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Autumn Watch A message from
“Let the leaves fall where they may – Welcome October, Autumn is here.” Charmaine J Forde
ly from the huge Sweet Chestnuts, which form the boundary with our Nursery neighbours. However, we are lucky to have a young volunteer who enjoys nothing more than sweeping up leaves! Indeed all our volunteers have been busy during the early autumn, clearing the summer veg- etable beds, pulling down the bean sticks and the sweet peas and gener- ally tidying up in readiness for winter. The leeks are looking promising in one of the raised beds, together with some well-staked winter brassicas, and rows of spinach and chard. We are lucky to have found a supply of well-rotted garden compost in a neighbouring village; this we hope will improve the soil in these raised areas, in preparation for next year’s vegetable sowings.
T
Once again the small apple trees in the picnic area have been laden with fruit- the russets were particularly tasty - and the peach tree on the south-fac- ing wall produced a surprisingly good harvest, which we were able to share amongst the workers. Even the apricot managed to fruit this year – but the skins were rather tough! The wild trees, particularly the hawthorn near the pond, and the crab apples at the bottom of the wild area, have also pro- duced stunning displays. Sign of a hard winter to come, or a good pollination in early summer? Who knows?
here have been plenty of leaves falling in the Community Garden this autumn, particular-
Kingsbridge Community Garden
What we do know is that the
bees have had a good time. Our beekeeper reports a record quantity of high-quality honey this season. Perhaps the bees realised we were celebrating 800 years of marketing in Kingsbridge, instigated by the Abbot of Buckfast’s desire to sell his hon- ey-based goods locally. Some of ours has been sold at the Country Market, which is itself celebrating 100 years of trading (formerly as WI markets). The bees have recently been feasting on late summer flowers, the stunning pink rosettes of Sedum spectabile and swathes of white Michaelmas daisies. Cascades of the evergreen climber Solanum crispum album (the potato vine) have continued to brighten up the north-facing wall
with their clusters of white star- shaped flowers, complementing the almost black dahlias in the cutting bed. It seems that whatever the weather, whatever the time of year, there is always something in flower to catch the visitor’s eye and to allow a moment of reflection and wonder at nature’s unexpected performance in this garden, cared for by local people, for everyone to enjoy.
www.k
ingsbridgegarden.co.uk
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