VALLEY CELEBRITY AND HEALTH VALLEY GARDENING r r


designers, as horticultural shows are demonstrating this year And butterflies a re very


A much in the picture.


■ As certain butterfly species decline, including the High Brown Fritiilary, Wood White, Duke of Burgundy and Pearl Bordered Fritillary, exhibitors at Chelsea Flower Show have been promoting plants and habitats to help them. Show gardens displayed


"butterfly mounds" and plantings of nectar-rich, traditional annual bedding plants, such as nemesia and cherry-pie plant (heliotropium), to attract hoverflies and butterflies. Depending on where you live, a good garden might be visited


ttracting wildlife to your garden is still on the agenda of fop


by 22 species of butterfly and hundreds of different moths each year. Yet three-quarters of the 59


resident butterfly species that remain in Britain are in decline, including the most common ones: the large white, small white, red admiral, peacock and small tortoiseshell. Now PlantforLife, an


initiative run by the Horticultural Trades Association to help people make the most of their gardens, has teamed up with environmental charity Butterfly Conservation to launch a public awareness campaign to encourage people to attract butterflies into their garden. Butterfly Conservation


president Sir David Attenborough said earlier this year: "Almost unbelievably, much of Britain's countryside is


v _ y


a no-go area for many favourite butterflies. Habitat has been ploughed up or become overgrown. Anybody who's been for a country walk recently will tell you butterflies are a rarity. Scientists fear that in some areas we're entering a post-butterfly era." The campaigners have now


produced a guide, "Making Your Garden Flutter", which offers tips to help preserve these creatures. Butterflies love heavily-


scented flowers, so plant Sedum spectabile and Verbena bonariensis to attract them into your garden. Nectar-rich plants such as


cowslip (Primula veris), bugle (Ajuga reptans), lavender and honesty flowers will also encourage them in. Many good nectar plants are hardy, perennial and easy to grow.


n r " qarae a Grow flowers in sunny,


sheltered areas, as butterflies will seek out the warmest parts of your garden. Create shelter for butterflies


by planting shrubs and small trees such as common honeysuckle around the edges of your plot, but make sure your flower beds remain in full sunlight. Keep a good variety of


flowers which are available from early spring to autumn in your garden. Plants such as Buddleia davidii "Harlequin" will give butterflies the fuel they need to keep them airborne. Early flowers, such as


aubrieta, bluebell, clover, forget-me-not, pansy, primrose and wallflower, are great for butterflies just emerging from hibernation. In late summer and autumn, some species


need to build up their reserves in preparation for winter, so benefit from late-summer bloomers including buddleia, sedum, ivy, Michaelmas daisy, mint, scabious and thyme. Creating a wild area within


your garden can encourage butterfly species to breed. Simply allow grasses and wild flowers which are already there to grow, or supplement them with extra plants. In the first year of growing the wild area.


cut it several times to allow the wild flowers a chance against other competitive grasses. ■ "Making Your Garden


Flutter" can be picked up from participating garden centres and nurseries or downloaded free from www.plantforlife. info/butterflies. ■ Further general


information is available on www.butterfly-conservation. org/


by Dr Miguel Montero f Alexandra Round Bench Setl


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corners - and they also look fantastic as stand­ alone specimens in tubs. Azaleas, which are generally smaller, daintier


versions of rhododendrons, can be either deciduous or evergreen. I love the evergreen varieties which are low and spreading, producing sheets of flowers in May. They work wonderfully in pots and many are


hardy enough to cope with frost pockets, although you have to choose carefully. Good varieties include Rhododendron 'Blue


Danube', a compact, neat evergreen azalea which bears masses of mauve flowers, is extremely hardy and ideally placed in light


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container with different varieties of thyme. You'il then be able to add a Mediterranean


Good !


G a r d e n Centre 16 the Valley


flavour to many dishes, as well as admire the long-lasting displays of pink or purple flowers and brush your hands over the aromatic foliage. Thyme likes a warm, sunny site on a well-


drained soil. If you are putting it in a pot, add some grit to the compost to improve drainage and add a mulch to the mat-like varieties to stop


Best of the bunch T


heseacid-lovIng shrubs, which burst with colour in late spring and early summer, are a must if you want to brighten up dull


shade. Another pretty specimen, which is not as


robust and will need asheltered spot, is R. 'Gumpo White', which grows to around one metre (three feet). If you want some bigger types, try deciduous


azaleas, which can flower as prolifically as their evergreen relatives but also have fantastic foliage colour in autumn. Azaleas come in a mass of colours, from blues


and pinks to reds, oranges, whites and yellows. Acid soil is essential, and they are best off in a sheltered site in partial shade. If you don't choose one of the hardier


varieties you may need to put horticultural fleece over the shrubs on nights when frost is predicted, to protect the buds.


to eat


f you're one of those gardeners who only wants to grow edible plants if they look pretty, then you could do worse than to plant a


mud splashing onto the leaves. Plant upright types along with spreading varieties which will tumble over the edge of pots. Thyme can be planted in April, May, June and


July. Water it in well initially and again during very dry weather while it's establishing itself - and that's it. Give plants a trim to tidy them up after flowering in summer. As well as the common thyme (Thymus


vulgaris), good varieties include lemon thyme (T. X citriodorus), which is used to flavour fish dishes, and T. x citriodorus 'Bertram Anderson',


! ■ SURROUNDED by the beautiful Nibble Valley countryside, Hansons Garden Centre in Whalley ] ; Road, Barrow, has a huge selection of plants, trees, shrubs, outdoor furniture and tools: It also -i i;stocks everything the green-fjngered enthusiast needs for the indoors and outdoors.-


options are. I first noticed them after my first pregnancy, and they are aggravated by work-I stand up for more than eight hours every day.


I


blue or dark purple. They may also be lumpy, bulging or twisted in appearance. Varicose veins develop when the small valves inside the veins stop working properly. In a healthy vein, blood flows smoothly to the heart, and is prevented from flowing backwards by a series of tiny valves, which open and close to let blood through. . If these valves weaken or


V


are damaged, the blood can flow backwards and can collect in the vein, eventually causing it to be varicose. Varicose veins are a very


- •


common condition. Vl/omen tend to be more affected than men, with approximately 30% of women developing varicose veins in their lifetime, compared to 15% of men. Other factors that could affect the deterioration of the veins are: family history, occupation (long pprinris standinql,__^


aricose veins are swollen and enlarged veins which are usually


have very unsightly leg veins, and would like to know what my treatment


op of the oeiebrity twosomes A


S celebrity relationships continue to create widespread interest and


speculation, following the recent news that one of the nation's most famous couples, Jordan and Peter have split, new research by smile, the internet arm of The Co­ operative Bank, reveals who the nation believe are the ten happiest celebrity couples. Food may well be the way to


the heart, as the findings reveal that top of the happiest celebrity couple list is television chef Phil


Fern Britton and Phil Vickery are voted the


happiest couple Vickery and his television presenter wife Fern Britton, followed closely behind by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and his wife Jools Oliver. Hollywood couple Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith feature at third in the top ten list. The research also provides an


Fern & Phil beat Jamie <( Jeels B FOOD THE MUSIC OF LOVE: Fern Britton and Phil Vickery. . .


Top ten happiest celebrity couples 1. Fern Britton and Phil Vickery 2. Jamie and Jools Oliver 3. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith 4. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie 5. Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones 6. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes 7. Sting and Trudy Styler 8. Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf 9. David Beckham and Victoria Beckham 10. Richard and Judy Madeley


insight into what people really think about celebrity couples. The majority of people (83%) believe the happiest celebrity couples are those who keep their private lives to themselves. The findings also highlight


people’s belief that opposites do attract, with most people believing there is no requirement for couples to earn similar amounts of cash (54'%), or pursue similar careers (62%) to be happy together. But with the regular 'break-up'


and 'make-up' nature of many relationships in the public eye, the research also indicates that more than two-thirds of people (67%) are now sceptical about celebrity relationships. John Barker, Head of Smile,


and Jarhie and Jools


comments, "It seems people’s interest in celebrity couples shows no sign of slowing. The research also shows money can often be a common source of conflict for all couples and taking time to discuss and agree on how to manage the household finances, will pay dividends in the long run."


UD treatments tor vaneose veins


increasing age, being overweight, pregnancy. Any vein in your body can


become swollen and enlarged, but they most commonly develop in the legs and feet. The calves are most commonly affected. This is because standing and walking puts extra pressure on the veins in the lower body For most people varicose


veins do not present serious health problems. For some people varicose


veins can cause aching, swollen and painful legs. In rare cases, they can also cause complications, such as skin discolouration and leg ulcers. If your varicose veins are causing you significant discomfort, or you have developed complications, you are more likely to require treatment. Not everyone with varicose


veins will require treatment for their condition. If you have no symptoms and your varicose veins do not cause you discomfort, then you do not necessarily need to have treatment. There are some instances when treatment may be necessary: ■ To ease symptoms. If your


varicose veins are causing you pain or discomfort. ■ Complications. You may


____


require treatment if your varirnsp ypin': raii^p you to-----


develop complications, such as leg ulcers, swelling or skin discolouration. ■ Cosmetic reasons. Despite having no symptoms, some people want their varicose veins removed for cosmetic reasons. This kind of treatment is rarely available on the NHS, and you will normally have to pay for it to be done privately.


squeeze your legs to help improve your circulation. They may help to relieve pain, discomfort or swelling in your legs which is being caused by your varicose veins. Sclerotherapy is usually


C


suitable for people who have small to medium-sized varicose veins. This treatment involves a special chemical being injected into your veins. The chemical works by scarring the veins, which then seals them closed. Large varicose veins may


sometimes have to be surgically removed. Varicose vein surgery is usually carried out under general anaesthetic, and you will normally be allowed to go home the same day. However, in some cases, you may require an overnight stay in hospital, particularly if ynir are having surgery on____


ompression stockings are specially designed stockings which steadily


both legs. Most surgeons use a technique called ligation and stripping, which involves tying off and then removing the affected vein in the leg. New treatments include Radiofrequency ablation and endovenous laser treatment. If your varicose veins do


require treatment, the type of treatment you will receive will depend on your general health, and the size, position and severity of your varicose veins. Some of the available treatments for varicose veins are outlined below. Your GP will be able to advise you about the most suitable form


of treatment for you. Vl/hen you might need an


operation ■ You're bleeding from a varicose vein that has broken down. ■ You have previously bled


from a varicose vein and are at risk of this happening again. ■ You have a varicose ulcer


that is getting worse and/or is painful despite treatment. ■ You have a varicose ulcer or


progressive skin changes that your doctor thinks could benefit from surgery. ■ You've had several episodes of inflammation, pain and


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swelling caused by your veins. ■ Your veins are causing


troublesome symptoms and you and your GP feel they are having a severe impact on your quality of life. For the smaller and more


superficial veins, there is no treatment on the NHS but many people are turning to private clinics for help with the cosmetic problem that they represent. Laser treatment is a quick


and highly effective and after a few treatments remove these unwanted and unsightly


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