and Dr David Bellamy opened the newly restored Vernon Square Gardens that had been a bit of forgotten wasteground I often investigated as a very naughty youngster…
Vernon Square Preservation Society had purchased the freehold to secure its future but funding has always been problematic in the 20 years since the good doctor’s visit. Volunteers have also waxed and waned and, sadly, numbers are now at an all-time low.
However, the society is now looking to draw up a plan for the permanent, and sustainable, restoration of the gardens and to obtain funding and assistance from various organisations.
Among those leading the drive are garden designer Loren Thorn and Mike Fitt, who lives locally and is a former curator of the Royal Parks in London.
At the minute, things are at the planning stage but while that’s going on an hour or two of work each weekend by volunteers is getting the park looking much tidier.
The core of volunteers is keen to attract more help, too.
Once it is cleared of perennial weeds and other nasties, they will, hopefully, have some funding in place to start improving the soil and working on the knackered hard landscaping, before planting the garden according to a long-term management plan.
Combined with all this they are hoping to involve Ryde Social Heritage Group and other local organisations. That will hopefully result in noticeboards going up giving a history of the square and raising its profile within the local community.
Music in the Gardens is on tomorrow (Saturday), where a jazz trio, and then Ryde School Swing Band, will play from 5pm, raising funds for the preservation society. It is hoped the event will attract more volunteers. More information and contact details are available at www.vernonsquare.co.uk. Reporter: richardw@iwcpmail.co.uk
News 2008
The Vernon Square Preservation lost two long term supporters and members of our committee this year.
Christine North who passed away earlier in the Summer. Christine was an inspiring member of the committee, who's hard work especially at Summer Parties and Ground Force garden cleanups will be sadly missed. We would like to thank everyone who made donations to the Society in Memory of Christine.
We also will miss, Kevin Doran who passed away recently. Kevin, was one of our long term members who helped organise work groups for the garden via the community service scheme and helped obtain vital funding for the garden from various sources.
We are also sad to announce the death of Mr Peter Norwood who was one of the original founders of the VSPS, he died after a long illness, the committee would like to extend their sympathy to Mr Norwoods' family.
Newsletter Autumn/Winter 2006
Greetings to you all.
Winter is now drawing in quickly. Spring and Summer have passed and Autumn has started with a rush. The Garden had a clean up over the weekend of 28th and 29th of October, which meant the hiring of a skip to remove garden waste and a variety of rubbish that had been dumped in the garden.
The Society has been very busy this year, we are pleased to announce that our purchase of the freehold of the garden has been successful, this will mean that the garden is protected from development and will remain a private garden which is available to the public to enjoy for eternity.
The 6th Ryde Arts Festival this year was an outstanding success again. The Poetry reading held by the University of the Third Age (U3A) members was very well attended by a wonderful cross section of young and old alike. The poetry was inspiring and enjoyed by everyone who attended.
The VSPS web site is going from strength to strength. Claire Kay is keeping the site updated on a regular basis and has added some new photographs to the gallery from the U3A poetry readings and our very sucessful Wine and Cheese party that was held in July.
We have so far held three very successful events during 2006. The Poetry reading by U3A, The Cheese & Wine and our table top sale, these were very well attended. Thank you all for your support.
The problems with anti-social activity and vadalism have been kept to a minimum, the security of the garden has been improved and the removal of the tops of the fir's at the north end of the garden has helped to discourage anti-social behaviour. We have been able to keep the garden open right through the summer. Please note now that winter is decending upon us the garden will be closed eairlier in the evenings until the spring.
Previous Newsletters Please click on link to read archive.