'In Bloom' - Newsletter - October 2006

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October 2006
THE PENNINE VILLAGE OF LUDDENDEN
Silver Medal - Britain in Bloom 2005

Autumn makes the Luddenden Valley look brilliant at this time of the year with the colours changing on a daily basis. So while the weather is still mild, although somewhat wet, go out for a walk and experience the season changing for yourself.

Planning for 2007

The in bloom team having been busy round the village replanting all the pots, tubs and containers with spring flowering bulbs and plants.

In the last year alone £1045 has been spent by the bloom group on shrubs, plants & bulbs. The money has been raised from plant stalls, donations and a generous grant from the Conservation Society. This year to date approaching £300 is planned to be spent on bulbs for the village. While entering competitions the aim is to improve the village by brightening up and taking ownership of neglected areas of the village. Our aim is to make Luddenden a pleasant and attractive place to live and work in for residents, children and visitors. This can only be achieved with the help of the people of Luddenden and the support of the Local Authority.

Sponsorship of the ‘Bulb Appeal’, no matter how small, will help towards covering some of these costs. Suggested sponsorships as below:

  • Tete a Tete Daffodils - £10
  • Tulips - £15
  • Pheasant Eye Narcissi - £7.50
  • Wood Anemones - £3
  • Snowdrops - £5
  • Bluebells - £3
  • Alliums - £5

These bulbs will be going into the following locations:

  • Methodist Chapel: Tete a tete Daffodils, Double Pink & White Tulips, Thallia Daffodils and Phuzlar Tulips
  • Rest Garden: Queen of the Night Tulips, Peach Blossom Tulips & Odnam Daffodils
  • St Mary’s Churchyard: Allium Purple Sensation & Tete a tete Daffodils
  • Village Green: Pheasant Eye Narcissi, Snowdrops, Bluebells & Wood Anemones
  • Oats Royd Rope Drum: Alliums, White Trumpeter Tulips & Maytime Tulips
  • Bedstead: a tete Daffodils & Phuzlar Tulips
  • Notice Bard Planters: Tete a tete Daffodils, Double Pink & White Tulips
  • Square Box Planters: Double Pink & White Tulips
  • Car Park: Alliums

If you would like to support this Bulb Appeal contact Jason 881452 Church House or Trevor 882417 Badger Cottage, High Street.

Dates for your Diary

Next week, Thursday 26th October 2pm in association with Calderdale, bulb planting will be undertaken in the rest garden, which will enhance the planting already made over the last two years. Extra hands would be appreciated as over 500 bulbs need to go in.

Sunday 19th November - St Marys Church yard 10am until 2pm. Can you held preparing the wildflower area for 2007? A clean up of the river is also planned so bring your wellies.

Jobs to do this month

With the ongoing mild spell my garden still has plenty of colour. Once the first heavy frost takes place it will be time to dig up and store dahlia tubers and gladioli for next year and cut back the rest of the perennial plants along with clematis and rambling roses using sharp secateurs. With that job done you will be able to see where gaps exist for planting some spring bulbs. There are still plenty available and no doubt prices will start to fall as garden centres and supermarkets start bringing in their Christmas ranges, so watch out for bargains. If the weather remains as it has over the last few years reasonably mild you can safely plant bulbs out well into December. Planting wallflowers and forget-me-nots will help create carpets of bloom for spring. If you have space amongst low growing shrubs then try a fragrant lily bulbs such as "lilium regale".

To add height to next years summer beds now is the time to plant "foxtail lily" Their spires come in various colours such as white, yellow orange pink and red and grow to a height of 90cm-1.8m (3 to 6 ft) dependent on the variety

Finally put cloches over tender herbs such as basil and coriander, sow green manure crops such as field beans and grazing rye and plant out garlic and autumn onion sets.

Bonfire Night

It’s that time of year again when bonfire along with exciting fireworks fill the air with smoke and cinder. As we live in a conservation village and with the ongoing concerns of global warming lets all try to be as environmentally friendly with our fires as possible. Use only dry garden waste and wood. If you have old furniture to burn use only unpainted wood and remove any soft furnishings, which might contain chemical based fillings. If possible burn everything in a garden incinerator, which will help speed the burning and cut back on smoke pollution. Don’t use any form of chemical such as paraffin to start the fire as they can contaminate the soil. Finally ensure scene safety, check the bonfire for wildlife before setting light to it, keep pets indoors and children at a safe distance.

Bird Life

My birdseed station is still relatively quiet at the moment as there is still plenty of food in gardens and hedgerows for birds to feed upon. One of my frequent visitors are goldfinches which are enjoying the niger seeds, Several robins are about as well and are one of the few birds that are still singing at dawn and during the day as they proclaim their territories. Watch out for the occasional fight between males! A good place to see and hear robins at this time of the year is the cemetery.

Finally..... the Bloom website has now been updated, take a look at www.luddendeninbloom.com