JUNE 2020
GENTLY DOES IT It’s great to be back –share your stories and photographs with us – if you want to advertise please call Martin on 07894 935952
LIFTING the lockdown is taking place, very carefully, in Bedford Town Centre.
Essential businesses have never closed. But, now a few more are tentatively opening.
The message is clearly ‘Safety First’, as shown by council signs on St Paul’s Square, where market stalls selling basics have been open throughout.
Opposite “socially distanced” queues have been seen outside Wilkos and the Nat West Bank throughout the lock down, and these continue. Behind the scenes restaurants have been staying alive by delivering food or offering customercollected takeaways. Amici is now promoting its Fogizac super clean to reassure customers of the safety of their premises in St Peter’s. Long established Michael R. Peters of The Broadway have been running an important service for those needing fridges or other white goods.
For some the lockdown has even created opportunities with Cartridge Depot of St Loyes offering discounts for those using their computer printers whilst Working From Home. And Gallones of The Arcade have been delivering ice creams far and wide. Now some offices are coming back to life with estate agents like Lane & Holmes welcoming Monday-Friday 8am-5pm clients – with social distancing. Saturday 8am-1pm Libby Lionetti at La Piazza on St Paul’s Square says: “We WE ARE SOCIAL DISTANCING READY are now selling take-away coffees, no chairs and no congregatCall or visit for all your electrical supplies ing. It will be a slow process but Trade & Public Welcome we will rebuild Bedford.” Love Bedford and Bedford Borough Council are co-ordinating their messages and activities to make sure people know 2a Howard Street, Kempston MK42 8EA what they can expect when visiting the town. elliottelectricalsuppliesltd@hotmail.co.uk The latest information about shops and services can always be found on lovebedford.co.uk or by phoning Tel 01234 404500
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Major Laycock helping to build the Nightingale Hospital at NEC
WE’VE heard so much over the recent weeks about Sir Tom Moore and his amazing success in raising over £30 million for the NHS charities – what fantastic result! Another Bedford star is Major Angela Laycock, a commanding officer in the Royal Engineers. What has this 38-year-old soldier done? Well at the age of 24, Angela won the coveted Sword of Honour prize at Sandhurst. It was expected to be awarded to the
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2 — KEMPSTON CALLING
JUNE 2020
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TAKE NOTE that an application for the grant of a Premises Licence has been made to Bedford Borough Council by Jasbir Singh Parmar in respect of premises known as: Kempston Post Office 46b St John’s Street, Kempston, Bedford MK42 8EP The proposed licensable activities are as follows: The supply of alcohol (for consumption off the premises) from Monday to Saturday: 07:00 - 20:00 Sunday: 08:00- 16:00. Representations: ANY PERSON wishing to make any representation to the application should write to the Chief Officer Legal & Democratic Services, Bedford Borough Council, Borough Hall, Cauldwell Street, Bedford MK42 9AP specifying the grounds for making representations. Interested parties or responsible authorities may make written representations, these should be sent to the Chief Officer Legal & Democratic Services by 26th June, 2020. Applications can be viewed during office hours at the Council or via the council’s website on https://www.bedford.gov.uk/licencing/ It is an offence knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application, the maximum fine for this is unlimited Dated: 1st June, 2020
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Strong support for much loved Esquires by Tony Hendrix
AS the nation adjusts to the new reality of life under self-quarantine in the midst of the coronavirus
pandemic, a number of artists and musical institutions are taking the show online to share some musical joy during these trying times. With venues and bars on lock
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down across the country, there are plenty of things you can watch from the safety of your couch, thanks to everyone from Miley Cyrus to the New York Metropolitan Opera and the fine folks at Disney. Across the UK, we also have local talent who have taken to the screens broadcasting hours of their music live through social media, DJs have also joined in the entertainment many of whom have set up rigs in their house and some have gone that step further and have set up shop in their front and rear gardens, this is certainly one way of keeping music alive through the lock down and has received a lot of local support. In 2019, the number of small pubs and bars in the UK increased for the first time in 15 years, according to the Office for National Statistics. Staffed by around 457,000 which is certainly a chilling figure to digest, the pandemic will certainly claim a few victims here, however you can help save your local pub, bar or club by crowd funding events. The otherside of the close down many of these venues will
be faced with huge rent arrears demanded by greedy landlords, out-of-date beers and customers too frightened to come back. Bedford Esquires one of the UK’s best loved independent music venues set out to raise £20,000 during Covid-19 but reached an astonishing £43,051 from 990 supporters! The venue has been offering the people of Bedford and beyond live music since 1984, they realised that as a result of Lock Down they calculated that their finances would not take them past late June, so reluctantly they entered a crowd funding initiative looking for what they thought was a very optimistic figure of £20,000 to help balance the books and keep the venue alive. Within just six hours this figure was achieved and kept rising till time out at £43,051. Gareth Barber took over the venue in 2016 and was looking forward to Esquires’ 30th anniversary this year, he has been overwhelmed with the support the venue has been given and would like to say a big thank you to all the 990 supporters for helping the venue through this crisis.
Major Laycock helping to build the Nightingale Continued from page one future King of England, Duke of Cambridge, William Windsor but Angela beat him to it. The award is for the most outstanding student at the military academy at the end of their
44-week training course. Angela is not from a military background and was state educated in her home town of Bedford. ‘A’ Levels at Welbeck college followed school, then onto a place at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. After her Sandhurst training she went on to tours of Germany, Iraq and Afghanistan. Angela managed the construction of a boat slipway at Basra Palace, Iraq. Further study resulted in Angela becoming a Chartered Civil Engineers. That was years ago, what about now? Major Angela Laycock and her team of Royal Engineers have supported NHS staff and civilian contractors to design and plan the construction of the new NHS Nightingale hospital located in the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham. Last August Angela was involved in the emergency operations at the Toddbrook Reservoir, where the dam collapsed threatening the local population. A wonderful example to any teenagers contemplating their options when leaving school shortly, this lady has to be a role model for them all. So hats off to yet another Bedford star.
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JUNE 2020 KEMPSTON CALLING —
KPIBC win prestigious award
ON Tuesday March 10th the Love Fisher Brown 2019 runners up award, a national competition sponsored by Para Handy and Drakes Pride, was presented to Kempston Park Indoor Bowls Club. This award, named after the remarkable and inspiring Commonwealth Games achievements of Bob Love, David Fisher and Paul Brown, showcases the excellent work being undertaken by clubs with disabled bowlers around the country, and provides a benchmark for other clubs to aspire to. The club in Hillgrounds Road Kempston, received the runners up award for the work they have been doing each week with a group of disabled wheelchair bowlers who use the clubs specially adapted wheelchairs, plus a group of four downs syndrome boys from Zebra House and around 25 dementia sufferers from the Tibbs Dementia group. Volunteer bowling members from the club gather every Tuesday to teach the various disability groups, whilst the various groups carers can enjoy a relaxing wellearned break over lunch at the club, happy in the knowledge their charges are being cared for and enjoying their experiences of bowling in a safe and community inclusive environment.
The award was created to recognise clubs that provide disabled participation opportunities for their bowlers. Kempston Park have for the past 28 years been running the weekly bowling sessions for their Wheelstars group and for the past four years for the Tibbs Dementia group with the Zebra house boys joining two years ago. In the early days of the Tibbs group there were just four members, now it stands at around thirty. The Disability Steering Group panel, comprised of representatives from the Activity Alliance, Bowls Development Alliance, Bowls England, Disability Bowls England and English Indoor Bowling Association, assessed each of the 12 strong nominations, the results were very close with only a point or two between the winner and the two clubs who were awarded as runners up. Following a warm welcome by the KPIBC chairwoman, Mrs Rita Clifford-Pendleton, Stephen Rodwell (English Indoor Bowls Association) on behalf of the Disability steering group panel, then made the award witnessed by Carl Meader the Kempston Town Mayor who on his first visit to the club was impressed by the work being done at the club. Sarah Russel the CEO of the Tibbs Dementia group and around a hundred guests from the various disabled groups, some of the clubs key volunteers and members of both the Clubs management team and the Clubs bowls committee were served a lovely buffet lunch by the clubs chef with lots of chatter and celebrations being enjoyed by all. Kempston Park Indoor Bowling Club remains committed to offering a broad and inclusive welcome to all within the local community and using its facilities as an opportunity to help improve the lives both able and disabled people living locally.
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New technology giving parents comfort during the pandemic
Battle of the Bands YEAR 7 pupils from Holywell School, Cranfield, won the Key Stage 3 Beds Band Factory – ‘Battle of the Bands’ for schools competition last month. The event for Bedford and surrounding areas, was held at Redborne Upper School, Ampthill on Wednesday, March 4. The winners from the Cranfield school named their group ‘White Eyed Peace’ which is fronted by 12-year-old Dilan Nahar. It was Hahar and his brother who composed verses 2 and 3 of the mash-up song. The first prize is the opportunity to have their song professionally recorded in a local sound studio. In a very tight competition joint second were Sharnbrook Academy Dark Angels and Woodland Middle School, Flitwick.
A NEW video service for parents of children in Neonatal Intensive Care has been introduced. The Luton & Dunstable University Hospital and Bedford Hospital are offering the service to enable parents to see their children when they are not able to visit the hospital for various reasons. The service is call vCreate, staff use an iPad to video or take still photographs and upload them the vCreate website. These images are then sent to the parents’ smartphones. The service has been introduced at the time of the Coronavirus ‘lock-down’ when visiting is severley curtailed.
Funding for the service has been provided by the East of England Neonatal Network. A new video service for parents of children in Neonatal Intensive Care has been introduced.
The Luton & Dunstable University Hospital and Bedford Hospital are offering the service to enable parents to see their children when they are not able to visit the hospital for various reasons. The service is call vCreate, staff use an iPad to video or take still photographs and upload them the vCreate website. These images are then sent to the parents smartphones. The service has been introduced at the time of the Coronavirus ‘lock-down’ when visiting is severely curtailed. Funding for the service has been provided by the East of England Neonatal Network.
Max and Keira’s Law comes into effect MAX and Keira’s Law – the Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Act, came into effect last month. Under the new law, all adults in England are considered as having agreed to donate their own organs when they die unless they record a decision not to donate (known as ‘opting out’) or
are in one of the excluded groups. Those excluded will be people under 18, those who lack the mental capacity to understand the new arrangements and take the necessary action; people who have lived in England for less than 12 months; those who are not living here voluntarily and those who have nominated some-
one else to make the decision on their behalf. In cases, where the individual hasn’t expressed a decision, specialist nurses will support families to make a decision, based on what their loved ones would have wanted. If the decision is not to donate, this will be honoured and upheld.
Council’s deputy speaker AT THE first ever ‘virtual’ Annual Full Council meeting held on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, Mohammed Nawaz, Labour Councillor for Kempston Central & East was appointed Deputy Speaker of Bedford Borough Council. First elected in 2011, Mohammed is now in his third term as a Borough Councillor. He is presently Chair of the Audit & Standards Committee, and also sits on the Pension Fund Committee.
Beds Police exceeds recruitment targets
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BEDFORDSHIRE Police has exceeded police officer recruitment targets set by the PCC and the national uplift funding from the Home Office for 19/20, as the number of people applying to join the force almost doubles. Latest figures show that the force’s recruitment drive has seen officer numbers rise to the highest levels in the last 10 years. The figures reflect the tremendous commitment from the force to populate the frontline and the number of people wanting to be part of making a difference. In the first three months of the year 350 people applied to join Bedfordshire Police as an officer, which is an increase of 91% compared to the same period in 2019. In 2019/20 Bedfordshire Police had a target of recruiting an additional 78 officers, on top of their annual target of 100. The funding
for the extra officers was allocated from council tax precept, by the PCC, and national uplift subsidy. Last week, national figures showed that the nationwide recruitment drive for officers is on track with over 3,000 new recruits coming through in the past seven months.
Suspected arson
At around 4.50am on Saturday, May 23, 2020, emergency services were called to a block of flats in Harris Way following reports that a fire had broken out. PC Zoe Keepin, said: “We believe this fire was started deliberately and we are keen to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the incident. “Anyone with information is asked to contact 101, or use the online reporting centre, quoting reference number 40/27669/20.
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£18m investment in roads WORK has restarted on Britannia Road next week, which is part of the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) backed ‘Transporting Bedford’ project. This project is delivering major improvements to this well-known congestion hotspot, which links two major roads (Ampthill Road and Kempston Road) by the South Wing of Bedford Hospital. When the project had to be paused due to the coronavirus outbreak, works were ongoing to
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create a new lane going north towards Kempston Road and to make improvements to the road junctions. These works have now restarted. The pause in works, means that the contractor is now expecting this project to be complete and the road re-opened this summer. The ‘Transporting Bedford’ project is an £18million investment to ease congestion, £15.5m of which came from SEMLEP through the Local Growth Fund and £2.5m from Bedford Borough Council.
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sleepers to self-isolate, helping to protect the NHS and keep everyone safe. The changes to operations has created unforeseen and unplanned costs, which is why donations are so important at this time. Due to current social distancing rules, Mark Ward, President of Bedford Park Rotary, presented a virtual cheque for £2000 to SMART CJS CEO, Anita McCallum, pictured. “We are thankful to the loyal and constant support from Bedford Park Rotary – not only for their generous financial donation, but also for all that they do to help in many other ways. Heartfelt thanks for your ongoing support – we could not do it without you. “The money donated will go towards the £25,000 emergency COVID-19 appeal. The fundraiser has been launched to raise money to replace lost donations due to the current crisis and to provide essential services from our emergency rough sleeper base in Bedford. “Thanks to our incredible supporters, we have raised more than £10,000, but this is not enough to fill the gap. “More people will become homeless due to the pandemic and the centre will be relied upon more than ever before. Please donate, so we can keep going right now and so we can reopen the centre as soon as safely possible.” said Anita McCallum, SMART CJS’s CEO.
STAFF at The Bedford Sixth Form are all special but Deputy Head Alex Townsend goes above and beyond the call of duty as a Special Police Constable. “I have been a special since September 2018,” says Alex, who teaches Business at The Bedford Sixth Form in Bromham Road, Bedford. “Training was 16 weeks and I have all the same powers as regular officers and can drive vehicles too. “We cover a variety of events across the year such as football matches and local fetes / parades but also conduct night time economy (bars and nightlife) patrols on the weekends and other duties like exercising warrants for people who are wanted. “During the current crisis we have been patrolling lots of local areas across the country being visible, answering questions and advising people about the restrictions to make sure they stay safe.” Image shows Alex in Bedford Town Centre with a police colleague Lisa Miller. Would be students can join a live chat with Student Services Careers team Monday-Friday from 8.30am-4.30pm https://www.bedfordsixthform.ac.uk
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ON May 19, 2020, Bedford Park Rotary showed their continued commitment to the SMART Prebend Centre by donating an extremely generous £2000. The Prebend Centre for the homeless of Bedford relies on the support and kindness of local groups like Bedford Park Rotary. Sadly, due to lockdown, many core supporters are no longer able to meet and raise funds to keep the centre going. The service CANNOT survive without this vital income. SMART Staff and volunteers work relentlessly to run the centre, offering a safe place for the homeless and socially isolated of Bedford to eat, shower and access advice and support. The team provide hope to people who find themselves at the lowest point in their lives, but this is not possible without financial support. The centre has been hit hard by COVID-19 and is currently closed to conform with government guidance. But this has not stopped the team, who have relocated to hotel accommodation, with a revised service model, allowing rough
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BEDFORD Kite and Motoring Festival will return to Russell Park and the Embankment on Saturday and Sunday, June 12 and 13, 2021. The 2020 Kite and Motoring Festival was postponed earlier this year due to the coronavirus outbreak, and the Council and its partners had initially hoped to bring the Festival back later this year. With ongoing guidance against mass gatherings for public safety, together with partners in this event such as the kite flyers, car enthusiasts, and other entertainments at the Festival, and to provide certainty for the public it has been decided that the next Kite and Motoring Festival will be in June 2021. Mayor Dave Hodgson said: “It is disappointing that we aren’t able to deliver this event this year but we feel this is the right decision in these unprecedented circumstances. “Hopefully, the country will be in a position for the Kite and Motoring Festival to happen next June. Thank you to everyone for their work so far on the event and along with the Bedford River Festival, we are hoping to bring all of our planned activities, displays and events back to Russell Park and the Embankment next year.”
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PARENTS WORRIED OVER RETURN TO SCHOOL
Recently I have been bi-locating. I have cracked how to be two places at once! The answer, of course, is obvious. The necessity for church to go on-line, like so much else, means that I can be present at a zoomed service, whilst a recorded sermon is being heard elsewhere. At the same time my contribution to Messy Church will be received by children and their families, and quite possibly there are other ‘appearances’ elsewhere. Later in the week I can catch up on recordings of services from across the county. Moving out of our church buildings hasn’t been easy, but the need to stay safe and to follow government instruction has been paramount. At first some of us struggled with unfamiliar technology – Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a whole host of on-line platforms had either been unknown or things that we stayed away from. As I phone round our clergy, and connect with their on-line offerings, I have had increasing admiration for the worship and other prayer resources that they and colleagues are making available. It isn’t the same. Nothing will replace physical presence and contact with others. But the opportunity to pray together, reflect together, and talk together is there and is much valued. There is often also the chance to sing together. For those like me who can only warble out of tune the mute button is a great bonus! Most important of all clergy and others have worked hard to include those who aren’t on-line. A number will phone in and participate in that way. Nationally the ‘Daily Hope’ phone line (0800 804 8044) is being appreciated by many. When we return to our treasured (and at times frustrating) church buildings there will be much that we value and appreciate in a fresh way. Going on-line focuses for us issues of how we communicate effectively. We will also seek to continue this on-line presence, not least because it allows people to worship at a time that fits their commitments. The evidence is that, as well, it enables people new to church to join in. All of us, what-ever our beliefs, require spiritual sustenance. Why not explore what’s available – visit your local church (and other faith traditions are doing the same) on-line and join in. In the words of Arkwright and Granville ‘we are open all hours’.
On 10 May the Prime Minister announced that Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 would be the first to return to school on 1 June. Teachers’ unions, backed by the British Medical Association, have since expressed concern about the safety of classrooms. Parents in Bedford and Kempston now face the agonising choice between the obvious benefits of their child returning to school versus the unknown risks of compromising the lock-down when the infection rate is still not under control. Scientists are still divided on the risks to children. Some studies show pupils are less likely to become ill if infected and their ability to transfer the virus is low, while others show children are as infectious as adults. When I asked the Secretary of Health if he could reassure parents and teachers it was safe for young children, unable to socially distance to return to school he said that parents can be “confident that school is a safe environment for them”, but Michael Gove on the Andrew Marr Show was unable to offer such guarantees. The Government is losing public confidence when it’s most needed to persuade anxious parents to send their children to school. It’s been eroded by contradictory advice and slippery pledges on PPE and testing made to fill front pages for a day, that are exposed as untrue soon afterwards. The myth the Government “put a safety ring around care homes” has been exposed by the truth of the horrific death toll. In a few weeks’ time, the picture may look different. We are all coming to terms with living with a different level of risk until a vaccine can be found. Bedford Borough have committed to opening schools when it is safe to do so. But the Government must address teacher’s concerns, and put in place the plans to test, trace and isolate before teachers and parents can be confident that sending children back to school won’t trigger a second deadly peak..
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by Dave Hodgson Mayor of Bedford
LOOKING FORWARD
I am writing this in mid-May, and hopefully by the time you read this we will have started to see a bit more normality returning – although I know we will not be over the Coronavirus pandemic for a while and we will have to social distance for a long time. I wanted to take the opportunity of looking further forward. We are working on plans for both Bedford and Kempston town centres, our villages and looking even further forward and planning events in 2021 such as the River Festival and Kite and Motoring Festival, which we had to postpone this year. Over the last weeks we have managed to keep the Markets in both Bedford and Kempston running, providing essential food and other household items at first and slowly introducing more stalls such as the flower and plant stalls. Thank you to everyone who has supported our Markets. I am working with our Town Centres Portfolio Holder Councillor Henry Vann and Leisure and Culture Portfolio Holder Councillor Doug McMurdo on events we can hold once we are able to come together again. I will write more about these in a future column. The River Festival will take place on the weekend of 17th and 18th July 2021. There is a dedicated website at https://riverfestival.bedford.gov.uk/ which will keep you up to date with information about all the planned events and also sponsorship and trading opportunities as well as a countdown clock which shows there are just over 400 days to go! Before the River Festival, the Bedford Kite and Motoring Festival will return to Russell Park and the Embankment on the weekend 12th and 13th June 2021. This is a fantastic, free event for the whole community and one I particularly look forward to. Again there is a dedicated website for this event at https://www.bedfordfestivalofmotoring.com/ In the meantime please do keep safe and remember to regularly check the Government’s Coronavirus advice at https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
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Help keep young trees thriving BEDFORD Borough Council is joining with the Arboricultural Association, London Tree Officers Association, Municipal Tree Officers Association and the Association of Tree Officers in their campaign to ensure that newly planted trees are watered regularly over the summer months. Maintenance and watering of young trees is just as important as planting, and newly-planted trees need to be watered regularly over the summer months if they are going to become established and thrive. The dry weather which much of the UK experienced during April raised the question about how trees might be affected by COVID-19 if those people who ordinarily water them are no longer able to do so
Bedford Borough Council has planted over 900 trees in the last two years but due to the dry spring, many of these trees are struggling to survive. We are encouraging residents to get involved by watering newly planted trees – if you have a tree outside your home, or you pass by one while out exercising you can help. Cllr Charles Royden, Portfolio Holder for Environment said: “Planting and ensuring trees become established and thrive is great for the environment, for local neighbourhoods, and to keep our Borough looking its best.” If you would like to report a young tree in need of water, contact the tree team by email at customerservices@bedford.gov. uk or by calling 01234 267422.
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gardening A
with Milton Ernest Garden Centre
Achieving another dimension in your garden VERY important thing to consider is the structure in our gardens. We build our house define the boundaries lay the patio and buy a shed. To blend these all together we need plants. However plants themselves provide structure. Trees provide an interesting skyline and screen the neighbours. Larger trees like Acer Kelly’s Gold and Sorbus Hupehensis have wide canopies and lovely coloured foliage but lose their leaves in winter time. The conifers like Chaemacyparis Lawsoniana are evergreen with green blue or golden leaves give all year interest and provide nesting cover for birds. Narrow upright trees like Betula Snow Queen with gorgeous white bark, Prunus Amanagawa and Malus Red Sentinal both flower in spring and are suitable trees where space is a premium. Hedges can be planted to mark the boundary of your property and are more interesting than fences providing nesting places for birds and squirrels and a safe haven for a plethora of insects and butterflies. Leylandii gives a quick screen but must be maintained regularly to stop it becoming unmanageable and a bone of
contention with the neighbours. Thuya Plicata is slower growing but a lovely colour green with aromatic foliage. Photinia Red Robin, Taxus Baccata (Yew) and Viburnum Tinus are all good evergreen alternatives to Conifer hedges. If you need an immediate taller screen approximately 3 to 4 metres plant Carpinus (Hornbeam) or Tilia (Lime) trained as espaliers with yew planted below. It is expensive but is a stunning structure in any garden. Large shrubs can be planted in borders in front of fences and walls to give interest and need little maintenance. Photinia Red Robin with bright red young leaves, Viburnum Tinus and Mahonia Charity (winter flowering) and Ceanothus and Choisya Tenata (spring flowering) are all evergreen while Forsythia, Cotinus, Philadelphus, Berberis, Sambucus Ivory Tower and Viburnum Opulus lose their leaves in winter but are quick growing and provide extra seasonal interest. Feature plants used successfully provide points of interest in borders. Taxus Baccata Fastigiata Aurea, Juniperus Virginiana Blue Spire, Berberis Helmann’s Pillar, Miscanthus Karl Forster or
Miscanthus Zebrinus, Phormiums or Buxus trained as pyramids are all excellent feature plants giving focal points and structure in mixed borders. Small top grafted trees which only grow to about 1.5metres do the same. Some examples are Cotoneaster Juliette, Salix Nisiki Variegata, Holly and Euonymus. These can also all be grown in tubs on the patio and can be moved around to change the
scene. Standard roses can also be planted in rose beds for height and definition. Something special is Wisteria and Canary Bird Rose trained as standards. Both are breath taking when in flower but interesting shapes for the rest of the year. Bamboo is another superb structure plant. It is evergreen and can be used to accent or screen. Paths and walkways look more inviting when planted with low
hedges. Lavender and Buxus are ideal plants for this but Thyme, Catmint and Heucheras are also recommended. Low walls and rockeries are garden structures that need decorating with plants. The alpines are brilliant plants for these situations because they grow tumbling over rocks in the natural environment. Aubretia, Alyssum Saxatile, Saxifrage, Thyme, Saponaria, Alpine Phlox, Helianthemum and Campanula Carpatica between them give displays throughout the year. We can also introduce permanent features to give interest. Archways, Pergolas, Sitting Nooks, Rope Walks and Obelisks however ornate need plants. Arches that cover paths and Sitting Nooks need plants with soft stems and perfume that will train easily. You don’t want to be grabbed by rose thorns when you attempt to walk to the garage or sit sipping your Chardonnay! Plant these structures with different varieties of Honeysuckle to make a feature all year. Lonicera Belgica (early flowering), Lonicera Serotina (late), Lonicera Princess Kate (highly scented), Lonicera Hall’s Prolific and Mint Crisp
(evergreen) make the arch a year round interesting feature. Pergolas being larger will accommodate Wisteria, Clematis Montana, Jasmines and Climbing Roses. Rope Walks are good for Rambling Roses because the rampant growth quickly drapes the posts and ropes. The new varieties like Rose Albright (pink) and Malvern Hills (yellow) are exciting because they repeat flowering throughout the summer. Obelisks, the Victorians and Tudors loved them and painted them bright colours. I like to use them to decorate herbaceous borders and to give height in tubs. Planted with perennial sweet peas, hybrid clematis and as in the cottage gardens with runner beans you can achieve another dimension in garden structure. Finally some structures like the shed can be an eyesore. Cover them up with plants like Polygonum Baldschuanicum, Clematis Montana, Virginia Creeper and Variegated Ivy. The best structure of all of course is the lawn. It sets off the rest of the garden and keeps the Man in the House amused for hours each week.-