Later Autumn Jobs in the Garden

Dear Gardeners, Thank you so much for comeing down to the Rydlewis Carpart last week to collect the bags of bulbs for the Pam Hufferdine Prize. The bulbs were kindly donated by Roger at Trfhedyn Garden Centre in Newcastle Emlyn again this year. Thanks Roger! These bulbs should be planted in the next few weeks and kept safe from mice, etc, until they pop up above the surface. After that, it's up to you; to grown them for maximum effect for the spring show, you need to keep them cool until March; if you want to see the flowers when they are ready, just let them bloom...but do send a photo to the Facebook page. Meanwhile, there are plenty of jobs to be getting on with in the garden, and I've been checking the RHS site, which has so much good advice and news. Go to; The next time the gardening club committee will meet (possibly by Zoom) will be mid January. We'll assess the situation then, and if possible, we will be holding the AGM in the Village Hall on the last Tuesday of the month, as always. We will be keeping you posted, so look out for email alerts Until then, we wish you a safe winter, a warm house, a robin to sing outside your window and very happy winter gardening.

Gardening Club in Lockdown - an update

It's been the most strange and unusual of times, I think we all agree. We've had to cancel gardening club meetings, but conversely, a lot of us are really enjoying our gardens and making the most of both the tremendous sunshine and the nice rain.

 

The Gardening Club committee have had to come to the sad decision that we should cancel the next two meetings That includes the party at Tracey and Jonathan's at the end of this month and the July garden visit, which I've rebooked for July 2121.

 

We are going to wait and see what September, October and November and hopefully be holding that programme meeting, or something similar.

With such bad news to impart, I'm delighted to say there is good news alongside it.

Firstly, as this year has been such a let-down, we are going to waive subscriptions for 2020. Those who have paid their subs this year (the vast majority of you) will become exempt from paying next year.

Secondly, we are going to have a summer party...a Zoom Party. These are great fun. If you haven't used Zoom before, it is very user friendly and simple to start; just click on the link below. If you want to practice before hand, let me know. We'll hold the party on June the 30th just as we had planned.

We would like everyone to come with a drink to toast the gardens, and be prepared to chat a bit about your 'lockdown experience' and about your garden this year. Please wear 'party clothes ' to make the occasion special.

To come to the party, you need to receive a Zoom link into your email box (click on it and you'll soon be at the party, unless your device is very ancient). If you are not receiving emails from the Rhydlewis Gardening Club, then do contact me; guests who are interested in joining the club are very welcome to the party; it would be a great introduction to all the members.

Contact me on ninahare00@googlemail.com

Once again, thank you to everyone who has put photos up on the Facebook page (I'm sharing some of these here), 

and joined in the 'plant swap' in May.

Happy Gardening for the rest of the summer and hope to see you at the party; here is your zoom link (for those who don't get email)

Tracey Sainsbury is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

 

Topic: Group Invite

Time: Jun 30, 2020 07:00 PM London

 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86225294223?pwd=YlRWTTgySG9hdXRzbmd0MElXMWFvUT09

 

Meeting ID: 862 2529 4223

Password: 680040

One tap mobile

+442030512874,,86225294223#,,,,0#,,680040# United Kingdom

+442034815237,,86225294223#,,,,0#,,680040# United Kingdom

 

The Best of Chelsea Flower Show

The Queen at Chelsea

Hello Garden Club members. 

Judith Russill contacted me to say; 

I read in yesterdays' paper the plans the BBC have to replace the missing Chelsea Flower Show. They plan to visit, daily, the gardens of top British gardeners.

Club members may like to know that one featured gardener is to be Medwyn Williams from Anglesea.  The winner of 12 consecutive gold medals for his vegetables, he visited the Rhydlewis Garden Club a number of years ago, giving us advice on preparing for shows.

The hall was packed (other clubs were invited to join us) and the meeting was excellent - memorable for all the right reasons!

Farmyard Nursery's 2007 Chelsea display,
for which they won Gold.

Thank you for those lovely memories that predate my membership of the club, Judith. 

 "The Best of Chelsea Flower Show" starts tonight on BBC 1 at 5.50. Hopefully that is the perfect time for us all to stop gardening and sit down to relax!

To learn more about the plans for this series, go to https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000jk4d

where you can also click to watch pre-recorded programmes from past shows.

Monty Don and Nigel

Also now on iplayer now is the 2020 series of Gardener's World. Perhaps you all saw the final programme (episode 9) in which Monty Don talked about Nigel, his much-loved golden retriever, who died suddenly earlier the same week.

And if you are still wondering what you should be doing in the garden, click here for the Gardener's World list of things to do in May.

Suttons Seeds also have 'Chelsea fever'; they are holding a Competition – #ChelseaGladrags. They admit, 'there’s no set dress code at the Chelsea Flower Show, however, many enjoy getting dressed up for the special horticultural occasion. We feel it would be a shame to miss out on this opportunity, and fully encourage getting your Chelsea outfit on at home! So get your #ChelseaGladrags on and pose for a photo with your favourite plant to be in with a chance of winning 2 tickets to Chelsea Flower Show 2021! To enter, sim,ly tag us and use the #ChelseaGladrags.' Go to

https://hub.suttons.co.uk/blog/general/the-suttons-guide-to-rhs-chelsea

to find out more.

And don't forget to visit our Facebook Page regularly. Post your photos there, and watch out for offers of our 'plant swap'. With the Plant Sale cancelled for the end of May, members and local non-members can post up the plants they no longer need. If you have seedlings, bedding plants, cuttings or collected seeds you can offer, do add them to the list, not forgetting to state where you would leave them safely for others to collect. Find us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1205516119526419/?epa=SEARCH_BOX

Until we all finally manage to meet again, happy gardening!

Corona Virus; a chance to win a free book

The sun has shone perpetually over the last week, with clear blue skies and temperatures high enough to eat (and drink!) in the garden.

And by the look of the activity on the gardening club Facebook page, we're all taking the opportunity to get out and garden. 

Thank you for all your photographs and comments and news; it's a great way to stay in touch while we're isolated in our houses. Please keep it all coming while the gardening club are unable to meet at the village hall.

We are, mostly, the lucky ones, living in the countryside and having gardens to get out into. 

I was giving the dog our alloted 'exercise time' in the lanes around my house yesterday, when I realised how....normal things felt. As always, the birds are singing to establish their terriories, there are skylarks over the fields and songbirds in the garden, the chiff-chaff bright and early this spring, willow warblers near the river and a woodpecker hammering hard over by the woods. Yes the butterflies are back, flitting together in pairs dressed ready for Strictly; orange tips searching out Ransoms, and peacocks that made it through the winter. But these are always the artistic and musical accompaniments to my walks and gardening routine. The only difference that was really noticable was that, as  I passed serveral gardening club members, we had to stop for a shout, rather than a chat. 

hare

I might be wrong, but it seems farmers, who mostly work alone or with their family members, are keeping busy, if not in pocket! In the field next to my house, neighbouring farmer Jason, has ploughed and sown his barley, as he did last year, the red kites losing the battle of the air currents to a gang of crows, just like they always do.   We  can chat safely, separated safely by the thickness of bank and hedge. He's happy for me use the field to walk the dog, now that I can't go to my friend's field for our daily 'dog meet'. But that suggestion, I'm sorry to say, was a howling failure. Luci, always curious, found a hole in the hedge and spent ten minutes racing back and fore across the Rhydlewis lane, as I raced in muddy boots towards the gate to get her on the lead. Two cars crawled by, and she obeyed the 'sit for the car' instruction she'd been previously indoctrinated with, coming up to me on the bank, separated by barbed wire, while they passed. 


Apart from adventures with growing puppies, I can't believe my luck. My heart goes out to people living in flats, watching the sun move round the sky from their windows. 

First of the cowslips

But towards the coast things may not be so grand. The spring holiday season has begun, but there are no holiday makers. The collapse of the tourist industry around Cardigan Bay is something that will devistate this year's finances for restuarants and cafes, sightseeing tour oporatiors and water-sports instructors. 

Whether we are forced to down tools, or are relishing more time for gardening, the lockdown gives us such a great chance to observe what nature is doing and grab the opportunity to properly slow down, open our eyes and see nature at her spring's work right in front of us.

a magical yew tree

I've been reading the latest book by Simon Barnes, the naturalist and twitcher, Rewild Yourself...23 spellbinding ways to make nature more visible (Simon and Shuster 2018).  It's a great read for anyone interested in nature, but especially those who would like to know a blackbird's song from a robin's, and a red admiral from a painted lady…but don't yet. Now's your chance to get wild.

River Teifi with Coracles

Barnes uses magic to unlock nature in this book; magical spells from Harry Potter, the Narnia books, Shakespeare, Wallace and Gromit and even Rudyard Kipling, al of which help magic-up nature  to people who have never really been able to see it.  The  23 chapters have titles like The Magic Tree, The Magic Trousers, The Snake-charming Spell, Time Travel, Reading the Secret Signs, The Magician's Library and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. 

A bit of Hogwart Magic

Barnes says...Don't seek health; seek wrens. Don't go looking for eternal life; go looking for birds. Don't set out on the track of wellness and mindfulness; set out on the track of deer. 

He uses the example of runners that jog past him in the park. I give a cheery wave, but it's ignored...they've filled their ears with music to make up for any shortfall in the wild world.  
Barnes's book helps you take off the blindfold and the ear plugs that have been impeding you.  He takes you out in a rowboat, gets you plunging your face into the sea, makes you stare half a mile away through binoculars and teaches you several 'summoning spells' all in the aid of making hidden wildlife appear before your very eyes and ears.

The Bowl Nature Reseve

I think my eyes were first opened, and the ear plugs thrust away, when I discovered The Bowl, a tip of derelict land near my old house in Bristol that is now a nature reserve. That's a story for another time, another blogpost.

Right now, I have a new copy of his book to give away. To win Rewild Yourself  by Simon Barnes, all you have to do is email me at ninahare00@googlemail.com. Please write one or two sentences telling me why you think you should be sent the free book.  And don't forget, if you think you are already wide-open to seeing nature, that it's light enough to post off to a townie you know and love, to brighten their life as they cope with isolation on the tarmaced and paved streets.

The winner will be announced next month. 

In the meantime, think about what Barnes is saying...even in the twenty-first century you can be where the wild things are. There days, non-human life always seems to be just over the horizon, just beyond the threshold of our understanding, just a little bit short of our awareness––but even with the smallest alteration all this can change. The lost world can ber found; the hidden creatures that share our planet can be brought before us glowing in  gold and blue and scarlet.

Natasha with a rescued hedgehog

Natasha Winn runs Hedgely Hogspital, a small hedgehog hospital and rescue centre in Abercych, which is self-funded. She came to talk to us about the hedgehogs in our gardens.

She pointed out that as they're nocturnal animals, we might not even know they are there, and that most are going about their business happily but  they do get into trouble and it's sensible to know the signs that they may need rescuing.

It was interesting to hear what hedgehogs eat. They are generalists and feed on a wide range of things. The majority of their diet is made up of invertebrates (or creepy crawlies). We know what they eat from scientific studies that have analysed hedgehog poo or looked in the stomachs of hedgehogs killed on roads. The most important invertebrates in their diet are worms, beetles, slugs, caterpillars, earwigs and millipedes.

She explained how the west European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is Britain’s only spiny mammal. Their highly specialised coat contains around 6,000 creamy-brown spines, concealing greyish fur on their underside, long legs and a short tail. She talked about hibernation, mating, and how the females give birth in June and July, bring up their babies, which are called hoglets. The average litter size of four or five young. However, they usually only wean two or three successfully. The mother is liable to desert or even eat hoglets if she is disturbed. Sometimes she will carry them in her mouth to a new location. Jane Cain told us how she'd witnessed this remarkable scene in her garden once (and luckily rushed for her camera – pictures on the right of the page), when a mother hedgehog helped her baby up the garden steps. She said she was so fortunate to see this, as she never realised they picked up their youngsters like a cat does with her kittens.  

Females are capable of having a second litter in late September or October, but hoglets from the second litter need to put on weight very quickly to prepare for hibernation, and are often unable to put on enough weight to survive the period. These late litters can lead to ‘autumn orphans’ still foraging around well into winter sometimes in the day time and often looking underweight. They're less likely to survive the winter, so babies late in the season probably need rescuing. 

 Here is the Hedgely's list of things you can do (and avoid) to help keep healthy hedgehogs happy  in your garden;

Create a wild area

Piles of logs and leafs encourage insects and invertebrates that hedgehogs eat.  They also provide a secure site for breeding and hibernating.  The bigger the area the better.

Create a wildflower patch

Plant a diverse semi-natural wildflower patch, using native seed mixes where possible, to suit your soil type.  Go for mixes without grass seed and add no fertilizers.  Growing wild flowers will encourage biodiversity and attract a valuable hedgehog food source to your garden.

Make a hedgehog artificial home

This can be as simple as putting a board against a wall or purchasing a purpose-built one.

Feeding hedgehogs

Providing fresh food and water will encourage hedgehogs to your garden.  Tinned dog or cat food (not gravy or fish varieties), cat biscuits and chopped egg are advisable.  You can buy specialist hedgehog food from specialist suppliers (garden centres or online).  Cows milk isn’t advisable as it upsets hedgehogs’ stomachs.

Open air compost heaps

Compost heaps make an attractive nesting site for hedgehogs and are a  good food source, due to the creepy crawlies that live in them.  Be careful when turning your heap with a garden fork.

Ponds

Hedgehogs will benefit from having an all year round water supply and thrive on the insects and amphibians that ponds attract.  Hedgehogs are excellent swimmers. Ensure that ponds have sloping edges to make it easy for hedgehogs to climb out. Stones or chicken wire can also be used to assist hedgehogs with easy exit.  If a pond has steep sides and no adaptations are able to be made it will be a hazard to many animals, so will need to be covered or fenced off to ensure that animals don’t get trapped in it and drown.

DIY hedgehog highways

https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/help-hedgehogs/link-your-garden/

One of the reasons why hedgehogs are declining in Britain is because our garden fences and walls are becoming more secure thereby reducing the amount of land available to them.  Making a 13cm by 13cm hole in your garden fence or wall is sufficient to allow a hedgehog to pass through, but will be too small for most pets to pass through.

You can register your hole on the “BIG HEDGEHOG MAP” and snazzy hedgehog street signs are available to purchase from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society Shop for £3.00 which you can put above your hedgehog hole.

 See website www.hedgehogstreet.org

 Use natural alternatives to slug pellets

 Slug pellets are hazardous to hedgehogs and they have been found dead with high levels of slug pellets active ingredients in their system.  Slug pellets may not always kill hedgehogs but may effect their reproductive ability and have a negative effect on their population.Some alternatives to slug pellets are:

• encouraging amphibians to your garden via a pond (as they will eat slugs and snails)
• hand pick slugs and snails from your garden
• use dried seaweed in large quantities around plants
• water your garden in the morning rather than the evening, as slugs thrive in the damp.

 Garden Hazards

Strimmers:  Check through long grass before starting to strim an overgrown area.

Swimming pools and ponds: Ensure that they are securely covered, or have an exit ramp or sloping sides or stones so hedgehogs can climb out. Check ponds and swimming pools daily.

Bonfires:  Check wood or brash piles for nesting hedgehogs before burning.

Netting:  Hedgehogs can easily get caught up in netting.  Nets act like a snare and can cause severe injuries and death.  Make sure all unused netting is lifted off the ground and pea netting is high enough for hedgehogs to pass under.

Chemicals:  Slug pellets, herbicides, wood preservers, bleach and disinfectants are examples of chemical hazards for hedgehogs.  Choose environmentally friendly wood preservers.  Be mindful of the effects that chemicals can have on wildlife in your garden and seek natural and environmentally friendly products as an alternative.

Herbicides can decrease earthworm and invertebrate populations, which in turn can diminish hedgehogs’ food supply.

Natasha  explained that she is now taking in over 100 wild hedgehogs each year in Ceredigion, south west Wales, caring for them until they are well enough to go back to the wild...their release rate is approximately 90%.

She asked us that if we find a hedgehog and we're concerned about it, to phone her onn 01239 682 324 or 07792 676 112 and leave a message. In an emergency, keep trying. She reminded us to always wear thick gardening gloves or using a thick towel, pick it up by holding it in both hands around the middle, scooping it up. Put it into a cardboard box lined with newspaper and give a small towel or tea towel for it to hide under.

Here is her check list of how to know if the hedgehogs in our garden are happy or in distress;

WHEN TO RESCUE A HEDGEHOG: AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE
Daytime
Rescue a hedgehog if it’s out during the day. Hedgehogs are nocturnal animals. They only come out during the day if there’s a problem.

Out of nest
Hedgehogs sleep and hibernate in specially built nests. If you find one lying in the middle of a garden or path, assume it is ill and call us.

Alone
Baby and juvenile hedgehogs live in family groups in nests. Tiny babies will only leave a nest if there is a problem. Young hedgehogs will make a very shrill loud, call if in distress.

If you find one, please do not try to look after it yourself as babies die very quickly and need specialist feeds. If transport is an issue, please keep the baby warm and contact us for advice until arrangements are made to collect it or meet you.

"Apparent" injured orphan
Any young hedgehog that has an injury, or is out during the day, should be be checked over.
Under NO circumstances try to feed them milk.

Hit by a car
Traffic casualty can suffer a variety of injuries. They must have medical assistance immediately.

Other wounds
A hedgehog with open wounds can become infected or fly blown and will not heal without assistance. Urgent attention is required as the animal will be suffering from shock.
If a hedgehog is caught in netting, contact us or another hedgehog rescue. Any hedgehog that's been caught in netting will need to be monitored in case of further complications.

Hibernation
If a hedgehog is under 600 grams any time between late October and early May. They would not have laid enough brown fat to survive a whole winter.

Appears dead
Please do not bury a hedgehog until you are 100% sure it is dead, and not sick or hibernating. We can help you be accurate.

Become a hedgehog champion and educate your local community about hedgehogs and their conservation and preservation.
The Hogspital's good works are self-funded and donations, however small, are always much appreciated.

1. Natasha is always grateful for donations of food, medical supplies and bedding, etc. You can browse our Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/registry/wishlist/3VF0CZJY2392

2. Send money through PayPal to hedgely.hogspital@yahoo.co.uk. You can also donate directly to the Hedgely Hogspital account at Lloyds, 30 71 89, account number 28105368

3. Donate directly to Priory Vets in Cardigan, which help with the rescued hedgehogs, on 01239 612 479 or in person. Knowing that there are funds available to pay for vital tests - often in an emergency - is a great help.

With thanks from Hedgely Hospital and the recovering hedgehogs.

 Clickk here for Their Facebook Page

Rhydlewis Gardening Club Autumn Produce Show

As we move towards autumnal weather, the sun shone for the 2019 Rhydlewis Gardening Club Autumn Produce Show.  

This was enjoyed a very well supported show, 

with all the categories full of great flowers, produce, 

home-baking and craft items. 

“Yet again this year, we had a lot of new members showing for the first time, and the village hall was packed with members, families and the local community.  Our club is growing, with more keen gardeners joining each year,” commented Liz Blackler, chair of the club.  

Despite the testing spring and summer weather conditions there were still a lot of entries across all categories, including squashes, cape gooseberries, and home-grown lemons. A range of crafts and home cooking also graced the tables. 

Carrie Davies, winner of the Best Onions Shield

 The prize winners were; Vegetable Challenge Cup – Janette Sharman; Floral Challenge Cup – Janette Sharman and Sara Redman; Homecraft Shield – Sara O’Conner; Best Onions Shield – Carrie Davies and Best Exhibit in Vegetables and Fruit – Janette Sharman. 

Rhydlewis Gardening Club meets at 7.30pm, on the last Tuesday of each month in the village hall, and has a varied and interesting programme.  Club membership is only £10 per year, non-members £2 per meeting – all welcome. Contact the secretary on ninahare00@googlemai.com or tel 01239 851096 FFD

 

The next meeting is 'Hedgehogs in your Garden'
given by Natasha Winn from Hedgely's Hospital for Hedgehogs; 7.30 as usual at the village hall on September 24th. See you there!

Rhydlewis Gardening Club meets at 7.30pm, on the last Tuesday of each month in the village hall, and has a varied and interesting programme.  Club membership is only £10 per year, non-members £2 per meeting – all welcome. Contact the secretary on ninahare00@googlemai.com or tel 01239 851096 FFD