Page 11 - HGS Suburb News 135 - Summer 2018

Follow your garden’s natural rhythms

One thing I have noticed, working material and food for their by the end of the month I find summer. Having flowered their mark the transition between wondering what’s happened to
as a plantswoman within the young. At the peak of the summer myself on hands and knees hearts out, hardy geraniums, early-to-mid and again mid-to- this or that plant, it was there
gardens of The Suburb, is that foxes stroll nonchalantly past prising out sycamore seedlings trailing bellflower and alchemilla late summer by shaping up the this time last summer surely.
Mother Nature has Her own me, neither of us bothered by from every nook and cranny. molis are sprawling lazily all pittosporums and euonymus. The strong urge you had in June
unstoppable rhythms and cycles. the other. As autumn comes, During May I can almost set over lawn edges and paths, the Dainty seedheads are not for and July to fill every gap with a
She doesn’t recognise boundaries the sound and feel of gentle my spring watch to Spanish flowers of perennial erysimum me. I’m always chasing the next new plant suddenly doesn’t seem
as we do; it’s just one big nature rainfall sooths me. In winter, a Bluebell Week, followed by aptly Bowles Mauve have reached the wave of flowers. All through July so urgent after all. Mail order
reserve to Her. As the seasons come robin, twittering away gently, named Forget-Me-Not Week, tips of their etiolated stems, the I’m constantly playing Catch catalogues will be plopping onto
round again and again, almost head cocked, looks for rich when every hair on my head first flush of roses has come and Up: On the one hand, twice your mat with monotonous
every week is characterised by pickings in my wake. and every layer of my clothing gone. Spent blooms hang onto daily watering just to keep regularity now, warning you to
particular plants and flowers. Spring for me is blue and is peppered with seeds. their hosts for dear life. The everything from losing vigour, order your Spring flowering
As I return to work in the New yellow; early summer lime By June I am looking askance garden fades to Shabby Chic. and don’t even think about bulbs Before It’s Too Late.
Year I am welcomed back by the green; mid-summer white, pink at the yellowing leaves of the July is the time when many going on holiday! On the other Savour this lackadaisical
flaming stems of cornus, willow and lilac; high summer red, daffs, tugging them gently to see gardeners lament the hiatus of hand, especially if it’s been hot respite, because come September,
and acer. The chill of late winter orange and yellow; late summer if I can get away with pulling high summer. No need. Judicious and sultry, keeping a machete the long steady autumn tidy up
is laced with the fragrance of burnished bronze, gold, purple them up before their allotted six pruning will restore the vigour handy to stop everything from starts in earnest. Before you know
witch hazel, daphne and winter- and magenta. week span. The lime green flowers of the garden. But be ruthless, growing into a jungle! it, it will be the winter solstice;
sweet. Snowdrops and aconites The first mow of the year of euphorbia amygdaloides don’t wait for a total fadeout: Ah, and then we are into seeds of anticipation will be
fill the soul with optimism even usually coincides with the spring Robbiae fade roughly around cut back now and fresh new August. The tempo slows. The sown as the garden goes full
as it snows. solstice, when the tempo hots the summer solstice. Philadelphus foliage will start to emerge after bees buzz. A breather at last! A circle. I find the ebb and flow of
As I potter away in the up along with the temperature. has celebrated its floral fortnight; about a fortnight. Early flowering bit of gentle deadheading every it all very reassuring: Whatever
borders I am aware of seasonal Just as I’ve battled, and lost, with by July 1st it’s time for its evergreen shrubs can have a day, feed the containers once a the weather, world events, personal
bird song: In spring blackbirds the spread of wild garlic in early annual prune. trim now for restoring a hint of week, wander around enjoying dramas, it all just keeps rolling
and blue tits flitter around me April, returning home every day There are several markers discipline amongst the blowsy the peace and quiet of the school along in its own time.
industriously gathering nesting smelling like an Italian restaurant, that herald the end of early blooms of summer. I always holidays. You might find yourself CAROLINE BROOME
One herbaceous border seen over the four seasons:

Spring Summer Autumn Winter
THE GARDEN GIRL • 79 CHURCH LANE, EAST FINCHLEY, LONDON N2 0TH • M: 07757 016287 T: 020 8444 2329 EMAIL: CAROLINE@THEGARDENGIRLS.BIZ • LONDON GARDENS SOCIETY: BEST SMALL BACK GARDEN 2017 & 2018

Summer Show with added spuds

At their summer flower show on provide a bit of water and tlc, Chairman Chris Page tipped all March, before handing them to as well as lots of other flowers, The 286th flower show will
16 June, Horticultural Society and bring the results of their the potatoes out in turn to see Ruth Beedle, who was operating fruit, veg, jams and marmalade, take place on 8 September, when
committee members were thrilled labours for judging on 16 June. who had grown the heaviest the digital scales. cookery and photography, with Grimsdyke Brass will be paying
to bits with the success of their Obviously, not everyone who single potato and the heaviest Of the children entering, the Horticultural Society members a return visit to play live music
brand new ‘Grow a Potato in a had entered originally was able crop of potatoes in the months potato crop grown by Sebastien vying for first, second and third in the Free Church Hall garden.
Bag’ competition, launched last to come to the show. But when it of peculiar weather since 29 Eames, aged three, tipped the prizes in many categories. MARJORIE HARRIS
February. In the dark days of winter, opened, another queue formed scales at 933 grams, and he also
ninety adults and children had in the garden of the Free Church had the heaviest potato, weighing
queued up to pick up a special Hall, Northway, as 16 children 145 grams. Erin Hodgson and Calling all Suburb
small black sack and a ‘Lady and 29 adults lugged their now Charlie C came second and
Christl’ potato. All they had to heavy bags to the hall to have third. Adult first prize went to photographers
do was chit (sprout) the potato, their crops weighed and assessed. Anthony Hewstone, with a crop
fill their sack with compost, A large, excited crowd formed weighing 980 grams, but the The HGS Horticultural Society Forever’ and ‘Seeing Double’,
plant the potato on 29 March, as the rain held off, and society heaviest potato prize was won would love you to exhibit your while for children from 9-11
by Jane Herbert, whose single photos at their next Show on 8 years old it is ‘Wild Flowers’, and
potato weighed in at 102 grams. September 2018 – the photographs for those who are 12 years old
Second and third were Yvonne add an extra dimension to an and more, ‘Summer Holidays’.
Oliver and Marjorie Harris. already beautiful show. If you are not a member of the
Meanwhile, in the Free Church The categories for the show Society it is very easy to join, just
Hall itself, the show was ablaze for adult entries are ‘Friends contact David Broome, 8444 2329.
with row upon row of roses
giving off wonderful perfume,

Sebastien Eames (aged 3) hands over his crop for weighing (Top and above) Prize winning vegetables and cactus
MATHS TUITION
Suburb rainfall PRIVATE COACHING IN HAMPSTEAD GARDEN SUBURB

At the time of writing this we those of us with gardens are, no wondering how to do a rain- did occur nearby at the end of ✩ Common Entrance and 11+ ✩
are in a dry heat-wave and doubt, praying for rain or dance that works. June’s rainfall, May were away to the north ✩ A level, Further Maths or GCSE ✩
at 0.02 inches, is the lowest west, giving us little rain, but a
recorded for that month since little lightning for those who ✩ STEP and Oxbridge interview preparation ✩
I specialise in all domestic and these records began in 1980. like watching it. By the time
commercial carpentry June is normally an average sort readers get this, they will know Highly experienced former Head of Maths with B.Sc. Maths,
to the highest possible standards of month for rainfall, with a whether there really was some 1st Class hons. degree from top UK university and experience
Professional decorating services rather higher total than the excitement in July. The ground
also managed with over 10 years three preceding months. This is so hard with the lack of in writing 11+ materials.
of excellence year, April was reasonably wet rainfall that there may well be One-to-one supportive and challenging sessions that
but May was well under average. some local run-off and mini- will really help you to get those A*s, grade 9s, top university,
Call now for a free quotation So a very dry last quarter of flooding. Gardens will be easier Independent or selective school places.
2017 has been followed by a to dig and weed, but do we really
For all your professional distinctly dry first half of 2018. want to be back to the rainy Contact: 07811 254061
carpentry needs joshuabergercarpentry.com We now have the possibility weather we all know and love?
of thunderstorms. Those that DIANA IWI FROM MEADWAY
SUBURB NEWS IS PRODUCED AND DELIVERED TO YOU BY RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEERS 11