National Gardening Week

The country’s biggest annual celebration of gardening will take place from Monday 26 April to Sunday 2 May 2021.

The event is run by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and has grown in popularity every year with National Gardening Week seeing thousands of people sharing their ‘passion for plants’ around the country and talking about what they’ve grown on social media.

National Gardening Week is the nation’s biggest celebration of gardening and raises awareness of the difference that gardens and gardening can make to the lives of everyone in the UK. It inspires more people, particularly the next generation of gardeners, to experience the joy of growing and create beautiful green spaces.

TOP TIPS FROM NATIONAL GARDENING WEEK

• Fill containers including window-boxes and hanging baskets with fl owers.

They might need protection on frosty nights still to come in exposed gardens and northern areas. If plants can’t be bought locally or online – quick-growing calendula, cosmos, nasturtiums and zinnias are especially rewarding to sow next year. • Salads are especially welcome; sow lettuces, radishes and salad onions indoors during cold weather. Even if you only have patio containers or tubs on balconies, masses of tasty fresh salad can be grown. Lettuces can be snipped when they are small seedlings and go on to produce another crop. • Consider leaving at least some unmown next year. The array of fl owers that will grow and insects that use the long grass is surprising. • Try your hand at home composting.

Simply stack waste material, ideally 50:50 soft green material such as grass trimmings and vegetable scraps with denser stuff – pulled up plants, cardboard and scrunched up newspaper work well. Aim for a 1m cube or more, ideally in a bin, for the best results. • Help worms by covering the soil around plants with compost, straw, wood or bark chips (mulching) and hoe only shallowly to be rid of weeds. • Early May is the ideal time to sow annual fl owers including wildfl owers. To prepare the ground next year, remove weeds with the shallowest hoeing, water the border and the following day sow seeds in short rows so they can be easily weeded before they get too big. • Plant ‘bulbs’ such as dahlias and gladioli for easy late summer colour • Put plants such as heleniums, phlox and sedum in your borders in the spring, make sure there are supports to prevent them from fl opping after summer rain.

COMMUNITY GARDENS

If you do not have a garden of your own or you are looking to connect and socialise with other like- minded keen gardeners, we have put together a list of local community gardens and projects you can get involved with.

Treewell Farm, Moggerhanger

Grow your own fruit and vegetables within Treewell’s stunning walled garden and accompanying Victorian glasshouse! In exchange for your hard work, you get to keep what you produce and share with your fellow Treewellers. Sessions are flexible. They currently have two florists and a few chefs who are community gardeners and will be running a various workshops. Follow on Instagram or Facebook @Treewellfarm for further information or Email customerservice@treewellfarm.com Tel: 07736 573982 www.treewellfarm.com

The Yard CIC – Elstow

A new social enterprise set up to provide rural and sustainable work experience to ASD and SEN students/young adults, at their new allotment. The Yard is about learning and sharing skills, from growing veg, to social media, to planning to team building. If you are a local business or a school with SEN students and are looking for work experience, please send them an email hello@theyardelstow.org.uk or to volunteer call Tel 07950 651817.

Abbey Fields Gardening Group

Abbey Fields community have joined forces to carry out a variety of greenspace projects including planting an orchard, bulb planting, roundabout maintenance, and brook clearances. If you are a local resident and/ or looking for a friendly, pro-active and passionate gardening group to join, then get in touch by emailing hkonstan@ntlworld.com

VOLUNTEERING IN PARKS

Whether you have half an hour to spare or more, there are lots of ways you can volunteer in Bedford’s parks and open spaces. No experience necessary and all training will be provided.

Priory Country Park Volunteers

The group meets one Sunday a month. Weekend volunteers are set group tasks, but volunteers are also welcome every Monday and Thursday to join in with the Park Warden. Tel 01234 718012 or email pcp@bedford.gov.uk

Friends of Harrold-Odell Country Park

The Friends work with the Rangers of the Park and Bedford Borough Council to help maintain and improve the site for both visitors and wildlife. Tel 01234 720016 or email hocp@bedford.gov.uk

Bedford Park Volunteers

The volunteer group meets at 10.00 am on the first Sunday of every month at the Bandstand in the Park, and works for 2 hours. The group undertakes a variety of functions including a responsibility for the upkeep of the central beds and the maintenance of the community herb garden in front of East Lodge. Email: hdarbon@ntlworld.com

Friends of Putnoe Wood and Mowsbury Hillfort

The Friends of Putnoe Wood and Mowsbury Hillfort help to safeguard the future of Putnoe Wood and Mowsbury Hillfort. The Friends meet every Wednesday from 1.30pm to 4pm for their weekly tasks. Membership is free. Email contact@ putnoemowsburyfriends.org.uk www.putnoemowsburyfriends.org.uk

Bromham Conservation Group

The group undertake voluntary tasks including coppicing trees, cutting back pathways, wildflower meadows, building nesting areas, clearing brooks and looking after the Community Orchard. They generally organise 3 sessions a month from 10am – 12.30pm and anytime that can be given is greatly appreciated. Email bcg@peterargyle.plus.com

Friends of Hill Rise Nature Reserve

Hill Rise is a beautiful Community Green Flag Local Nature Reserve owned by Bedford Borough Council and jointly managed by local volunteers and the Council. Despite its small size, the reserve is able to support a great variety of wildlife and there is always something to see at any time of the year. Email Shalaine and Peter at info@hillrisenaturereserve.org.uk