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2021
inside Community News Marston Vale Forest New Monthly Article Girl Guiding Bedfordshire ÂŁ25 Prize Crossword
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contents Community News Volunteering Opportunities
Mamma’s House Girl Guiding Bedfordshire The Yard (Elstow) Community Project Where Do bugs Go Prize Crossword About Town The Composing Cook Recipe Chicken Gyros What’s On Pawmaster Dog Centre Bedford Cat Café The Winter Garden Last Months Crossword Answers
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community news Shortstown Primary School Pupil Admissions Shortstown Primary School is encouraging future parents to visit the school and to see for themselves what they have to offer. The standard admission number for Shortstown Primary School is 60 for Reception classes and the deadline for applications is 15th January 2021.
Please contact the school office on 01234 740881 or email office@shortstownprimary.co.uk to arrange an appointment. Applications for a school place are made through Bedford Borough Council. Please visit the Admissions page on the Bedford Borough website for more information on how to apply. Email: Office@shortstownprimary.co.uk www.shortstownprimary.co.uk
Two new forest sites at Houghton House as part of Trees for Climate The Trees for Climate programme in Bedfordshire will see planting at 2 new sites adjacent to Houghton House, with 16 hectares due to be planted with native trees and shrubs before the end of March 2021. The larger site, bought in partnership with the Woodland Trust, has been designed with local community input and, in total, will see around 38 hectares planted by the Forest of Marston Vale Trust over three years. A new Community Engagement programme will see a further 2 hectares planted with local schools between January and March.
James Russell, Director of the Forest of Marston Vale, said: “Community Forests have an impressive history of engaging communities to get trees in the ground to transform their local environment. This new support recognises the scale of what has been delivered nationally and positions Community Forests as a key part of the strategy to tackle the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis.”
Council Proposes a ‘No Waiting at Any Time’ Restriction outside Broadmead Lower School in Stewartby
Elstow Abbey Church is now a Foodbank Donation Point
Bedford Borough Council propose to Introduce a ‘No Waiting at Any Time’ restriction (Double Yellow Lines) outside Broadmead Lower School on Park Crescent, Stewartby. Concerns have been raised over inconsiderate parking outside the school and this proposal is intended to address those concerns by improving visibility and helping to make the area safer for children and all highway users. 4
If you would like to make donations to the Bedford Food Bank you can now take them to Elstow Abbey Church. Last months donations totalled 44.9kg which will help to provide approximately 110 meals. To find out when the church is open visit www.elstow-abbey.org.uk
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VOLUNTEERING London Independent Visitors The Independent volunteer service run by Action for Children provides access for a child in care, to an adult with whom they can form a long-lasting friendship. You will be offering an opportunity for the child to experience new things as well as develop essential life skills such as communication and confidence. There’s an online recruitment and training session in Jan 2021 and volunteers are needed to support some young people in need based in Bedfordshire.
Tibbs Dementia Foundation Walking Group Volunteer Volunteers are needed to support a successful and thriving Walking Group which runs from Spring until Autumn. The role involves encouraging and supporting our service users, and helping to ensure a welcoming environment.
Companions Real Bread CIC
Volunteering Opportunities
Volunteering brings great rewards and we have opportunities for all. View hundreds of options through our online facility where you can register as a volunteer and apply. Search for this month’s featured roles by adding the name of the organisation into the keyword field on our on-line role search facility at cvsbeds.org.uk/volunteer
Volunteers will work alongside and build positive relationships with ex-offenders who may recently have been released from custody, fulfilling tasks that support the business of the bakery. Roles might be flexible or specific depending on the particular skills, experience and interests of the applicant.
Recovery Code X Secretary Recovery Code X runs peer to peer support groups in Bedfordshire for those managing the effects of Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. A volunteer is wanted to take on the generic responsibilities of a trustee alongside the duties of a secretary including undertaking the administration and arrangements for committee meetings.
Airfield Volunteer Fire Service – Trustee The service at Old Warden Aerodrome provides fire protection and first-aid services to The Shuttleworth Collection. They are seeking trustees who can bring innovative ideas and enthusiasm to their award winning team.
English Regional Transport Association – Marketing Officer 43 Bromham Road, Bedford Call 01234 354 366 or Email: volunteering@cvsbeds.org.uk www.cvsbeds.org.uk 6
An IT literate volunteer with skills in social media is wanted to promote the organisation and maintain and update the membership list and social media accounts.
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Be kind to yourself We can be our own harshest critics. As parents we are on a brand new journey, simply trying our best and often learning along the way. It’s true we don’t always get it right, but we don’t always get it completely wrong either. Next time rather than being self critical, don’t judge yourself, imagine you are a friend, what would you say to your friend in that moment? Be your own friend.
Let go A new year is a great time to have a declutter. It’s ok to let go of things that no longer make you feel good about yourself or bring you contentment. This could be clothes, objects and (let’s say it) people too. It’s not about falling out, but it’s ok to let go. With objects, we can often feel like we want to keep them because they hold a memory, but actually we hold the memory, not the object, so if it feels right, declutter.
Make time for your self Happy New Year. The start of a new year brings promise for change and improvement, no matter how big or small. You might set a goal to save more this year, or eat healthier. But what I love is that it’s the start of a fresh chapter, and a chance to pursue new goals and dreams. It’s no secret that parenting can be tough. So if you are setting resolutions, go easy on yourself. I’ve put together some suggestions for resolutions as parents going into the new year.
This can be so hard when you have children. You may even feel guilty for taking time out away from your family. However, we need to find time for ourselves in order to give our best, in each part of our lives. Remember: you can’t pour from an empty cup.
Say no to feeling guilty Whether you are feeling guilty for taking time out for yourself, letting the kids watch way too much T.V. during this pandemic, or for saying no. Remember to give yourself a break, you are doing your best and you got this!
Be present Make a point of choosing some regular time where you give your children undivided attention and play with them. Get rid of distractions and put your phone away, let them choose an activity, and just take the time to really be present with them.
Apologise to your child As parents and adults we sometimes get it wrong. By apologising to your child you are leading by example. You are teaching them that we sometimes make mistakes and it’s good to mend relationships when we have done wrong.
Make new family traditions This is one of my favourites. I love finding new things to do together, it’s a great way of finding new ways to bond. Whether it’s pancakes on a Saturday, long summer walks or something you do once a year. Find something you can all be involved in, big or small. For more follow @mammas_house on Instagram 8
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Girlguiding
Bedfordshire County Shares Fabulous News
Girlguiding in Bedfordshire County has been busy, throughout lockdown, holding virtual meetings with girls or sending them activity packs. Fun and engaging badges and challenges have continued to support the physical and emotional wellbeing of our young members during this challenging time. With activities such as virtual Act of Remembrance at St Andrew’s church, Virtual Halloween Parties and Virtual Sleepovers. Some of our parents and leaders have expressed how they have felt
Although some units are not meeting ‘normally’ yet, we do still want to allow more girls (Rainbows aged 5–7, Brownies aged 7–10, Guides aged 10-14 and Rangers aged 14-18) to experience all of the fun and friendship that our active units have to offer. To do this we need more volunteers. Girlguiding offers a range of flexible volunteering opportunities to enable girls and young women to grow in confidence and discover their full potential in a safe, girl-only space.
“They really have made such a difference and enabled the girls to still see each other, have fun, interact and do activities together. These leaders have put huge smiles on these girls’ faces every week of lockdown” – Moya, Rainbow Mum
More volunteers are needed in Bedfordshire County, we are calling on residents of these and surrounding areas to give a little of their time to support local girls and young women to enjoy exciting activities, as well as acquire new skills and experiences themselves. Whether you are new to the area or have lived here all your life Girlguiding is a fabulous way to make new friends and we look forward to hearing from you.
“As you heard Flossie is going to sleep all week. She really enjoys this, you MUST organise another sleepover!!” – Rainbow Parent “I live alone, am the lone leader for my Brownie unit and am a frontline nurse. I am having weekly Brownie Zoom meetings and girls’ parents have taken to messaging me to make sure I’m ok. Numerous virtual sisters, now friends from Facebook, have kept me laughing and supported.” – Jacqueline, Brownie Leader 12
To volunteer visit: https://go.girlguiding.org. uk/join-us/join-as-volunteer/
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Have a go at #AdventuresAtHome
Take a picture of what you’ve done and the best picture will win a prize. Scan QR code for more details on how to submit your entry. Enjoyed your activity? Why not Join us?
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The Yard (Elstow) The Yard (Elstow) cic is a new social enterprise, based in Elstow. Our aim is to be able to provide rural and sustainable work experience to ASD and SEN students/young adults, at out new allotment.
Our allotment currently looks like a field, with the help of volunteers and our awesome students, we will be able to grow some wonderful fruit and veg, which the students can either take home and cook with or we may look at having a little stall and sell our produce.
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 us an email hello@theyardelstow.org.uk
We are also asking any local rural businesses to come and meet us and share some of their skills that they have in what they make and sell. We will also be talking to local businesses who are looking for apprentices or have vacancies that our students can apply for.
We will also be looking for volunteers, whether that’s working on the allotment, or helping with funding ideas or coordinating volunteers, I would love to hear from you.
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Where do bugs go When we think about wildlife in autumn and winter it’s often migrating birds and hibernating mammals that come to mind, but what about bugs – what happens to them throughout the colder months? We’ve put together some info on what happens to a couple of garden visitors you might have been missing…
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One bug that hibernates is the ladybird. As a cold-blooded insect they need external heat to stay alive. As the temperatures drop in late autumn and aphids (their main food source) disappear, ladybirds will hibernate. They often gather in groups – sometimes thousands – to see the winter through, preferring sheltered, moist spots where the temperature is likely to stay above freezing. Ladybirds emit a pheromone or scent which deters predators and helps them to attract a mate, but also helps them communicate to others when they’ve found a suitable hibernation spot. While hibernating they live off their fat reserves but still need to stay hydrated, so absorb moisture from around them. If their sleeping spot is too dry, they can die from dehydration. Some species of butterfly also hibernate or overwinter, including Comma, Brimstone, Peacocks, Red Admirals and Small Tortoiseshell. The other 50+ UK species spend winter in other forms: as an egg, caterpillar or pupa. Peacocks, Red Admirals and Small Tortoiseshells often overwinter in buildings. They seek out areas that are dark and damp, so you might find them in sheds, garages or old disused buildings like pillboxes. The Red Admiral doesn’t become fully dormant in winter but will ‘wake’ on cold sunny days, and sometimes take to flight. Central heating can be a problem for these butterflies, as it can confuse them and they may wake too early thinking spring has arrived. This is an
issue, as there is no nectar for them to feed on and they will die. If you find a butterfly in your house in winter, the best thing to do is to gently catch it and re-locate it to a damp, cold spot, where it will hopefully settle and re-enter a dormant state. Most bumblebees and honeybees die in autumn/ winter. In late summer the queen will lay eggs – and the next generation of queens and males are born. The new queens mate and build up their fat reserves by feeding on nectar and pollen, then hibernate underground (the males die off). As the temperature warms in spring, the queens emerge from hibernation to find a suitable nest site, where they’ll lay their eggs to produce female worker bees. Wasps also follow the same pattern, with only the queens hibernating to survive the winter. Dragonflies and damselflies only live in their adult form for a few weeks during the summer. After mating the females lay eggs in or near water, and these hatch into larvae or nymphs. The nymphs don’t have wings and remain in the water feeding voraciously, growing and moulting. The moulting process involves shedding their skin, up to 14 times. The nymphs climb out of the water for their final moult, from which they emerge as an adult dragonfly or damselfly. So although action does die down for the autumn and winter period, these well-loved critters will return and fill our gardens and ponds with activity once again! The Forest of Marston Vale Trust is a Registered Charity No 1069229, whose mission is planting trees and using woodlands to make life better for people and wildlife in the Marston Vale. You can stay in touch with news from the Forest of Marston Vale on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter or by signing up to the newsletter at www.marstonvale.org 17
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Complete the crossword, fill in your details below, cut out this section and send to the address below before Friday 15th January Prize Crossword, BedsLife, 17 Foxbrook, Stevington, Bedfordshire MK43 7QY
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Last Months Crossword Winner – Priya Nahil, Stewartby
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About Town Bedford Town has recently welcomed the opening of two new local independent eateries at Riverside Bedford.
Naughty Pizza
Bridges Espresso Bar Bridges Espresso Bar is an independent, family run Espresso and Cocktail Bar newly opened by brother and sister Daniel Steele and Beckie Fry. Serving Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch and locally roasted Coffee with homemade cakes, the brother and sister duo are passionate about supporting the local community and showcasing local businesses.
Naughty Pizza is an independent, family owned pizzeria. Their mission is to deliver a contemporary, gourmet pizza experience to satisfy even the most demanding taste buds. They pay big attention to their product quality and most of their highest quality ingredients are imported directly from Italy.
Daniel Steele and Beckie Fry commented, “It has taken a couple of years to get to this point and be able to open Bridges Espresso Bar to the public but we are happy to be trading and to be part of the Riverside Bedford development.
All pizzas are cooked in the spectacular oven Esposito Forni, hand crafted by the best artisans in Italy, “Naughty Nelly” travelled to Bedford all the way from Lazio region. Naughty Pizza’a journey in Bedford area started with Mobi Pizzeria – their mobile pizza catering business which some of you might know already. Bart Misztal from Naughty Pizza said, “Our main business is supplying high-quality pizza ovens, but we decided to put our experiences and skills together to make outstanding Italian pizzas. “The idea for a Naughty Pizza was born five years ago but the team were waiting for the perfect location in Bedford. When we saw Riverside setting, it was the one! This is our fourth outlet in the UK and we hope there will be many more.” Unit 2b, Merchant place, Riverside square MK40 1AR Bedford, UK Mon – Thu 17-22 | Fri – Sun 12-22 01234 975444 www.naughty.pizza/ 20
“We have used local companies to fit-out the premises and source local based products and produce for our food and drinks. Supporting local businesses is becoming ever more important and we welcome the great feedback we have had so far from customers since trading and look forward to operating alongside the other great independent and national businesses at Riverside.” The Pavilion, Riverside Square, Bedford. MK40 1AR Tel 01234 419555 www.bridgesespressobar.co.uk/
Home Counties Loft Ladders, Quality You Can Trust! These days most homeowners suffer from a lack of storage space. So many precious items that need to be kept – but where to store it all? That’s where Home Counties Loft Ladders come in. The company, based locally, offers homeowners the opportunity to maximise their storage space with a loft ladder, 50sqft of boarding and a light - all fully fitted in less than a day from just £355! But it’s not just the affordability of the package that makes Home Counties Loft Ladders stand out, as manager Jamie Oakley explains: ‘Our
watchwords are Quality, Integrity and Value. Quality in the materials that we use for all our installations and the fact that all our loft packages are fitted by time served tradesmen, so our customers are assured of the best job.
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every installation we carry out!’ So, if you want to make use of your loft space, call Jamie free on 0808 301 9559 and he’ll be happy to pop round and give you a no obligation quote so you too can make use of your loft!
Integrity in that we will turn up at the time we say and make sure the house is spotless when we leave, and value in that we offer our services at a price people can afford. Our business relies on referrals and we get a huge amount of our calls from people who have been referred to us by our existing customers
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The Composing Cook The Composing Cook
GREEK CHICKEN GYROS Now that Christmas and new year are over and we’ve all eaten way too much, January is all about watching the calories, right? Sorry, what was that? “Stuff that, bring on more amazing dishes!!!” Oh alright then, if you insist. My Greek Chicken Gyros is so easy to do and tasty, I guarantee, once you’ve made it, you will be adding it to your repertoire.
TO SERVE
Flat bread of your choice Shop bought tzatziki dip/sauce Cut the chicken into strips and place into a bowl. To the bowl, add all the other ingredients for the Chicken Gyros and mix it well with your hands. At this stage it is ready to be cooked, but it is best left for at least one hour to marinade or, if you have the patience, overnight. Preheat a deepish frying pan, no need to add oil, and fry the Chicken Gyro mix until it has turned golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. Serve this in the flat bread with shop bought Greek Tzatziki dip.
FOR THE GREEK CHICKEN GYROS 1kg skinless & boneless chicken thighs 3 garlic cloves crushed 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 3 pinches crushed chilli flakes 1 ½ tablespoons dried thyme 1 teaspoon salt 1 ½ tablespoons dried oregano 1 ½ tablespoons ground coriander 80ml vegetable oil Juice of ½ lemon 1 teaspoon cider/white wine vinegar a good grinding of pepper Serves 4-6 22
LET’S TAKE THIS A STEP FURTHER:
This is traditionally served with Greek chips, Greek Feta salad, and homemade Greek Tzatziki sauce. You can watch me making this recipe and many others by visiting my YouTube channel, The Composing Cook. All you have to do is go to: www.youtube.com and in the search engine type: The Composing Cook, and there you will find me. Once you have found my channel, I have actually created a playlist called: Greek Chicken Gyros Quadrilogy, so all you have to do is click on that, sit back, relax and salivate. If you have any leftover Christmas Turkey, you can always use it here instead of the chicken. Follow the above recipe, but just cook it for less time.
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what’s on Please ensure to check with organisers before attending any events in case of any changes or cancellations
The Quarry Theatre at St Luke’s The Pilgrim’s Progress
Screenings Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th January 2.30pm Based on John Bunyan’s epic masterpiece, THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS is one of the most popular books of all time, and one of the most important stories of our faith! An epic journey, faithfully adapted to modern-day.
Done To Death, By Jove!
Saturday 30th January 7.30pm (Doors open 7pm) Created & performed by Gavin Robertson & Nicholas Collett Comic clichés from the Great British Detective genre – Lords and ladies, shady servants, secrets, motives and cunning detective-work abound in this genre-busting farcical comedy from the Masters of inventive silliness! That’s if the two of them can get through the play at all without losing the plot. Literally. 26 St Peter’s Street, Bedford, MK40 2NN www.quarrytheatre.org.uk
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CluedUpp Games presents Bedford Witchcraft & Wizardry Saturday January 23rd Grab your wands and don your cloaks as you hit the streets of Bedford on Saturday the 23rd of January 2021. This spell-binding outdoor adventure game will take your team on a mysterious and magical journey across town. Work with your team-mates to crack the clues, solve the puzzles and save the realm. Will you be able to solve the mystery in time? Tickets now available: www.cluedupp.com/prod.../bedfordwitchcraft-wizardry
Bedford Esquires Noasis
Saturday January 16th 8pm – 11pm Oasis tribute band and guests LIVE This show always sells out! Tickets £12
60A Bromham Road Bedford, MK40 2QG www.bedfordesquires.co.uk
Bedford RSPB Local Group The Committee would like to take this opportunity to wish you a happy and relaxing New Year, and hope that we will be meeting face to face in the not-too-distant future. Due to these uncertain times and the everchanging Coronavirus restrictions, we are unable to commit to a date when we can resume our monthly meetings, but as soon as these are relaxed, group members will be contacted by email with more up to date news, otherwise please check our website www.rspb.o rg.uk/groups/bedford for updates on resumption of our field trips and talks.
Bedford Local Group of The Wildlife Trust The Committee would like to wish all our members and friends ‘A Very Happy New Year’. In these unusual times we have obviously been unable to hold our programme of events but we assure you that as soon as circumstances allow we will organise walks and talks where we look forward to meeting and welcoming you back. When this is possible all details will be available either by email, on the website www.wildlifebcn.org or in local magazines. In the meantime we wish you well and hope that you continue to enjoy all the local wildlife we are lucky to have.
We hope you are all keeping safe and well and had a good Christmas.
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Animal magic
Pawmaster Dog Centre Pawmaster Dog Centre is the brainchild of dog lovers Anthony and Shana. It is a fun place for dogs to socialise and play in a safe, fully enclosed area, while their owners have a hot drink. They came up with the idea as they have dogs that don’t like being walked in the rain and there is no other facility like it anywhere. Pawmaster is based in Kemspton Rural and your pooch can enjoy a multitude of activities including a swimming pool, ball pit, sand pit and even a puppy play area for just £5 for 1 hour and must be booked and paid for in advance. They will be holding separate meets for large breeds, small/ medium breeds and puppies. There will also be socialisation session for tiny pups ( those that have had their jabs up to 8 months).
The name Pawmaster comes from Anthony’s Uncle David and Aunt Terri’s coach business Tour:master, they both sadly passed away within months of each other so the couple wanted to do something to honour them as they were both also dog lovers. So in a nut shell ,Pawmaster is a doggy playcentre where dogs can play safely and their owners can have a hot drink which certainly beats mud cold and rain! To get in touch and keep up to date you can join the Pawmaster Dog Centre on Facebook or email pawmasterdogcentre@gmail.com
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Bedford Cat Cafe
Animal magic
Bedford Cat Cafe is a small family run business, jointly owned and run by mother and daughter, Paula and Willow Mayes. They are self confessed crazy cat ladies and having kept cats for many years know that being around cats is fantastic for both physical and mental wellbeing.
At Bedford Cat CafĂŠ you can come and relax with a book, a hot drink and freshly prepared food and enjoy a cuddle from one of their lovely cats. Paula and Willow are huge advocates of cat adoption and rehoming, which is why it was so important to them to work with a cat charity. They also want to promote overlooked cats, these are the cats that are considered less adoptable, often due to age or disability as they have two disabled kitties at home. All the cats living at Bedford Cat Cafe will be from their partnership charity and some will be more overlooked cats. They will not be available for adoption from the cafe as they are providing them with their forever home. Bedford Cat Cafe staff have completed lots of cat related training and they hold an Animal Welfare Licence as the welfare of their cats is of the highest priority to them. There are rules in place for those visiting and a no under 6s age policy, all of which are to keep the cats safe and happy. 87 High Street MK40 1NE Bedford Email bedfordcatcafe@gmail.com https://bedfordcatcafe.wixsite.com/catcafe 27
The winter garden If I say ‘winter garden’ what do you imagine? A stately home? Evergreen shrubs? Topiary maybe? It dawned on me a few years ago when I was out walking the dog on a frosty morning that winter gardens are really all about the light. From late autumn through the winter there is a pink-gold low slanting light in the morning and afternoon which makes frost and raindrops sparkle, casts interesting shadows and makes everything look magical. Watch your garden throughout the day from the rooms where you see it best. Watch where and when the sunlight falls and plan accordingly. Grasses look beautiful when they are covered in frost and backlit. The red or yellow winter stems of Cornus (or dogwood) however seem to glow when winter sunshine illuminates them directly. Most suburban houses have smaller gardens, easily visible from the house so it’s important to choose plants which look good in more than one season. As well as shrubs with good stem colour, look for smaller trees with pretty bark. There are plenty of small Japanese Maples which can be grown in tubs. If you have a little more space a silver birch can look stunning, or even my
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favourite, the paper-bark maple, Acer griseum, which is a slow-growing small tree, pretty all year round with crimson leaves in the autumn then a characteristic chestnut bark which peels naturally to reveal bright orange red bark underneath. Look for plants with architectural shapes such as one of the sculptural eryngiums (sea holly), salvias or sedums. All look beautiful in the summer and autumn but gain a second lease of life when covered with frosted cobwebs. Plants like these will make you want to get out in your garden even in winter, so add a little scent with a winter jasmine or a sarcococca confusa (Christmas box) which has tiny white highly scented flowers. These late flowering plants provide a source of nectar for early pollinators. I no longer tidy my flower beds. I leave piles of fallen leaves and debris in beds to provide shelter for wildlife. The leaves rot down in the end which is good for the soil too. But I do spend time neatening the edge of the lawn and sharpening the edges of my borders. It’s amazing how much smarter my garden looks with minimal effort. I wish you a Happy New Year and happy gardening. By Rachael Leverton
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