The history of Waveney Gardeners Club
The club was founded in 1911 under the name of the Oulton Broad Gardening Association. It is known that all activities were suspended during the 1914-1918 war years. The Association was revived in 1919, with new headquarters, at the Rock Institute in Oulton Broad.
From 1948, the Society held three shows a year, an early summer show in July, a summer show in August and a late chrysanthemum show in November. The Society’s Golden Jubilee was celebrated in 1961 with a very successful show in Nicholas Everitt Park on August Bank Holiday. The then President, Mr Malcolm Humphrey gave a magnificent silver punch bowl to be known as the Jubilee Trophy. This is still held, for one year, by the exhibitor with the highest number of first prizes in the Summer Show.
In 1936 the Association became the Oulton Broad and District Horticultural Society. This was amended to the Oulton Broad and Lowestoft Horticultural Society in 1977. In 2021 the Society adopted a new name – Waveney Gardeners Club.
Affiliations
The WGC is affiliated to the following:
- The Royal Horticultural Society
- The British Gladiolus Society
- The National Vegetable Society
- The National Dahlia Society
- The Norfolk and Suffolk Dahlia Society
More info
Our gardening club, is a friendly association of gardeners and horticulturalists local to the surrounding areas of Suffolk and South Norfolk. Members’ interests range from simple gardening through to the science of horticulture, from general garden interests through to specialism in particular plant groups or even single species. Members raise their plants in every kind of setting; gardens, allotments, greenhouses and polytunnels. Our combined expertise, knowledge and enthusiasm means there is something for everyone to learn, something for all to share and enjoy. WGC is a gardening club for everyone.
WGC holds its meetings at St Luke’s Church Centre, Homefield Avenue, Lowestoft NR33 9BX. Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month from January to July and September to November. Meetings start at 7.30pm and there is a small entry charge to help defray the cost of hiring the hall; a raffle is organised and refreshments are served mid-way through the evening. The monthly meetings usually feature an outside speaker talking about gardening related subjects.
Past Events have included bee keeping, companion planting and local wildlife. For information about this year’s meetings see the What’s On page.
During the summer months we arrange a number of outings and visits. These have included Kew Gardens, the RHS Bicentenary Evening at Somerleyton Hall with a guided tour by the then head gardener Mr Bob Coutts, RHS Wisley, Hyde Hall in Essex and Wottons of Wenhaston.
The Waveney Gardeners Club is a non profit-making organisation, but the committee arrange various fund-raising activities throughout the year in order to cover expenditure. Through the generosity of many businesses and individuals within the East Anglia region, we have sponsorship of events and storage of equipment.
