Page 11 - HGS Suburb News 142 - Spring 2020

Gardening is the new normal

So, feeling as I was, quite despondent this particular unstoppable progression devising and assembling his new water mad dash to install them once the
about the Current Situation, I decided very comforting, summer will come, feature, and me, planting out my over- plants have fallen over!
to browse my previous Garden Girl the sun will shine, life goes on. wintered perennials. The sun shone, My heart goes out to all the plant
articles for some inspiration. This time Simply being in your garden, or and in that warmth and quiet, we nurseries at the thought of their
last year I was exploring the vagaries of perhaps taking an early morning walk didn’t once think of the risks awaiting carefully nurtured summer annuals
fashion in horticulture. How frivolous over the Heath, will bring you in us all in the outside world. The air felt withering and dying. Some have
that all sounds now. It’s obvious, isn’t touch with nature. With so little noise clean and we felt invigorated. switched to mail order services to
it, that I’m going to write about the pollution from vehicle traffic, bird They say that necessity is the maintain some much-needed revenue.
virtues of gardening during self- song proliferates. We have time on our mother of invention and I think we’re Usually, by now, I am eagerly anticipating
isolation and social distancing, but it hands, deadlines don’t apply in the way all falling back on untapped resources the upcoming rare plant sales,
also occurs to me that I’m not just they did before. Somehow, admitting now! My greenhouse has been spring horticultural society shows and all the
writing this piece for confirmed that you are enjoying this hiatus cleaned to within an inch of its life. horticultural society coach trips to the
gardeners. And not all of us are brings an uneasy guilt. Get over it! I’ve never been very successful at seed beautiful gardens of the South East. All
fortunate enough to have their own Grasp feelings of wellbeing with both sowing, but through sheer boredom I cancelled. So thank goodness for BBC2
outside space to escape to. So how can hands, they are the antidote to these Parakeets have resorted to trying my hand at all Gardeners World I say, still broadcasting
we all benefit from Spring 2020? challenging times! several squirrels who have learned to the free seed packets from gardening at the time of writing, offering timely
Well, I am writing this on the Spring As I can only speculate on life in use their own feeders. The larger birds magazines: anything from tomatoes advice and empathy to its horticulturally
equinox; the clocks have Sprung Forward April 2020, I’ve decided to write about frequent the peanut and suet feeders to tithonia! The patio has been swept, starved viewers so as gardeners we can
and we are able to enjoy an extra hour the measures that I am taking to try and under our rose arbour and the smaller container plants have been repotted, enjoy our plots and gardens in
of daylight for a start! And nature does inject some normality and positivity birds favour the feeders sheltered by borders fed and mulched. Even my splendid isolation.
not know that we are in the grip of a into my world, and in doing so, I hope the patio. Frogspawn is prolific, newts plants supports are in situ before the CAROLINE BROOME
pandemic. By now, shoots are greening to strike an optimistic chord with some are swimming in the rill. What’s more, Epimedium
up, blossom is out, the birds are singing of you reading this. As someone who our cats pose no threat to the wildlife,
and pairing up. Here is a sense of has suffered from anxiety for decades happily ensconced in their very own
anticipation of the positive kind. I find it is very important for me to create open air, mesh enclosed catio. All are
some sort of normality to counteract co-existing happily.
the uncertainly of our daily lives. So, every morning I wake to bird
We have installed fourteen bird song and for a few moments I can
feeders into our garden over the last forget the coronavirus. I’ll sit in our
couple of years, and this Spring it sunroom with my breakfast cereal,
seems to have finally paid off. In order and watch the wildlife going about its
of size, regular visitors include five daily business, creatures twittering
parakeets, two jackdaws, a pair of jays, and chattering amongst themselves,
eight feral pigeons, a great spotted not a care in the world, and I am calm.
woodpecker, thrushes, blackbirds, chiff- Following the announcement of
chaffs, goldfinches, all the tits, blackcap, Lockdown, my husband and I spent
Erysimum wrens and dunnocks. We also have the day working in our garden: David,
EMAIL: C.BROOME.GARDENGIRL@GMAIL.COM

Suburb rainfall Trees & Open Spaces

The year 2020 has started as a continuing the phenomena is very tempting to search for The RA Trees and Open Spaces
year with all sorts of strange reported in the last Suburb News. some causal correlation with Committee continues to be active
happenings but not all weather- Another result of the high pressure climate change. during the current lockdown.
wise. It has been mild, with only has been a lack of rainfall in We are supposed to have Emma Howard, RA Chair, and
three sub-zero temperatures January and March. As this March winds and April showers Colin Gregory, Chair of the
recorded over the whole period followed a very wet autumn, we to bring forth the flowers we Committee, have been in touch
from January 1 to the time of were probably mostly very glad hope for in May. Is it climate with the Superintendent of
writing (April 3). While there of it. Now, however, a little rain change that has raised the Hampstead Heath about the
were gales around the middle of would be nice for the garden. pressure unusually high and so measures taken on the Heath
February, there have been long The coronavirus outbreak is, made winds weaker and less Extension, particularly the
periods of high pressure with of course, the strangest of the able to blow away the virus? consequences of staff reductions
accompanying wonderful sunsets, current strange happenings. It DIANA IWI FROM MEADWAY and the need for social distancing.
All litter bins and dog bins have
been removed (because the City
The delights of growing your own do not have the resources to
empty them), and visitors are
In those long lost days before Throughout the UK, while of plants and compost through urged to take all litter and dog
coronavirus took over our lives, so many of us are confined to home deliveries. If you are a poo home with them. Barnet
at the turn of 2020 Chris Page, our homes for much of the day, new gardener and need advice, have not removed bins from
Chair of HGS Horticultural Society, people are suddenly discovering, check the Horticultural Society’s parks but are monitoring the
wrote the following, presciently, or re-discovering, the mental contact page at hortsoc.co.uk and position. Playgrounds and outdoor
in his introduction to the new relaxation and freedom from we will try to answer your questions. gyms are closed and as the weather
members’ handbook: “2020 will stress that growing our own Sadly, all the members’ events, warms up and the urge to go
bring its pleasures and delights. food and enjoying the sights, outings, garden openings and outside increases it’s important to
In a few weeks, snowdrops will scents and sounds our gardens the three-day trip to the gardens remember to keep your distance
be pushing through the soil, can bring, if we are lucky enough of north Devon that were due to – and we’ve been reminded that
the winter shrubs will be in full to have them. Sales of seeds take place over the next few picnics are not allowed.
scent and the days will be have hit new highs, and garden months, have been cancelled or Before the lockdown, the the tennis club in Northway because the tree is implicated in
getting longer. Soon we will be centres, though closed to face- postponed in line with govern- Trees & Open Spaces Committee Gardens. Barnet have also just subsidence nearby. Barnet’s policy
frantically sowing, planting, to-face customers, are continuing ment advice. Previously, since was working closely with Barnet finished planting 55 new street is to resist removal of trees wherever
staking and harvesting...” to provide an amazing assortment its foundation in 1909, only the to bring about various improve- trees across the Suburb to possible and take mitigating steps
Second World War managed to ments. It is still intended to replace those that have been instead, but the legal position is
call a halt to the Society’s flower plant an orchard in Lyttelton cut down, including seven paid not favourable to tree owners.
Four Seasons very likely that the June Show, (see article on back page) and for by the RA. We are working closely with the
shows, but this year it seems
Playing Fields in the autumn
Council to try to minimise the loss
We continue to monitor
GARDEN MAINTENANCE and even possibly the September install a table tennis table next proposals to remove trees, both of trees due to subsidence claims.
Show will not happen. We hope to the outdoor gym. We were those in gardens (for which Fresh air and exercise is vital
 Weekly or fortnightly maintenance contract  Garden clearance you are continuing to grow the delighted that Barnet replanted Barnet and Trust permission is for our wellbeing and we hope
 Lawn care (mowing, turfing, fertilisation etc.)  Planting potatoes you were given for the six purple plums (prunus cerasifera needed) and Barnet’s own trees. we will soon all be able to enjoy
 Weed killing & treatment  Hedge trimming, tree works ‘Grow a potato in a bag’ competition. nigra) to replace those felled in Sometimes these are related to it to the full on the Suburb’s
 Patio cleaning  All general garden services Maybe we will have to ask you the avenue across the brook from tree health, but often they are wonderful open spaces.
We offer a professional, reliable service with 10 years of to count and weigh your own
experience at an affordable price. Call Roland or leave a message and your family’s potato crop on
for a free quote. 13 June and report your results
 07584 574520  fourseasonsgarden@hotmail.com to the Horticultural Society (we
trust you not to cheat!). At the
very least, you will have a bag or
I specialise in all domestic and two of delicious new potatoes to
commercial carpentry eat, perhaps with a little fresh mint.
to the highest possible standards MARJORIE HARRIS
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