Eden On Our Doorstep?

With 2018 marking the 100th anniversary of the end of World War 1 our theme is Remembrance & Peace. There are some lovely plants associated with this including Forget me-nots, Peace roses, Lilies and of course poppies. Why not try and fit some of these into your borders, baskets and tubs. Dunstable in Bloom, in partnership with the Don’t Let Dunstable Die (DLDD) Trust, will be running the best front garden and floral display competition again this year. There are 6 entry categories to choose from and you can enter one or more of the following: • Best Front Garden • Best Floral Container • Best Hanging Basket • Best Commercial Business • Best Community Garden • Best School Project

To enter you can do so by emailing your details and entry category to sarah.woodruff@ntlworld.com The closing date is 5.00pm on Friday 6th July 2018

Spring is here at last! A reminder how bitterly cold it was in March but brightened up by these cheery daffodils planted by With 2018 marking the 100th anniversary of the end of World War 1 our theme is Remembrance & Peace. There are some lovely plants associated with this including Forget me-nots, Peace roses, Lilies and of course poppies. Why not try and fit some of these into your borders, baskets and tubs. Our first project of the year was to assist the Friends of Dunstable Cemetery and Signpost in a Tidy-Up Day at Dunstable Cemetery on 22nd March. Particularly making sure that graves of all service people buried there are well cared for. On Saturday 12th May a History Event, also with the Dunstable in Bloom volunteers. Summer’s not far away – so get planting & enter our competitions! Get Involved! Dunstable in Bloom, in partnership with the Don’t Let Dunsta-ble Die (DLDD) Trust, will be running the best front garden and floral display competition again this year. There are 6 entry categories to choose from and you can enter one or more of the following: • Best Front Garden • Best Floral Container • Best Hanging Basket • Best Commercial Business • Best Community Garden • Best School Project To enter you can do so by emailing your details and entry category to sarah.woodruff@ntlworld.com The closing date is 5.00pm on Friday 6th July 2018 theme of Remembrance & Peace, will be held in the lovely Priory Gardens. Dunstable in Bloom will have a stall selling plants and flowers. Any contributions very welcome and if you would like to join us details can be obtained from from Mary Chapman on 01582 603710

The town flowers were looking marvellous and weather perfect when the two Anglia in Bloom judges visited on Friday 15th July. Seen here in

Ashton Square with Hugh Garrod, Chairman of

Promoting Dunstable on the left and John Crawley,

Head of Grounds at DTC on the right.

The three hour tour started with a short reception at Grove House with video and displays. In Grove

House gardens they saw some of the competing Spring is here at last! A reminder how bitterly cold it was in March but brightened up by these cheery daffodils planted by Dunstable in Bloom volunteers. Summer’s not far away – so get planting & enter our competitions! Wheelie Fantastic barrows decorated to mark the Queen’s Jubilee. Our team of Town Rangers, who do such a great job of maintenance in the town, were introduced. Next stop, via Queensway seeing the new Rain Gardens and High St. improvements, was the attractive Tudor garden at the Old Palace Lodge Hotel. Then on to Priory View Assisted Living – many residents are keen gardeners and had put a huge effort into their tubs, hanging baskets and Get Involved!

Our first project of the year was to assist the Friends of Dunstable Cemetery and Signpost in a Tidy-Up Day at Dunstable Cemetery on 22nd March. Particularly making sure that graves of all service people buried there are well cared for. borders which are enjoyed by all. Blow’s Downs followed - a complete contrast - all wild flowers in the meadows and along the Guided Busway. They were welcomed by members of the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust and their youth rangers. Even younger gardeners next , under 12, at St Augustine’s Primary

On Saturday 12th May a History Event, also with the theme of Remembrance & Peace, will be held in the lovely Priory Gardens. Dunstable in Bloom will have a stall sell-ing plants and flowers. Any contributions very welcome and if you would like to join us details can be obtained from from Mary Chapman on 01582 603710 School. They have worked hard and are very proud of their amazing Forest Garden Project. More trees were seen at Mentmore Recreation ground planted as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy – this is an ongoing project. The Lowther Rd. shopping area has been made more attractive with a lovely little garden tended by the 5th Dunstable Scouts - other beds there are looked after by shop owners. Plot holders at Hillcroft allotments showed them the community area they had created at the site.

Dunstable cemetery, which already has a Green

Flag award followed. A team of volunteers help care for the area. Then a walk through Ashton

Square viewing the new and attractive and sustainable planting scheme at the Methodist Church and meeting members of Dunstable Wombles a wonderful group of volunteers who spend their free time clearing up all the litter that thoughtless people leave around. Finally the visit ended with a tour of our lovely historic Priory gardens including a visit to the unique Medicinal and Physic border. A welcome tea awaited them in Priory House! We hope they enjoyed their visit and appreciated all the hard work of all involved. Another huge effort was needed on 29th July when the Britain in Bloom judges visited. Results should be in the next edition of the Vine– will we get Gold medals?

Open a world of new experiences, live life to the full with Dunstable

learn, laugh, live

No longer working full-time or raising a family?

u3a gives you the chance to make the most of life, develop your interests, make new friends and enjoy yourself. JOIN US FOR OUR MONTHLY GET TOGETHER

To catch up for a chat and listen to great speakers Every 3rd Monday of the month, 1:15pm at The Square, Methodist Church

Choose from 80 interest groups & join as many as you wish. From Walking to Talking History to Dancing Languages to Choir

There’s something for everyone!

Plus: Access 10 annual organised day trips.

For details explore our website, we’d love you to join us! www.u3asites.org.uk/dunstable/links

Find us: facebook@dunstableu3a Email: secretaryu3adunstable@gmail.com Tel: 07514 580251