Wokingham Horticultural Association

03/11/2026

🎄 Ready to make your own Christmas wreath?

Our Christmas Wreath Making Workshop is on Wednesday 18th November! Create a beautiful, festive wreath to hang on your door or display at home. No previous crafting experience needed!

📅 Wednesday 18th November, 3:00pm to 5:00pm
📍 WHA Trading Store, Ormonde Road Allotments
✂️ All materials and instruction provided

Spaces are limited, so book by Wednesday 11th November. Talk to us in store (Sundays & Wednesdays 10am-12pm) or email [email protected] today to secure your place! As a bonus - you can enter it into our WHA Winter Show on November 21st!

Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/824359770691744

01/11/2026

🌿🍂 Hello November! 🍂🌿

November is a time to prepare our gardens for the winter months ahead, but there is still plenty to enjoy — from the last of the chrysanthemums and nerines to the fiery colours of autumn foliage. A few hours in the garden now will pay dividends come spring!

This month, plant tulip bulbs (November is the ideal time to avoid tulip fire disease ), mulch borders with compost or bark to protect roots from frost, and clean and oil your tools before storing them for winter. Dig over vacant beds on the allotment and leave the soil rough for frost to break down, and check stored fruit and vegetables regularly for signs of rot.

Check out the Royal Horticultural Society's guide on what to do in your garden this November:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/in-month/november-jobs

We'd love to hear what you're planning for your garden this month! Share your tips and projects in the comments below. 🌱🌿

Happy gardening! 🌿🌱

31/10/2026

🎃 It’s Pumpkin Festival day! 🎃
Our friendly, informal WHA Pumpkin Festival is happening today, and everyone is welcome!

Come along to see:
🎃 Giant pumpkins and seasonal vegetables
🌸 Flowers and foliage
🍰 Homemade bakes
✂️ Halloween-themed crafts
🧒 Creative entries from our Young Exhibitors

There will also be:
🍰 Home-made tea and cake
🎟️ A raffle, drawn at 3.30pm
🛍️ Craft items for sale from the Trading Store

Whether you entered an exhibit or simply want a lovely autumn afternoon out, we would love to see you. Bring the family, admire the displays, enjoy some refreshments and support our exhibitors and volunteers!

📍 WHA Trading Store, Ormonde Road Allotments, Wokingham
⏰ Open to the public: 1.30pm–4.00pm
🎟️ Entry: £1 — children go free

Happy Pumpkin Festival!

30/10/2026

🎃 Last chance to enter the WHA Pumpkin Festival! 🎃
The festival is tomorrow, Saturday 31st October, and there is still time to prepare something for this friendly, informal local show.

Bring along your:
🌱 Home-grown vegetables
🎃 Pumpkin
🌸 Flower or foliage display
🍰 Seasonal bake
✂️ Halloween-themed craft

There are also free classes for Young Exhibitors aged 16 and under, including decorated pumpkins, Halloween crafts and spooky decorated biscuits.
Entries close at 10.00am today! so check the schedule, complete your entry form and get your exhibit ready!

Even if you’re not entering, please come along and support the show. There will be giant pumpkins, seasonal displays, crafts, home-made tea and cake, a raffle and craft items for sale.

📅 Tomorrow — Saturday 31st October
📍 WHA Trading Store, Ormonde Road Allotments
⏰ Open to the public from 1.30pm to 4.00pm
🎟️ Entry: £1; children go free

Full details:
🌐 https://www.w-h-a.org.uk/shows

27/10/2026

Who’s up for a challenge? 😄 These pumpkins are astonishing, and nobody’s expecting you to match them! But we’d love to see your take at the WHA Halloween Pumpkin Festival this Saturday 31st October. 🎃

Anyone can enter our Best Decorated Pumpkin class, and there’s a separate one for young exhibitors (16 and under). Entries are 50p per class, and free for young exhibitors. Carve it, paint it, glitter it, give it a wonky grin. The fun is in taking part!

There are also classes for Halloween crafts, decorated cakes, savoury quiche, Amazing Apple recipes, flowers and veg, plus a spooky biscuit decorating class for the kids.

📅 Saturday 31st October
📍 WHA Trading Store, Ormonde Road Allotments, RG41 2RB
🕦 Bring your entry between 11am and 12.30pm
🎟️ Public welcome 1.30 to 4pm (£1, children free), with raffle, homemade cakes and a cuppa!

Entry forms at www.w-h-a.org.uk/shows or at the Trading Store. Please register your entries by 4pm this Friday!

26/10/2026

🍂 Make, bake or grow something for the Pumpkin Festival! 🎃
It’s half-term week, which makes it the perfect time to prepare an entry for the WHA Pumpkin Festival on Saturday 31st October.

This informal local show has something for everyone:
🌱 Growers can enter pumpkins, vegetables, flowers and foliage
🎃 Creative gardeners can decorate a pumpkin
🍰 Bakers can make a seasonal quiche or apple recipe
✂️ Crafters can create something with a Halloween theme
🧒 Young Exhibitors can enter free classes for pumpkins, crafts and spooky biscuits

You don’t need to be a member, and your entry doesn’t have to be perfect. The Pumpkin Festival is a relaxed way to try showing something you’ve grown or made.
Why not set yourself a half-term challenge and enter one class?

📅 Saturday 31st October
📍 WHA Trading Store, Ormonde Road Allotments
💷 Adult entries: 50p per class
🧒 Young Exhibitor entries: free

Class details and entry information:
🌐 https://www.w-h-a.org.uk/shows

24/10/2026

🎃 Looking for a creative half-term activity?
Why not make something for the WHA Pumpkin Festival?

The festival takes place next Saturday, 31st October, and there are special classes for children and young people aged 16 and under:
🎃 Decorate a pumpkin
🎨 Make a Halloween-themed craft
🧁 Decorate three shop-bought biscuits with a spooky design

Entries are completely free for Young Exhibitors, and you don’t need to be a gardening expert. This is a chance to make something together, have fun and see your creation on display at a real local show.

Adults can join in too, with classes for pumpkins, flowers, vegetables, baking and crafts.

Start planning your design this weekend — and come along next Saturday to see all the entries, enjoy home-made tea and cake, and take part in the autumn fun!

Find the classes and entry details here:
🌐 https://www.w-h-a.org.uk/shows

21/10/2026

🌸 Ready to get creative with winter flowers?

Our next Floral Workshop is on Wednesday 4th November! Learn how to create a beautiful seasonal arrangement using British plant material, and enjoy a relaxing afternoon surrounded by blooms. No previous experience needed!

📅 Wednesday 4th November, 3:00pm to 5:00pm
📍 WHA Trading Store, Ormonde Road Allotments
🌿 Materials and instruction provided

It’s also a great chance to prepare an arrangement for the Flower Arrangement Section (Classes 60-65) at our Winter Show on Saturday 21st November!

Spaces are limited, so book by Wednesday 28th October. Talk to us in store (Sundays & Wednesdays 10am-12pm) or email [email protected] today to secure your place!

Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1275083948052778

20/10/2026

🎃 Have you thought about entering the WHA Pumpkin Festival?
There’s still time to join in with our friendly, informal show on Saturday 31st October!

You could enter:
🌱 Something you’ve grown
🎃 A pumpkin — the biggest you can grow, or decorated for Halloween
🌸 A flower or foliage display
🍰 A bake using seasonal ingredients
✂️ A Halloween-themed craft

There are also special classes for Young Exhibitors aged 16 and under, including decorated pumpkins, Halloween crafts and spooky decorated biscuits. Young Exhibitors enter for free!

You don’t need to be a WHA member or an experienced gardener. If you’ve grown something in your garden or allotment, made something creative or enjoy baking, why not have a go?

Entry is just 50p per adult class. Full details and entry information are available at:
🌐 https://www.w-h-a.org.uk/shows

28/07/2026

Here's a tasty idea for a less-common vegetable to grow!

Don't forget to sow Florence Fennel seeds - these delicious vegetables are expensive to buy in the shops but they're easy to grow from seed sown direct outside now. This post is full of ideas - here's a link: https://www.pumpkinbeth.com/2018/06/fabulous-florence-fennel/