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'In Bloom' - Newsletter - May 2007

May 2007
THE PENNINE VILLAGE OF LUDDENDEN
Silver Medal - Britain in Bloom 2005

May has arrived and what a change in the weather. Out goes the sun and in comes the rain. This though is good for the garden and should help bring along all your spring and summer perennials along with any veg and salad you have planted. Within the last week we have received the comments regarding the Spring Judging. There were no nasty surprises and any recommendations made on where we could improve are already in hand. The most important remark was “more of the same” meaning that we are all doing a grand job. As this newsletter is too short, a full break down can be read on the website. Yorkshire in Bloom marks are now based on RHS markings such as takes place at the Chelsea flower show, so we will have to wait until after the summer judging to find out whether we have receive gold, silver-gilt, silver or a bronze medal for the year. So once again thanks to everyone for their efforts and more of the same for summer

What’s been happening around the village

On receiving the judging comments the in Bloom team held a meeting to discuss what work needs to be undertaken over the next few week prior to the judges return in July. Thankfully the workload this year will be spread out a bit more as we have several new recruits to the team. Already several areas have been given a makeover and the planters around the village have been planted for summer. The first plant sale of the year was held on Saturday 5th of May and was once again well supported. A total of £320 was raised on the day. Again this money will be poured back into the in bloom coffers for future use to improve the village. Don’t forget if you missed this event the next is on Saturday 2nd June outside the old paper shop where we will have summer bedding, herbs, veg and perennial plants for sale. Also if you liked the tulips from the planters this spring these have been bagged up and will be available for a small fee.

Dates for the diary

BBQ at the Lord Nelson – Saturday 26th May 2007

Plant sale– Saturday 2nd June 2007 - Herbs, summer bedding and perennials all on sale outside the old paper shop 10 till 2

Secret Gardens – Saturday 7th July 2007

Bird Life – Swallows have been much in evidence this last 3 weeks and are busy mating and nest building. So leave a patch of moist clay soil about to help them along with dead stems in small piles for other nesting birds. Don’t trim hedges from now till midsummer as they might have nested in them. Remember it is illegal to disturb nesting birds.

Jobs to do this month

Tackle those troublesome lawn weeds by either digging them out or using a good quality weed and feed. If you have any bald patches now is the time to re-seed, as with this damp weather grass seed will quickly germinate. Mow your lawn regularly setting the blades to a height of 2.5mm. Scarify your lawn and use this instead of sphagnum moss in your hanging baskets. May is a good time to plant shrubs, perennials and if there are no frost warnings, summer bedding, but spend time prearing your soil. Dig in loads of compost, as this will help trap water during dry spells. Whilst doing this dig out those persistent weeds like cough grass, bindweed and ground elder. Watch out for greenfly, as they will attack new shoots on roses and shrubs. If you haven’t managed to attract beneficial insects that prey on these pests then either rub the stems gently between your fingers to squash them (they are after all mainly sugar that’s why ants milk them for honey dew) or spray with environmentally friendly washing up liquid solution.

Make up a hanging basket. All you need is a 35cm basket and about 11 of your favourite summer bedding plants. Stand the basket in a large pot to steady it. Line the basket with sphagnum moss, your own scarified grass off your lawn or a environmentally friendly liner. Half fill the basket with a lightweight peat free compost mix and add some water retaining gel and slow release fertiliser granules. Mix this together and then position tall growing plants such as African marigolds on one side firming them in and adding more compost as required. These will act as the back of the basket. Place trailing plants around the edges and spread any other plants around the basket to fill the gaps. Water well and then place in a shady location until plants have established themselves before moving them to their final position for summer.

Recipe of the month

Last month it was nettle soup to use up those tender new shoots this month as the plant can be seen and smelt all round the village it’s Wild Garlic Vol-au-vents. Wild garlic is related to the bulbs you buy in the supermarket but has a much more intense taste if you use the green leaves as well as the white stalks. If you are not sure what it looks like check the Internet, but having walked round the village there is plenty about. The Recipe: (in new money this time) 250gms wild garlic, 50gms butter, water, 4 tablespoons of flour, 250ml of single cream, 250ml milk, 2 teaspoons vegetable stock powder, pepper and ½ teaspoon chilli powder and to make life easy 8 vol-au-vent cases mum might have bought from Iceland but actually went to Tesco. This is what you do: Chop the wild garlic very finely remembering that fingertips are not part of the recipe. Fry it in butter (forget the diet) until tender, adding some water from time to time so that it does not burn. Sprinkle on the flour and blend it well into the mix. Slowly add the cream and milk stirring all the time. Add the vegetable stock powder, pepper and the chilli powder. Set the oven to 200 deg C (400 deg F or gas 6) and warm them vol-au-vent cases for about 10 minutes. Spoon in the wild garlic mix and serve immediately accompanied with a nice home made white wine or something similar.