[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Bell Ringing ] [ C.A.T.S. ] [ Dial Park ] [ Gardeners Club ] [ Harvington ] [ Hope & Homes ] [ Mowing Rota ] [ Rambling ] [ Summer Fete ] [ Tythe Barn House ] [ W. I.'s ]

Chaddesley Gardeners' Club Monthly Meetings

A very enjoyable evening in February introduced not only to the Flowers of the Swiss Alps but also an informative journey through the mountains and villages. Dr Tony Hughes hits the right note every time.

The Black Country Evening was a huge success thanks to the enthusiastic, hard working committee led by Sylvia our Social Hostess. The flowers arrangements by Joyce Brewer were beautiful and our colour theme this year was blue, yellow and white, fresh and welcoming for the spring.  
Malcolm Brewer went to great lengths to keep everyone happy when organising the seating. Angela Kingscote and Mark Edwards did a wonderful job with the raffle resulting in raising a lot of money towards the cost of our entertainment. Tommy Mundon went down very well keeping the audience in stitches. What are we going to do next year?

We welcome back Philip Aubrey to give us a talk titled 'The Green Gym' – Schoolgirls? or maybe a relation of the Green Hulk? No! it's all about healthy living and eating with vegetables which should be of interest to all. 
On May 14th 'Insects in the Garden,  friends and foes' by Celia Davis a subject that should capture our imaginations. 
Spring should be in full swing with the blossom lighting up the hedgerows and buds starting to burst into flower. A lovely time of year. 

See you on the 9th April at 7.30pm. for coffee and chat before the meeting at 8.00pm. Visitors always Welcome. Don't forget to bring your unwanted plants and produce for the Trade Stand. 

If plastic garden furniture is stained, make a paste of baking soda and water, apply it for a few minutes then wipe off.

To preserve aluminium garden furniture and metal tools over the winter apply oil (either cooking oil or motor oil). Wipe off before using again though.

Paint the handles of gardening tools with leftover paint - the brighter the better, to make them easier seen in the garden.

Clay soil can be difficult to dig, sharpen the end of the spade with a file to make it easier.

Use an old bum-bag to keep secateurs, plant labels, string, penknife and other garden tools nearby. The expanding waist strap will enable it to go comfortably over bulky jackets and jumpers.

Wrap a long length of string to one handle of secateurs and a few elastic bands to the other handle, they always comes in handy in the garden.

Keep an old oily rag in the garden shed for wiping tools after use, especially at damp times of the year - it will help keep them rust-free and clean.

To avoid getting kinks in a garden hose, coil in a figure 8 not a circle.

An old wheel rim makes an ideal storage place for a garden hose when not in use. Hang on a garage or shed wall.  

If the handles of tools, mowers or shears are uncomfortable to hold, buy a foam bicycle handlebar grip. Slip the grips over the tool handles, using washing up liquid or Vaseline if it proves difficult. Or slit the grip and slip it over the handle. Pipe insulating foam could also be used.

If the hose springs a leak, make a temporary repair by inserting a cocktail stick into the hole. Snap the stick off as close to the hose as possible and wrap around with insulating tape or waterproof tape. This should extend by about 5cm(2") each side of the hole. As the wood absorbs the water it will expand and seal the hole.

The Gardeners Hymn

All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small.
All things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all.

But what we never mention, though gardeners know is true,  
Is when he made the goodies, he made the baddies too.

All things spray and swatt-able, disaster great and small.
All things paraquat-able, the Lord God made them all.

The greenfly on the roses, the maggots in the peas. 
Manure that fills our noses, he also gave us these.

The fungus on the roses, the club root on the greens, 
The slugs that eat the lettuce and chew the aubergines.

The drought that kills the fuschias, the frost that nips the buds. 
The rain that drowns the seedlings, the blight that hits the spuds. 

The midges and mosquitoes, the nettles and the weeds, 
The pigeons in the green stuff, the sparrows on the seeds. 

The fly that gets the carrots, the wasp that eats the plums. 
How black the gardeners outlook, though green maybe his thumbs. 

But still we gardeners labour, midst vegetables and flowers, 
And pray what hits our neighbours, will somehow by-pass ours. 

From Kidderminster Parish Magazine

Happy Gardening ~ Judy Berrow

For further details contact either Anna (01562 742358) Christine (01527 870342) Or Rosabelle (777461)