fc<ri8:


I RURAL LIFE


TO DO LIST • Summer bedding and


: baskets can be hardened off


*<inow but still be aware of the chance of a late frost. Feed


_ : and water regularly. • ™ • Continue to control weeds by hoeing regularly, before they establish. Avoid clipping hedges during nesting season.


K • Collect rainwater and M investigate ways to recycle c water for irrigation • Open greenhouse vents and doors on warm days. 0 Fertilise lawns with a qual- ity weed and feed and mow


® lawns weekly 0 Lift and divide overcrowded clumps of . daffodils and other spring-. flowering bulbs. Once the


COLOURFUL: Bearded iris and Geranium phaeum are signs of summer


|l QUOTE OF THE MONTH


Flowers always make people . •


",sfoliage has died down ' naturally it can be cut off. Cutting too early can reduce flowering next year.'


better, happier, and- more helpful; they are • sunshine, food and i; ■ ,


t medicine for the soul. • y Luther Burbank


PL^NT OF THE MONTH' ; , Patio Clematis ‘, •


: ' Patio or boulevard clematis ' were'initially introduced,


. ;b y the>Chdseafiinu|ti'g6ldT;^ medal-winner, Raymond • '


y. Evison. These compact .•


| ¥i* ': . clematis are ideal for pots; . and thesmall garden. V ' " ■ Flowers are similar to sum- mer flowering hybrids pinks, purples :•/


' m m ?7s. •»t,


_ and whites, how- •. ■ 'evertheirflowering - season is much longer


than many traditional' varieties and some can ■


;tflowercofitinually. from May to October. Many of the lighter coloured varieties


.ff'. 35* i.


1* also reliably flower f.' in northern and eastern aspects . with lower light levels


, ' The patio varieties . ' are developed to


f '• flower virtually from | the bottom of the


plant through to the v/. top and they will only •


: grow to approx 120cm “ ; (fourfeet), depending on - i


• variety. This makes them ideal for growing Up-an obelisk.


: •.


Six steps to success 1. Select your pot (40-60cm is ideal) and an obelisk or cane trellis.


2. Choose your clematis plants, the more plants you use the quicker the end result, two or more plants of complementing colours makes a stunning display. .


v'


3. Select a good quality multi-purpose compost and pot up. Weave the new growth in and out


• . ■ ofthe support. Repeat this as the plants grow. P5' FV m +


4. Clematis are hungry! Initially feed with a mature bal­ anced plant fertiliser, and continue to feed,regularly with a good quality tomato food from May through'to August to ensure lots of flowers. 5. Remove old flowers when they fade to encourage • more flowers to grow. 6. In January remove the support, gather all the stems together in a 'ponytail' leaving about 25cms above the soil and cut.


■ ■ ■ 1 ,• • ■ ■


a-coming in... Gardening


, UMMER isjust around the corner and our gardens are buzzing


H with life; insects flitting from ^flow e r to flower, busy nesting


birds and fledglings waiting for their next meal. The first blossom has fallen- and the early summer flowers and shrubs are filled with buds. Philadelphus, mock orange and lilacs


are beginning to open their heavily- scented flowers, which forme always marks the start of summer. The tapestry of green leaves is a great


' • ■


backdrop for early flowering perennials such as bearded iris, lupins, erysimums, herbaceous geraniums and geums. Bedding plant season is now fully


•Your monthly garden advice column with Michelle Unsworth,


from So Plants Boutique Garden Centre, Preston Road, Longridge


w • ~ v « > mm m s -, i ^ d


SjISHANKS to the Countryside ■ | and Rights of Way Act, the If j| Forest of Bowland Area of I


NATURE'S BEAUTY: An orange tip butterfly on erysimum, above, shows that life is full swing. Right - a well-designed garden really is a joy forever


v < r2^ *2 Outstanding Natural Beauty


Ijjas become more accessible to jwalkers, opening up new routes to ||s uplands. B Another element has been the iffnprovement of existing and the creation of new Landover tracks to ©rovide amenity for the shooting paternity. 1 Grouse shooting draws in ionsiderable income into the local economy and the moors, despite ffieirwild appearance, are seriously oianaged. This walk is one of the great Bowland expeditions, taking |ou from the attractive hamlet | f Abbeystead up to'Bowland's pighest point before returning on &ie Wyre Way.


under way. Bedding is a fabulous way to add vibrant colour throughout the sum­ mer. These plants can be hardened off now, but beware of late frosts. ' Colour-schemed baskets are very


in-vogue at the moment. Fora vibrant display, try hot pink geraniums, white bacopa, baby pink diascias and fresh green and white nepeta. Alternatively, to achieve a contemporary feel, black and cream petunias with vanilla African marigolds and golden lysmachia give a striking display, particularly against a light coloured wall. For best results add a slow release fertiliser when potting, water daily, feed weekly and dead head regularly.


Pirections: 1. From the car park Lirn left across Stoops Bridge and


Jie infant River Wyre. On the far Side turn right on to a footpath


Opposite a handsome house. Keep fn it as it crosses riverside meadows |o reach Rakehouse Brow. |urn left. After 300yds bear right f n to the farm drive of Rakehouse |arn. Follow the track as it bears fgh t in front of another handsome Souse (Higher Lee) and then turns f f t to commence the climb up to Crizedale Head. [his Landover track provides very feasy walking and navigating. Two


-


miles - almost an hour's walking the track levels out and then


intercepts the ridge route between Grit Fell to the left and Ward's Stone to the right. 2. Turn right. This path is of a very


different character to the Landover track. As it crosses peat and heather it begins to climb along a shallow rock strewn gully to reach the first of two trig, points. Here there is an


impressive gritstone outcrop that presumably gave the fell its name. Maintaining the same direction of


travel from Grit Fell i.e. eastwards, look for the second trig point on


the horizon. A boundary stone will be passed after 150yds or so. After reaching the second trig point, at 561 m one metre higher than the first, drop down on a more definite path to the cornerof a fence.


This fence now provides a


handrail to guide you over the next section ofthe route. On two stretches the fence becomes a wall. Keep the fence/wall on your left as you progress along the broad ridge moving dbserto the next summit, Wolfhole Crag.


3. In this way you will intercept


a Landover track that crosses your path, a mile and a half from the


■j •> . a , , ,) i , \ '


) % • ' t 4 **a


! \


second trig point. Turn right. Follow the track as it winds its way


. down the fellside and after an hour after joining it, you will arrive at the tiny settlement of Tarnbrook. 4. After entering the hamlet keep


I Start: Small car park ■ J near Stoops Bridge, Abbeystead LA2 9BQ GR SD 562543 Fact file: , Distance:! 2 miles 20k Time: 5 -6 hours • Summary: Strenuous Map:,OSOL41 The Forest of Bowland


ahead on the main street for 150yds and then turn left on to a footpath that is the Wyre Way. This trail leads most ofthe way back to the car park. First it crosses the Tarnbrook Wyre and then climbs the low ridge through a succession of fields to Top of Emmetts. The path is well signed with waymark arrows and decorative stone markers. When Top Emmetts comes into sight across a large field turn left and


cross a ladder stile followed by a footbridge into the adjoining field.


Turn right and, with the hedge on your right, keep ahead to reach the drive of Top Emmetts. Cross the lane and follow the


footpath in the direction of Strait Lane.


After a marker storie, decorated


with a bunny rabbit, bear left in the huge field to follow the side of a plantation to a gate behind a property. The path leads through an enclosure, around a shed and on to Strait Lane. Turn left for Stoops Bridge.


0 Walk devised by Malcolm McCulloch, one of the Usual


.. .


Suspects, and described by Bob Clare. For more walks see www. Iancashirewalks.com.


I s?.. n mi-- Sri m*. n l m m m mWm s m 1 m i$llPs|S§Si


Wednesday, May28,2014


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