Page 40 - link magazine

40 swindonlink.com • October 2012
Weekend of apple antics It’s time to cut down some trees
and apple action Why? Surely it’s a bad thing to do. But some trees grow better and
last longer if they are regularly cut - and you can have fun doing it.
Celebrate apples at Lower Shaw Farm on Saturday 6 October, 11am to
4pm and Sunday 7 October, 10.30am to 3pm The Peatmoor Community being. Monthly coppicing sessions
There will be apple pressing, cooking, eating, stories, music, poems Woodland Group looks after a start on Sunday 7 October, 10am to
and even apple juggling and jokes. Bring your own apples, to cut, scrat, fragment of the ancient Braydon 1pm, and newcomers who want
press, to turn into juice, drink, take home, or to ferment. Donations of Forest which was once a royal hunt- to get practical, do something for
spare apples welcome. ing ground. Nowadays, it’s a secret the environment and learn about
Also discover local growing groups and enjoy locally produced foods. green oasis within West Swindon. woodland management are invited
No entry charge. Details from: Using traditional woodland to come along.
www.lowershawfarm.co.uk management techniques, trees are Children are welcome to learn
coppiced to increase their lifespan woodcraft skills but they must be
Learn how to give your garden a makeover and improve the biodiversity of the accompanied by an adult. The site
A 5 week garden design course for adults takes place at Commonweal woodland. is not easy for people in wheelchairs
It’s well known that being out-
and there are no toilets on site.
School on Mondays, 6.30pm to 8.30pm, from 8 October. The cost is side and doing practical things For details mail: roger_ogle@
£30. Book a place by calling Lisa Parkinson on 07778 509490. improves mental and physical well mac.com or call 01793 608840.
The plight of the humble bee & butterflies.
How can you help this winter?
Bees are responsible for pollinating a substantial proportion of our
food-producing plants, and yet the population of pollinating insects
is increasingly at risk, particularly after the wet summer weather.

John Ball in his bee and butterfly friendly Grange Park garden
UNITS 19-20 KENDRICK INDUSTRIAL ESTATE So what can we do over the win- private gardeners and municipal
SWINDON WILTS SN2 2DU ter to encourage more pollinating planters do not always favour the
insects to visit our gardens? kind of trees and plants that pol-
TEL: 01793 536784 Swindon Beekeepers’ Association, “Much planting is of annuals which
Kathy Hobson, secretary of linating insects need. John added:
said: “Bees are the only pollinating provide a spectacular display but
SANSUM SAND & GRAVEL SUPPLY TO THE insects that can survive the winter, only last one season. My aim is to
feeding on the honey stores in their turn people onto perennials which
GENERAL PUBLIC AND TRADE CUSTOMERS hives and keeping at a constant you can plant out in your garden
temperature. They are therefore and they’re there forever.
BRICKS, the only insects available in large “And now’s the time to start plan-
CONCRETE BLOCKS, numbers to pollinate the Spring ning a bee and butterfly friendly
blossom of fruit trees.”
garden, even if it is only a small
CELCON BLOCKS, This year beekeepers have begun area. You’ll be amazed by the busy
to prepare their hives for winter activity next Spring and Summer.”
BLOCK PAVING, earlier than usual because the tor- To get started John recommends
rential summer rain has led to a the yellow and orange birdsfoot
PATIO SLABS, SAND, drop in honey production. trefoil for rockeries, and devils bit
Butterflies and the native bumble scabius with its small blue flowers
GRAVEL, TOP SOIL, BARK, bee also play a crucial pollinating for damper, semi-shaded areas.
CANTABURY SPAR, role, and thrive where there is an John is offering seeds and plug
abundance of wildflowers. plants, in return for a donation to
LANDSCAPE FABRIC, John Ball, a warden at Lydiard FAB, from The Haven Wildflower
DRAINAGE CHANNELS, Park, founder of wildFlowers & Nursery at TWIGS community
Butterflies (FAB), and self-styled garden at Cheney Manor, next to
BUILDING CHEMICALS, ‘guerrilla gardener,’ said: “My Manor Garden Centre. It’s open on
dream is for everyone to create Wednesday and Friday afternoons.
ROCK SALT AND CEMENT gardens that are humming with the Contact John: jball2@ntlworld.
sound only our wildflower-loving com or call 877261.
www.sansums.co.uk bumble bees can make.” www.wiltshirebeekeepers.org.uk/
Both John and Kathy concur that Swindon

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