GARDENING

from SEASIDE NEWS: April 2022 issue

LEGAL

LALESTON GARDENING CLUB

April is such a busy month for us gardeners, but therapeutic for those that do indulge. In such troubled times a couple of hours in the garden away from the constant news bulletins, such awful images, can help with everyone’s mental wellbeing. This month the tasks are endless, but here are just some of the jobs to tackle Hardy annuals can be sown, sweet peas can be sown outside, shrubs & roses are hungry to be fed. The lawn needs attention, as well as cutting, spring feeds can be applied and any bare patches can be re-sown. There are always weeds to keep under control, perennials to attend to, cutting back last year’s growth to make way for new shoots. Laleston Gardening Club will be holding it’s first Lecture since 2019 on the 11th April when Kevin Thomas will be our speaker on Bedding Plants. Places are limited so booking only I’m afraid. We are also holding our first Perennial Plant Sale on Saturday 23rd April, 10am. We will follow this with our usual Annual Plant Sale on Saturday May 7th. We are restarting our Ladies Section meetings commencing Tuesday, 5th April at 7.30pm. We’ve missed everyone at Cliff Cottage, looking forward to seeing you all again, a warm welcome awaits.

Susan Ford

CEFN CRIBWR GARDENING CLUB

April – Sunshine and showers (well the sunshine’s new!) Time to start sowing seeds outside, lots of veg can go in your patch this month, lettuce, beetroot, leeks, turnips and peas, Make a drill with a stick (we’re not posh) the seed packet will say how deep, straight drills are ideal for veg but for flower seed, be creative, perhaps curvy or wavy drills, so pretty when they all come up and far more natural. Water the drill before seeding to dampen the base, when the seedlings emerge, hoe between the rows regularly so the weeds don’t strangle your babies! We have a plant sale on 23rd April in the front garden of 2, Brynn Terrace in Cefn, 10-12am. All are welcome. Come and stock up, support the club and adopt a homeless plant, you can never have too many! Hydrangeas, time to prune them, removing all the flower heads that have been left on over winter to protect the new buds underneath, what a maternal shrub this is! However, did you know the Hydrangea is symbolic of boastfulness because they produce many gorgeous flowers but very few seeds to continue breeding with. So all mouth and no go!

Chris Early

PORTHCAWL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

Yes, we’re still here. We’ve been quiet for a while so we need to jog your memories. The Stores are now fully stocked, eight pallets delivered the other day, with Clover compost, a Which ‘Best Buy’, grow bags, bagged Farmyard manure and Topsoil and peat free compost all available. Seed potatoes, £1.50 per Kg. Also shallots, onion sets and peas and beans sold loose. Bamboo canes-all lengths. Fertilizers like Gromore, Fish, Blood & Bone are sold by the Kg or full 25Kg bags. For various reasons we regret that it is unlikely that we will be running our Garden tours this year. Our donations to local Charities have continued with £1000 each going to our RNLI station for a Visitor Information Display and to Kenfig Sands Life Saving Club towards a new clubhouse. We are always happy to welcome new members fees being £4 and £3 for over 65’s. Find us on Heol y Goedwig between Woodland Ave and Newton Nottage Road alongside the Allotments open Wed and Sat mornings 09.00 to12.00.

Frank Fulgoni

Deadline date for the May issue is: FRIDAY 15TH APRIL

PORTHCAWL FLORAL ARRANGEMENT SOCIETY

At the time of writing we are looking forward to our long delayed afternoon tea at the Grove with our guest speaker, Terry Walton. He is a radio gardener and should have many useful tips for getting our gardens ready for Spring. With the warmer and sunnier weather we can look forward to colourful displays of flowers in our gardens and lighter evenings. Our February Practice evening was popular with many members creating linear table arrangements and more experienced flower arrangers perfecting white petite designs. We will be making Spring arrangements in April with a demonstration on 6th by Adrian Cooke. The annual Music and Flower Festival will be held at All Saints Church on 4th June. The theme is the Queen’s Jubilee. The event is preceded by a Patron’s evening on 3rd where Roy Noble will be the guest speaker. We will be working hard to decorate • Grass Cutting the church with floral themes • Hedge Trimming reflecting the Queen’s life. • Tree Services • Turfing There will be a varied musical • Decorative Gravel programme as well as some • Fencing floral workshops. If you would like to join our group and for further details of our full programme and events RELIABLE LOCAL SERVICE please consult our Facebook Call Rhys page or ring 01656 222985. Home: 01656 745560