Volume 13 Number 3
Incorporating Minutes of the 73rd Meeting of Plumstead Common Environment Group 15 March 2003 at St Marks with St Margarets Church

Correction from January

Any Other Business, January Newsletter (Dot Lawrence to speak to Doug Johnson and plan an evening): Unknown to Anji Petersen, Doug had passed away but his family have his films to show.

Annual Membership Renewal

A reminder that for those of you who have not yet renewed, this is now overdue. Please send or bring £4.00 (waged), £2.00 (unwaged) or £1.00 (children under 16) to JC at 8 Blendon Terrace SE18 7RR.
Cheques should be made out to Plumstead Common Environment Group or PCEG.

NB: If you joined within the six months before last Novembers AGM, or just recently renewed your membership, you need not renew again until Nov. 2003.

Once again, a tremendous thank you to those who have been including donations with their membership renewals. These are, as always, much appreciated.

Dates for your Diary

Slade Ponds Work Days

The 2nd & 4th Sundays of the month, weather permitting, at 11am: Sunday 13 April
Sunday 27 April
Sunday 11 May
Sunday 25 May
All members welcome to join Pond Group on any work day. Contact: Chris Day 8473 5932.

Nature Reserve Gardening Group

meets each Tuesday at 10.30am, weather permitting.
Location: the wooded ravine behind Blendon Terrace.
More members are needed! Please contact JC on 8854 5167

Graffiti Removal Group

Rugby Club: Weather permitting, the final painting session will be at the on Sunday 13 April at 1pm. Meet at the rugby club on Plumstead Common (near Plumstead Manor School on Old Mill Road).
Contact Anji

Ancona Road Community Garden

Saturday 29 March 10am-4pm. Location: Corner at the top of Ancona/Heavitree Road. To create the garden lots of help is needed. This will be a fun day, so come along! See you there come for as long as you can. Free refreshments. Please bring tools and gloves if you have them.

Make Merry Plants Potting event

Plumstead Yard on Sunday 30 March at 3pm note the change of time since the meeting.
Members are needed to help prepare and look after plants until their sale at the Make Merry in May. Contact Erica Atkins (8317 3686) for more details.

Talk by Frances Ward on Greenwich Park at St Marks with St Margaret's Church
Thursday 10 April 7.45pm for 8pm

OUR COMMON STORY Plumstead Manor School

Kings Warren Hall
Friday 2 May, 7.30pm
A visual and theatrical presentation of the history of Plumstead Common. This will include a display of work.
Tickets 3.00 available from JC at 8 Blendon Terrace. Phone 020 8854 5167.

MY WORLD OF STRAW Talk by Barbara Fitch

Sunday 4 May, 2.45pm
St Mark with St Margarets Church Hall
Light refreshments will be available and there will also be a chance to have a go at straw craft.Highly recommended!

Make Merry

Saturday 10 May
Plumstead Common

Date of the next PCEG Meeting:

Sunday 18 May, 4-6pm St Mark with St Margarets Church Hall - meeting in the Sunday School room at the back of the Hall (Old Mill Road, past the Old Mill and Prince Albert pubs), to be followed by environmentally themed church service at 6.30pm.

Multicultural Festival

22 June

Asian Mela

6 July

News Items

Events on the Common

This year, at least, we will have two less events, which is to be welcomed. The Vaisakhi Mela will take place in the Royal Arsenal and The Anti-Racist Festival will combine with the GLAs Respect Festival, marking the ten year anniversary of the death of Stephen Lawrence, and taking place at The Dome.

The Greenwich Community Network (GCN) Elections

The good news is that Ann Hutchinson, former councillor and new member of PCEG, was elected as representative for the Environment Network. Congratulations Ann!

Ancona Road Community Garden

Zoe Elford writes:
On a spring morning I approached the community garden hoping to see the hyacinths in bloom and the daffodil tips growing happily. Imagine my shock and dismay when I saw the whole lot, not budding into glorious colour, but every one of the spring bulbs we had planted on a freezing and wet autumn day, cut to shreds. Mown down, I assume by an over zealous and obviously partially sighted council groundsperson!
As we have had a cold winter I didn't expect the grass to be cut so early in spring. Also it was so obvious that gardening activity is happening on the patch of land. Theres a newly planted plum tree with new tree stake, a bank of hyacinths around the tree and clumps of spring bulbs on the remaining land.
Update: Zoe applied for and received a Greenwich Pride award, and on Saturday 29th March PCEG members and local residents took part in a very successful planting session. More details in the next Newsletter.

PCEG member Ros Scofield has been raising the issue of plastic carrier bags, encouraging people to re-use them and refuse new ones when offered them at supermarkets. She is also keen to bring the issue of fair trade to people's attention, very much a theme of this years Comic Relief Appeal. Look for the Fair Trade label on goods. If your supermarket does not stock Fair Trade products, or only very few of them, lobby the manager!
Beryl Read told members at the meeting that the Memorial hospital nursery are always grateful for spare carrier bags.

An Inspector Calls

Thirteen PCEG members saw Nick Day in fine form as the inspector at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley on 19 March. In addition, three other members attended performances on different nights. A great show of support from the Group and a great evening out. Thanks to Nick for the delicious refreshments he laid on backstage afterwards.

New Community Waste Education Centre

Civic Amenity Centre, Natham Way, Thamesmead SE26
JC and Shirley Newton attended the official opening on 20 March (see separate sheet for nformation). Groups like PCEG were invited to use the centre for special meetings. It would also be possible for members to visit the centre and be given a talk about the latest recycling ideas and plans for the borough. Our own ideas would also be welcomed. Perhaps we can think about organising this at the next meeting, if not before.
The winners of a competition for school children to choose a name for the promotional waste education dog were announced at the event. Shirley was thrilled to learn that her son (and junior PCEG member) Callum Newton is the winner, with his name Binnit! This dog, now with a name, and the two cool dude waste agents who go with him will be the symbols used in the education work of the centre. Callum was awarded a certificate, a goodie bag containing a stationery set made from recycled materials, vouchers worth 25 from WH Smiths and he won for his school a video recorder. Congratulations Callum!
Also, remember to put your new green "Greenwich resident" sticker in your car so you do not get charged if you take rubbish/ recycling to the centre (sent with rates information).

David Topliffe (formerly from Parks & Open Spaces, a member of PCEG now residing in Cornwall) is running in the London Marathon on Sunday 13 April for Action on Addiction, an independent charity that carries out research into the causes of most addictions the most common ones being alcohol, nicotine and drugs. He is looking for sponsors from 10p to 10 per mile, or a specific amount on completing the run.
Please contact JC on 8854 5167 if you would like to add your name to her list!

New Lighting at Slade Ponds

PCEG member, David Bellham, has been engaged in a long saga with the Council to get proper lighting for the steps leading up to Lakedale Road from the Slade Ponds. On inspection of the existing lights, which were not working, the light columns and their cabling were condemned, as they were beyond safe and economic repair. After a lengthy delay, during which David has lost patience,10 new lamp columns and associated cabling will be installed at the Slade, commencing 7th April all being well! Thanks David!!

90 Plumstead Common Road

PCEG member, Sheila Andrews, has been involved in a long running saga to try and get something done about this vacant property which is next door to her own. It is a Listed building (Ebenezer Terrace, 1848) in the Plumstead Common Conservation Area. The front garden was full of rubbish and the windows had not been secured; neither the Council nor Hyde Housing would accept ownership, even though Sheila knew that the property had been transferred from the Council to Hyde Housing, and that the last tenant left a year ago. Needless to say none of the authorities, including the police, would take any action unless ownership could be established. Sheila, in despair, came to Cowdells for help. JC asked Danny Nicol to contact the Land Registry and it was established that Greenwich Council are indeed the owners, having leased it to Hyde Housing! This information was not on the Councils computer!! The scandal is that Hyde Housing have simply allowed the property to run down over the past year, not even making it secure, which has caused considerable distress to Sheila and her husband.
After numerous phone calls JC eventually tracked down the relevant Council officer from Housing Services, who has done her best to sort out the situation. She ordered Hyde Housing to remove the rubbish and secure the house. But before Hyde got around to this the inevitable happened; someone got into the house and a window was left hanging open. After further phone calls by both Sheila and JC the Council finally had to board up the property as an emergency action. Hyde Housing have now decided that they want to hand back the property to the Council at the earliest opportunity, but because of the poor condition it is now in JC has been advised that it is likely the Council will want to sell it. This will be a lengthy process apparently. What an appalling situation. Hyde Housing, who must surely be in breach of their lease, should be taken to task by the Council for behaving in a highly irresponsible and anti-social fashion. Conservation Area? Whats that??!
Up-date: The rubbish has now all been removed and furniture and other junk from the house also, so signs of activity at last!

Safer Routes to Schools

Safer Routes to Schools and School Travel Planning are 2 initiatives aimed at encouraging children to walk and cycle to school. A major element of the initiatives is the introduction of physical measures usually in the highway to make the home to school journey safer. St Margarets School in St Margarets Grove is one of several Greenwich schools involved in the project this year.
While a fan of this project, JC objected to the proposal to widen the footpath opposite the school by taking a one metre strip of land from the Common. A site meeting was arranged between the Senior Engineer, the School Caretaker, Lee Beasley and Jeremy Shearmur (Parks & Open Spaces), the Council officer involved in the Safer Routes to Schools project and JC. A compromise was easily reached: An approximately one metre square has been taken from the Common - just enough to connect the footpath to the Common path and allow prams/pushchairs easy access. Assurances were given that care would be taken not to interfere with major tree roots. Work is now virtually complete.

The Ship

The latest proposal by the developer, which JC understands has been accepted by the Council, is to provide 6 flats and do away with the pub and restaurant. This is much more satisfactory, with more outside amenity space. Two flats have patios: all share a nice little garden. Erica Atkins reports that the residents in Wernbrook Street and Plumstead Common Road are now happy. It just goes to show that it was worthwhile holding out for the best available outcome. Well done to all involved!

LINKS BUILDING:

Conservation Area Secretary Danny Nicol writes: "The Links Building is Plumstead Common's foremost architectual gem, now enhanced by a clock that actually works, but whereas the Co-op has adopted more subtle signage, Carpet Corner and Spice Island's signage remains as garish as ever, and quite unsuitable for an historic building in a Conservation Area. TWO monstrous carbuncles on a dearly loved friend! These shops must come into line with the Co-op. Last August I wrote to the Council's planning department asking them to enforce the rules relating to conservation areas. I have yet to receive the courtesy of a substantive reply. Pathetic! I have since written to the Council Leader complaining -of the lack of response, but haven't heard back from him either. I urge members to write to the Council Leader, calling on Greenwich Council to take action. His address is: Cllr Chris Roberts, Woolwich Town Hall, Wellington Street, London SE18 6PW. If enough of us complain, they will have to act.

Proposed Visit by French Councillors

The latest thinking is that it should initially be a small group of two couples and a single person, and would take place in early-mid November. They would spend a couple of nights in a hotel and hopefully a couple of nights with a PCEG member. So far Lynn McCalla, Cowdells and Erica Atkins have tentatively offered accommodation.

Crimestoppers

JC was recently contacted by Laura Hutchinson of the Crimestoppers Trust, asking permission to use images from the PCEG website (in particular of removing graffiti) in their forthcoming educational project. She has sent the following information:
WHY SHOULD I?
CRIMESTOPPERS EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE
Crimestoppers are in the process of developing an educational resource. The resource fits into several of the Key Stage 3 schemes of work including crime, crime and safety awareness and the significance of media etc, showing why it is important to get involved.
The purpose of the resource is to provide lesson plans and activities that offer a variety of ways to contribute to the KS3 Citizenship Curriculum while at the same time promoting the message of Crimestoppers and demonstrating to young people "Why they should". The lessons deliberately involve elements of other subjects in the curriculum to develop cross curricular links, but they are planned from a citizenship perspective and are intended to be delivered in citizenship lessons. Schools may "dip in" to these lessons as appropriate. They are intended to be adapted. Teachers may wish to add or delete to the plans given, but they should serve as a valuable starting point.
In addressing a variety of curriculum areas there has also been an attempt to offer a variety of teaching and learning styles to suit all tastes! The charity Crimestoppers operates the 0800 555 111 number for people to give information about crime. Frequently, young people will see or know something about crime in their area but for understandable reasons will not want to contact the police and get involved. Crimestoppers want more young people to know about us so they feel they have the choice to do the right thing. Through this resource we feel this can be achieved.
We are planning to pilot the resource from April 2003 in 100 schools UK wide, with plans for a National Launch by the end of 2003. We have received great support from LEA's and local partnerships and are pleased that you have been supportive!
If you would like any more information then please let me know!
Laura Hutchinson
Crimestoppers Trust

Bogus Window Cleaner/s

Members should be alerted: JC and neighbour were recently conned by a very plausible but bogus window cleaner who took 10.00 from each of them but never turned up to do the job - and whose phone number didnt exist.

Dothill/ Rowton Road

Following on from the letter received from Plumcroft School, we are looking for a member (or members) who would be interested in starting a small project at the site where the pupils cleared litter they had found.
This would involve liaising with teachers at the school, organising members and nearby residents to volunteer time to work on a specific day or dates to do environmental work on site. This could be a simple one off litter pick or more involved as a long term management plan. If any members are interested and want advice on where to start, contact JC (8854 5167) or Anji.
Danny Nicol reported that work was being carried out by the council at present (clearing rubbish and planting) and the school were involved.

Wildlife Sightings

JC observed a mistle thrush in her back garden in February; also some superb singing from a robin this month, usually in the afternoon, from one of the aspens on the Common opposite her house. Chris Day reports a kingfisher being seen at the Slade ponds. Roger Taylor has seen greenfinches and Bob Carlisle has seen squirrels all over the common, as have other members.
Monica Meeneghans nature watch:
Peacock butterfly 25/2/03
Bumblebee 6/3/03
Great tit first heard 12/3/03
Their song resembles the sound of pumping up a bicycle and is widely heard in the district at this time of year, whereas the sound of many of the other small birds have declined radically in recent years.
We have at least two magpies behind our houses as well as squirrels, who I am sure play a large part in the decline of the small birds by feeding on their eggs.

Reports

Our Common Story

Lynn McCalla started the first discussion about options for reprinting the book in early 2004.
The book would be sold at Abalones (and elsewhere - to be decided) and would have an ISBN number. The first book was largely funded by a grant, but this time it is proposed to be paid for out of group account. We may need to raise further funds ourselves. Any money we need for other projects can be sought from organisations giving grants. JC and Lynn have proof read the book for errors. Members at the meeting suggested that the book be a second edition, rather than a reprint. As the exhibition has long gone, this could be scaled down in the book and additional information added, such as the status of the nature reserve. A small committee will be set up and decisions to be made at future meetings.

The PCEG Calendar

Total Sales £1,254.90
Printing £850.00
Profit £404.90

Although sales were excellent (we sold out), it is proposed that we do not print another calendar for the time being but concentrate on the book, which we have had many requests for.

Make Merry

Erica Atkins: Once again, Monica Meeneghan has prepared plants to be sold on the day. We need members to pot and label them as well as nurture them at home until the day of the event. Erica has set an initial potting up session (see Dates for your Diary).
So far, Roger Taylor, Erica, Zo Elford, Lynn McCalla and the Reads have volunteered to look after some plants. Please come along and help at the Plumstead Common Yard even if you can't take some plants home. Does anyone have a spare trestle table we can use? If so please contact Erica on 8317 3686.
JC: As always , STEWARDS ARE URGENTLY REQUIRED!!!!
More volunteers are also needed for the Make Merry Committee, which is very small in number. Please phone JC on 8854 5167 if you can assist, or know of anyone who can.
PCEG stalls: Lots of members throughout the day please, to help with litter collection and take a turn on the stalls. Again, please phone JC so that she can get an idea of numbers and approximate times.

Nature Reserve

The nature reserve is to receive official designation by the Greater London Authority (GLA) as a Site of Local Importance and is to be known as the Blendon Terrace Nature Reserve! This is a far cry from its existence prior to 1991 as an unofficial rubbish dump, and a wonderful legacy of the work of PCEG for future generations. JC has seen the draft document, which has now gone out to consultation. It describes the site as a small area of possibly ancient sessile oak (quercus petraea) woodland with a dense holly understorey. Bluebells (hyacinthoides non-scripta) are locally abundant. The site supports good populations of common birds and invertebrates, and is managed as a nature reserve. It is highly valued for its wildlife by the local community.
Daffodils which were planted in the autumn by Kate Chowdhry and JC in the shrubbery at the Blendon Terrace end of the hedgerow are now in full bloom.

Plumstead/ Winns Common

The Bowling Green Hedge<br> Members may have noticed that one part of this (opposite the tennis courts) has been left high, or tipped. On enquiring about this JC was informed by Jeremy Shearmur (Parks & Open Spaces) that this means they have cut it at the height they require it to grow to. The reason behind this is that there is an ongoing problem of vandalism on the green and its facilities. We have had shutters, new roof, fencing and anti-climb spinners installed and along with these a taller hedge will deter the offenders (we hope).
However, JC asked Jeremy to think again about this as it looks very eccentric, and as there are gaps in the hedge it will not really deter vandals, but will give them a certain amount of cover and prevent people from being able to see what is going on in the Bowling Green, and thereby affect their capacity to report vandalism. After the site meeting opposite St Margarets School on 7 March, Jeremy Shearmur and Lee Beasley took a look at the hedge and have decided that what is needed is a low fence on the inside of the hedge, and the hedge then cut to the original height. This is subject to funding in the next financial year. JC has asked them to prune that section of the hedge to match the rest of it; no reply as yet!
The Council has at last also undertaken a general tidy up and prune of the area alongside St Johns Terrace. JC has asked for this to be done regularly from now on, rather than left to get so overgrown.
As far as the steps are concerned, PCEG members have been doing some excellent work pruning the brambles and tidying up the steps.

Parks Hotline:

JC was very unimpressed when she had occasion to use it some weeks ago after a member had witnessed a dog walker allowing her dog to attack trees on Winns Common. It certainly was not a dedicated phone line for reporting anti-social behaviour but simply one of the usual Parks numbers. It was explained to JC that there had been a misunderstanding with BT. She was hoping to have an up-date for the meeting but Alan Pett, the relevant officer, had not responded to her phone message. More on this at the next meeting hopefully.
The main problem at the Blendon Terrace/tennis courts end of the Common remains the daily antics of a trail bike rider

Hospital site

Linda Armstrong mentioned the ugly corrugated iron fencing that still stands as a boundary between the St Nicholas hospital site and Winns Common. It does not keep anyone out as there are several gaps. Chris Day knows this as she has been in there and says it is like a secret nature reserve! Members wondered who the land belonged to and whether it would developed??

Bleak Hill Lane

John Bryant alerted JC to a major fly tipping on 21 February. On rummaging through some of the rubbish looking for evidence, he found 2 envelopes with the name and address of someone living in Westbourne Grove, London W2. JC gave this address to Jeremy Shearmur at Parks and Open Spaces and he later informed her that the Council, having been in contact with Westminster Council and The Environment Agency, are to try for a prosecution. Lets hope there is a successful outcome. Bravo, John!

Deptford Pink

PCEG member, Ian Yarham, of the GLA Environment Team writes, with reference to the Wildlife Observations 1999-2000 by Mark Angliss:
The survey of Greenwich wildlife sites [last summer] showed up no Deptford pink on Winns Common at all - and they were told specifically where to look. They did find common centaury in that area, which isn't so common as its name suggests and could be mistaken for Deptford pink.
Deptford pink: John Gerard, in his famous herbal 'Of the Historie of Plants', published in 1597, visited Deptford on his botanical excursions and described a wild pink growing abundantly 'in our pastures near London, especially in the great field next to Deptford by the path side as you go from Redriffe (Rotherhithe) to Greenwich'. On the basis of this, one of our wild pinks has been known as Deptford pink ever since. However, when Thomas Johnson revised Gerard's herbal, the illustrations of two species of pinks were transposed. The pinks described by Gerard as 'a wide creeping pinke...which hath many small tender leaves, shorter than any of the other wilde pinkes... The roote is small, tough and long lasting' were certainly the species now known as the maiden pink. Thus the Deptford pink (Dyanthus armeria) may never have occurred in Deptford, and indeed is not now to be found in the Greater London area at all, even though it was to be found at the foot of Parliament Hill Fields until 1948. The maiden pink (Dianthus deltoides) is long gone from Deptford, and probably now also extinct in the London area.
Although the nearest confirmed placewhere Deptford pink is now found is beside Farningham Wood in Kent, a couple of sightings within Greater London were reported in 2000. One was a reliable report from a few years agosouth ofCrown Wood, just a few metres inside the boundary of the London Borough of Bromley. Survey in 2000 showed no trace of the elusive plant. The other was reported in a species list for Winn's Common which featured in the 'Our Common Story' exhibition. It was said to have been found close to Grosmont Road, and if confirmed would have been a tremendously exciting discovery. When the GLA sponsored survey of Greenwich was undertaken in 2002, the surveyors werespecifically asked to check out the sighting of Deptford pink.
Sadly, but not surprisingly, it was not to be found, although common centaury (Centaurea erythraea) was discovered in the same locality. This plant is not common, despite its name, and is actually quite scarce in London. Previously, the only place ithas been recentlyfound in the Borough of Greenwich was in the former Woolwich Arsenal, not far from where Safeways is now. It is more familiar on chalk downs, but also occurs occasionally on heaths and wastelands. One of its London strongholds is in the London Borough of Bromley, with a handful of occurrences in Bexley. The common centaury can easily be confused with Deptford pink.
So the elusive Deptford pink is still elusive in London, but common centaury is still a worthwhile find for our area.

Slade Ponds

Chris Day writes:
As Spring approaches the pond is looking particularly picturesque. The trees are coming into blossom, the mallards, five male and four female, and the moorhens are all thriving; and a reasonable amount of frogspawn is present.
We continue to meet twice monthly to maintain the area by removing the litter and rotting leaf debris from the water. Nick recently repainted the NTL box recently but graffiti remains a problem.
The cracks in the weir, though present for a long time do appear to be getting slightly worse and perhaps someone with more expertise could offer an opinion - (cue Rob Poole!) A working party is needed to tackle the build up of silt and weeds in the reedbed.
As the weather improves, I envisage volunteer numbers will increase and ask if we might purchase a few more litter pickers for these occasions, please [JC has requested these; should be delivered soon].
Wildlife sightings: the usual, with the possible sighting of a kingfisher.

Graffiti

Anji Petersen: The last proposed removal day had to be cancelled due to rain. In the meantime, the rugby club was badly vandalised with graffiti a couple of weeks ago and Anji and Anette removed it the next day. Some small tags have reappeared but these can be dealt with at the final phase on Sunday 13 April at 1pm.

Recycling

Christine Smith writes about the concrete base: The work was not carried out as promised during the first week in February, due to the snow. Lorraine Cooper doesn't know why it still hasnt been done but admitted she hadn't got round to chasing them. As I called her she was just leaving the office to go up to the Common to meet with the contractor to discuss the matter. (Excuse me whilst I scoff uncontrollably). She will endeavour to obtain a date for completion for the job... The Information Packs for the Notice Board are nearly finished, but she has just learned that the board belongs to Parks & Open Spaces. They will have to give permission for the board to be used by Recycling. This should not be a problem - hopefully!
Regarding the continuing problem (especially for poor Shirley Newton) of the dumping of rags and builders rubble, she will speak (again) to the Supervisor of the mobile rubbish collections and make sure they are still doing the daily drive-by, as previously arranged. I suggested that it was done late afternoons, to relieve Shirley of the problem of finding a home for the stray bags.
Lynn McCalla informed the meeting that we had received an interim cheque from the Council for 224.67. A further cheque will apparently be issued next month.

Severndroog Castle

Anette Petersen: The sponsored walk went very well - many thanks to all those who turned up and donated generously to the campaign. The Building Preservation Trust are meeting with the council in early April - watch this space!

Any Other Business

Litter

Julia Cowdell writes: Do members agree with me that the streets and pavements of our borough are in a truly filthy state, plastic bags flying about etc. etc.?! This state of affairs is always the more depressing when spring arrives and all the new growth is taking place, trees in blossom, daffodils and crocuses in bloom. This sense of renewal is definitely not reflected in the behaviour of human beings, who continue to drop litter and dump their rubbish, oblivious to the beauty all around them.
While we should continue to keep up pressure on the Council to improve their performance, it is to be hoped that through the new Community Waste Education Centre there will be much better education and publicity about the whole issue of litter, packaging and recycling. There is clearly a tremendous amount of work to be done if we are to have any hope of changing peoples attitudes and habits.

Gardening Tips by Monica Meeneghan March 2003

Plumstead Make Merry: 10th May

For some years now large numbers of quality plants have been produced by members of the group for our plant stall so that I feel there is little need to give propagation instructions. If you want guidance ring me on 0208 855 3071.
Sweet Violet I shall be giving a number of these native, fragrant plants to the stall. They traditionally start to flower in March and were once a favourite for Mothering Sunday gifts. It is probably an expression of global warming that my plants started to flower on Christmas Day and have cheered the heart by continuing in bloom ever since. They soon multiply to form a clump but in order to maintain plenty of flowers it is best to divide them regularly in February.
Plant Protection for Beans
The last few wet winters has led to a great increase in the mollusc populations and last year gardeners including myself lamented the devastation of runner beans by slugs. If you have been discouraged from growing beans as a result why not think again and try the following experiment. The Horticultural industry sells sticky copper tape which has proved to be an effective deterrent as slugs and snails do not cross it. It is thought to give them a small electric shock. Horticultural fleece has also proved to be a valuable gardening aid in giving both protection from frost and pests.
Its use is especially important against frost until mid-May. The allotment association shop sells it comparatively cheaply. You will need both these products for the experiment. If you have a sewing machine it is easy to run up some fleece bags, about 30 by 80cm, open at both ends and with strings that can be pulled tight and tied top and bottom. At the time of planting your runner beans, before inserting your cane supports vertically into the ground, thread them through the fleece bags. Plant your beans against them and inside the bags and tie these so that the molluscs cannot enter them. As the beans grow the bags can be raised higher as the pests will not attack the older growth at the bottom. However, I have no doubt that a determined slug will find its way through the smallest of openings so a second line of defence is needed. Surround some copper tape padded with small pieces of bubble plastic round the base of each plant.
Fleece bags of varying shapes and sizes can also be made to protect other plants from frost or pests and will last a number of years. They will even wash clean in a washing machine! Try making bags in the style of the oven cloths that have pockets for your hands, to give you a fitted blanket for your trays of seedlings.
Botanic names Angustatus,-a,-um=narrowed
Angustifolium,-a,-um= narrow leaves eg. Lavendula angustifolius.
What do you know 2003? What takes place when flowers are cross-pollinated?
January 03 answer: Softwood cuttings are taken in late spring/early summer soon after new growth has begun and before the stems have started to get woody. eg. Hydrangea, Thunbergia, Wisteria, Phlox and some Hedera, Lonicera, Senecio, and Clematis.

WILDLIFE STORIES

from June Clark, PCEG member now living in New York: I wanted you to know of some I can remember. My mother was never a keen gardener, unlike me and dad and so, after he passed away in 1983, the garden was left alone, but for weeding and intermittent mowing. It seems just a few years later, a fox moved into the garden, so my mother began feeding it table scraps and leaving water for it in an old saucepan. Quite undisturbed, he made himself at home on the compost heap at the bottom of the garden against the wall and next to the old bird shed (where my father kept canaries) and the fence. Vines from a Macoma Road garden had formed a little roof and it was quite a cosy spot for him to nap. One day, with the back door open, my mother walked into the living room to find the fox quite at home on the hearth mat! After a few years, my mother gave up the mowing and the fox then dug a den in the garden, under the lawn and small flower bed, close to the bird shed. Then in the spring of 2000, three cubs were born and lived the summer there, the independent cubs leaving in the autumn. When my mother died in that November, the fox was still living on the compost pile. Of course, there is no way of knowing how many times the ownership changed, but it was certainly a favourite spot, with my mother and carers continuing to leave table scraps for the foxes. My mother, of course, never had mice! I often caught the fox sunbathing on the freshly cut lawn or later in the tall grass when I was home, though he would scamper to the security of the compost pile at the sight of me. I did take some photos, not very good, as I don't have a professional camera.
I also videotaped the foxes that venture down Tuam Road to check out the pickings at the wheelie bins and plastic bags to be collected the following morning. I was sure to be woken by their fighting over the food. There was always a dominant one. I have seen as many as four and five at a time, never alone.
When my mother passed away, in preparation for the house to be let, I had to remove the old bird shed and spread the compost on the flower beds. It was December and cold. Close to the bottom, I turned out a huge toad that was hibernating in the wet soggy mess, quite at home. After a while, he jumped off to another cold corner and I am sure he found somewhere to sleep the winter out. The slug population was quite minimal and now I knew why. Mum and I had seen this same toad several times during heavy rains. One evening in a downpour, I opened the back door to go out to the outside toilet (our only one then) and the light from the house caught his eyes. He continued to sit there enjoying the soaking. I'm not sure if this was the same one I saw one day in Lenton Path, also on a very rainy night around the same time (2000). The one in Lenton Path did look smaller than my toad, who seemed to be rather large at about 5-6 inches long.
Numerous times I have sat on Plumstead Common by the 53 bus terminal by Plumstead Manor School and watched two or three bats busily eating their evening meal. I never remember such a thing from my earlier years.
Times certainly have changed. I remember well the red squirrels in Shrewsbury Park. It was a thrill then to see a magpie and jackdaw, which are now so common in our gardens and on the street. I still marvel at that. It seemed one year I went home to visit and there they were. I couldn't believe my eyes. I frequently used to go birdwatching in the Park and saw many wrens, tits and blackbirds. My mother screamed at me once when I came home from a birdwatching expedition, with a dead hedgehog. I couldn't just leave him to rot in the woods, so he was buried (fleas and all) in 97's garden. I also used to find dead jays, sparrows and pigeons, all buried in the garden. I even buried a dead utterfly in a matchbox and made a little cross with matchsticks to mark the site! The woods were then full of birds nesting and I would spend hours crouching under small bushes watching their coming and going.
So it certainly proves that an undisturbed area, such as my mother's garden, will become home to various wildlife in its own time. Unlike us, they prefer a less tamed environment, so a little messy corner can be very welcoming to a few interesting and worthwhile guests.
If I spent more time there, I'm sure I could record interesting bird sightings. I do remember a heron of some kind flying overhead while I was working in the garden that winter. On previous visits I have recorded dawn birdsongs, by hanging out the back bathroom window holding a tape recorder! Now I can listen to the birds at Tuam Road while in my little NYC apartment. Nothing quite like it.