Edgworth & District Horticultural Society

New Time of  7.00 pm

Wednesday, February 17th, 2021 by Zoom

 

FORAGING THROUGH THE SEASONS

 An illustrated talk by

Marlow Renton - Foraging expert,

Teacher and co-Founder of Wildfood UK Ltd.

 

Wildfood UK Ltd was started with the aim of educating people to appreciate what nature provides in the form of tasty edible wild plants, fruits, mushrooms, roots and flowers. Over the years, the team of instructors has grown and offers popular foraging experiences countrywide where you can learn what to look for, where to find it, how to eat it and store it.

 

Marlow is a member of the Association of Foragers and with his friend Eric Biggane has written an invaluable field guide to foraging for food in Britain’s woods, meadows, trees riversides and seaside – the Foraging Pocket Guide.

 

During his talk, he will certainly be telling us all about his passion for mushrooms  - which can be found all over the country but in abundance in the autumn.

 

After not being able to meet for almost all of 2020, the Society has been motivated to organise meetings using Zoom technology until we can once again resume our meetings at The Barlow.  This should be a very interesting talk and for those of you who joined us for our first ever Zoom meeting in January, I am sure you will enjoy Marlow’s talk every bit as much.

  Pat Whalley

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January saw our first attempt to hold our meeting for members via Zoom.  We have held regular Zoom committee meetings since  March 2020 as I have mentioned before, but hosting a live presentation with an audience could go horribly wrong without careful preparation. With the committee as the audience, we held practice sessions with our speakers. These were invaluable and also helped to make the event less stressful for all who were directly involved.

Presenting to a laptop camera was a new experience for Geoff and Margaret Fletcher. They did a fantastic job telling us about the history of the NGS and showing photos of NGS gardens in our area.   Can’t wait to start visiting again.

The event seemed to go very well and lots of you have expressed very positive comments, so we have decided to continue in this way, wherever possible, until we are able to meet at tha Barlow .  Of course not all the speakers may be able to oblige in this way so there will possibly be some changes to the programme below but you will be given any updated details on a monthly basis. 

Some members hoped to join us in January but didn’t make it.  If the reason was a problem with logging on please let us know as we may be able to help.

 

If you want to join us on Zoom for this talk about Foraging on 17th February it is important that you let me know as soon as you can.

I will send the joining details to you a few days in advance of the talk.

e-mail - secretary@edgworth-horticultural-society.co.uk

 

We have 2 articles this month about garden visits by 2 of our members, Angela is our Membership Secretary and Carole is our long distance member who lives in London so whilst we are using Zoom she is able to join us.  It is good to see the north and south coming together. It is Carole we have to thank for our 4-day holidays as she introduced us to the idea originally and has joined us on almost every holiday since. 

It would seem that a lot is happening at Kew Gardens with many early signs of spring.  We have to wait a little while longer here for the spring bulbs to flower in our local gardens but that is something to look forward to. I do have a hellebore coming into flower in my garden though, not that I am bragging of course.

Irene Spencer

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Programme – 2021

 

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A Little Vegetable with your Dinner?

The world’s longest salsify was grown by the UK’s Joe Atherton in 2020 – measuring a mere 18 feet 3.3 inches!

I wonder what he grew it in?

He didn’t stop there - at the same show he grew the longest beetroot and already holds the records for the longest carrot, radish, parsnip, and turnip. I hope he doesn’t enter our show – his beetroot record is even bigger at 28ft 1 inch.

We couldn’t fit it in the Barlow!

Phil Broughton

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 Looking ahead to brighter days ….

As the mid-January rain falls what better time to take an imaginary trip to milder or at least drier days!   If I can share a lovely couple of days out we enjoyed before the current lockdown and tempt you when we can (I promise that is the only reference to you know what! 😊)…….

To RSPB Leighton Moss, Nr Silverdale (M6 further north) and the Dunham Massey Winter Garden (M56 further south).  I am sure readers may well have visited both in times past, but I think perhaps that given the year we had in 2020 (ok only slight reference!) maybe our senses appreciate more how good it is for the soul, to get out and enjoy nature, be around people and the element of surprise at the unexpected simplicity of what we can find. 

 RSPB Leighton Moss

We decided to escape earlier this winter on a bright cold December day with our flask and binoculars packed and head north.  Leighton Moss is situated along the shores of Morecambe Bay, as such it is very prone to flooding (the site is closed at the moment … if not, guessing you would probably need your waders!) When we visited a few years ago this was definitely the case.  However on our latest visit, although early winter it was a perfect day bright and very sunny .. wished I’d worn shades!  It was like visiting for the first time.  On arrival we decided to join the RSPB before climbing to the top of the 9 metre Skytower where the view was stunning over the water, part of which was frozen over.  Apparently if you are lucky you can see otters playing. Winter can have its own bare beauty, and the sun through the golden reeds at mid-afternoon was special. We followed the extensive walking trails .. where robins and several varieties of ‘tits’ led the way.  Although the ‘hides’ were not open I spotted a ‘tree-creeper’ a modest little bird that carefully hops to each branch to the top of a high tree.  Walking back to the car a barn owl solemnly viewed us at a distance.  A final unexpected sighting from the car park was an early evening performance of a starling murmuration, which can take place here between December- March.  At just a mile from Silverdale shore it’s a lovely spot to watch the sun go down.  The site lies in a site of Outstanding Natural Beauty, whilst the coastal areas are designated Special Areas of Conservation. 

The RSPB website, as you would expect, gives you all the details. https://www.rspb.org.uk A perfect get-away any time of the year ….

 Dunham Massey – The Winter Garden

Again just before the …...  we enjoyed a weekend afternoon visit to Dunham Massey.  Parking on the road in Dunham town then climbing the stile into the park we headed off with a hot drink not quite knowing what was open.  We had passed signs earlier that the Xmas Lights show was sold out.  After so many months of quiet and staying home there were lots of families with children and dogs safely enjoying the outdoor space.

Again we were fortunate the weather was dry and bright – but you definitely needed winter warm togs!  I have visited the winter garden in late January a few years ago - which was a joy especially in the sun.  The bare beauty of the trees, the emerging hellebores, cyclamen and spring bulbs are hopeful and welcome but the real stars of the show at this time are the winter shrubs.  Often overlooked later in the year the varieties and warm shocking colours of the Cornus varieties, Hamamelis (Witch Hazel), Viburnum and the stark white beauty of the birch (underplanted with snowdrops soon) are a joy! 

The garden had been turned into a Xmas Wonderland for early evening visitors (sold out by mid-November) although free in the daytime – what a treat!  Stunning and imaginative with colourful but subtle lighting and music – enhancing the larger trees and shrubs.  A must see for next winter......... but the promise of spring bulbs will entice us back – and apparently there is a bluebell mound in spring ….

Pre-booking is necessary due to government guidelines so it is important to check out the current situation on www.nationaltrust.org.uk in advance of your visit.  If you are a National Trust member entry and parking is free but for non-members there will be a charge.

Angela Swallow

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Kew Gardens in Winter and Lockdown

I am lucky to live very close to the Royal Botanic Gardens.  At present I visit every day along  with a fair number of other people! 

There is always plenty for the gardener to see.  Galanthus elwesii var. Monostictus, an early variety of snowdrop, has been in flower for weeks.  Next to it is a pretty little cyclamen coum. In the Broadwalk a large cluster of Helleborus “Walberton’s Rosemary” make a lovely show in an otherwise colourless perennial border.

Not only are there sights to see but smells to enjoy.  The fragrance of Chimonanthus Praecox     “Grandiflorus” is a delight.  Another aromatic, Hamamelis, witch hazel, is in flower all over the Gardens.  An information board tells me it was used extensively in Native North American medicine.  Its anti- inflammatory properties were used to treat many skin ailments.

On the American theme there is a large group of Coastal Redwoods in the arboretum area of the Gardens.  These Sequoias sempervirens tower magnificently above visitors. A wonderful sight.

As I look around me I feel so happy that I know Spring is well on the way.

Carole Woodvine

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Bird Seed Cake

Garden birds are so important to gardeners, they are a natural pest control and they help with broadcasting seeds and with pollination.

We need to attract them to our gardens  by growing shrubs and plants that provide berries and seeds in the wintertime.

This photo may not show the best way to feed them so please read on.

They have a difficult time in the winter particularly when the weather is bad, so it is important that we help them as much as possible by providing food and water.  When the temperature drops they need extra food just to keep warm.  Nature doesn’t always provide enough for their needs when it is very cold so we need to supplement their diet with appropriate bird seed, fatballs, mealworms, dried fruits, apples, unsalted peanuts etc.  Different species require different foods.

There are various bird food items on the market but it is fun to make your own and children will love to help too.  How about making bird seed cakes.  All you need is lard (at room temperature) and a mixture of bird seed and some plastic straws cut into 2” pieces. 

Rub together the lard and birdseed together thoroughly in a large bowl then press the mixture into biscuit cutters or patty tins or use your imagination using any shape as a mould. 

While the mixture is soft insert short pieces of plastic straws in the centre.  These create a hole for string to be threaded through.  You just need to put them into a fridge to set then they will be ready to hang.

You might prefer to hang them individually or use them to create a garland or wreath of several seed cakes and hang them on a bush.  Another idea is to spread peanut butter or lard onto a pinecone then dip the sticky end of the pine cone into bird seed so it will stick to the pine cone, leave to set in the fridge then hang that up tool  A veritable feast mmmmmmmmm.

Another way to encourage birds into your garden is to provide nest boxes but be careful where you place them.  They need to be 2 – 4 metres high on a north or east facing tree or wall, this avoids the nest becoming too hot in the sun and also protects it from the wettest winds.  If you tilt the box forward slightly rain will hit the roof and bounce off so keeping the nest dry.  Avoid placing the nest box on a fence, cats will have easy access.

The RSPB site mentioned above will be very useful when all your bird visitors descend on your garden and you want to identify them.  It is very entertaining to watch their antics and helps to dispel the gloom of Lockdown too.

Irene Spencer

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DON’T FORGET

If you want to register an interest in joining us on Zoom for February’s talk it is important that you let me know soon so I can send the joining details to you a few days in advance of the talk - e-mail secretary@edgworth-horticultural-society.co.uk