Dear Ladies,
WI @ KHH + GWS gardening in September 2015
At the beginning of September for week 18, on 3rd September, Colin Sykes generously encouraged Team WI to thin out the primrose plants from other garden beds to add into our second WI GWS seedling bed in front of the back hedge. And then we got down to serious weeding of stinging nettles, dock and chickweed all of which we had a very great number. We also still have our wild poppies and the cultivated poppies which are growing so strongly, and it is these seed heads Colin has asked us to remove as much as possible, to prevent their invading the gardens en masse. We have also been asked to remove our ox-eye plants for the same reason but, I’m very sad to say we don’t seem to have any at all. We also still have corn chamomile, corn marigold and scentless mayweed, plus one self-heal, whose seeds we will also endeavour to collect. The bonfire was going well and blowing all over Team WI as we work.
our poppies are still blooming brightly…
Week 19 at 10th September and we are still weeding at Katharine House Hospice gardens where our weed collection of chickweed, docks, and stinging nettles are still making their presence strongly felt. Gathering in some of the cultivated poppy-seed heads also goes on and photography of our wild seed flower garden. The common poppy is still blooming brightly and the cultivated poppy-seed heads are still green, firm and without any skin splits, so no seeds are being scattered yet and the gathered seed heads are being stored in envelopes and paper carrier bags.
On one photo-shoot I caught sight of a small frog making his way thru’ the undergrowth, by small hops and long leg stretchings, heading towards the hedge and he seemed to be utterly unaware of my presence as I bent lower to watch his progress……..
our one common or lesser knapweed plant…
On Saturday 12th September at The Manor House Garden Party, where Veronica and friend Barbara are manning the plant stall, Team WI are most generously given a box of plants for our WI wild seed flower garden containing ox-eye daisy plants, two tortured willows, one pulmonaria and five grasses, all of which planted in our second garden bed that same afternoon. A pottery skep is bought for me for our garden where it looks very good amongst the remaining flowers…….
our box of given plants from the garden party at The Manor House
plants kindly given by Veronica for our WI garden at KHH………
Our pottery skep….
Week 20 at 17th September and I’m assisting with the clearance from the ground and picking from the tree some of the wonderful crab apple harvest with volunteer garden friend with which I will make and pot up as crab apple jelly for Katharine House Hospice sales and also for our WI stall at the Christmas Market on 28th November…………..
corn chamomile……..
a late poppy flower..
and a close-up of our common or lesser knapweed.
Week 21 on Thursday, 24th September where a few extra crab apples are picked and after our coffee break, Team WI get down to more weeding and seed gathering of poppy heads and annual seedling flowers. Colin advises that many of the annual plants will self-seed which is great news for next summer. The corn chamomile is still growing very well and we also have many tiny yellow flowers plus the larger yellow corn marigold. We sow Foxglove seeds given by volunteer garden friend Chris into our second bed where the group of original seedlings remain healthy and strong…….
our still healthy second bed seedlings…..
I wonder if anyone’s found a new home yet?
Colin Sykes has suggested we lower the fertility of the soil by not adding any compost or feed, and leave a good crop of fading plants to act almost as a green manure and to give shelter to any residual wildlife.
Katharine House Hospice volunteer garden team carry on throughout the winter and Team WI will continue their weekly presence at our garden whenever possible.
Team WI have been discussing the possibility of creating a wild seed flower garden at Adderbury Lakes and Andrew Barnes has kindly taken on a guided walk of the entire area. We are to be invited to meet with members of the Parish Council soon and have written to the Grow Wild Seed kit team for clarification of their terms and conditions which states their seeds are not to be sown “in or around natural or conservation areas” to ensure compliance.
We have also heard of a future scheme to create a long narrow border of wild flowers on Lucy Placket Playing Field about which we are all tremendously excited and looking forward to working with a larger team of enthusiasts for the greater benefit of our fabulous village and its residents.
Margaret Halstead