rhs grass roots - issue 19 autumn 2014...issue 19 • autumn 2014 rhs.org.uk/communities rhs britain...

Issue 19 • Autumn 2014 rhs.org.uk/communities

RHS BRITAIN IN BLOOM

bloom gardens at rHs sHows

GRass ROOTSthe rHs Community Update

splitting perennials How to make leafmould

The Results!

BUILD A BUG HOTEL COMPETITION - Get involved!

2 welCome

2/ welCome 3/ rHs brItaIn In bloom awards CeremonY HostBristol welcomes the finalists

4/5 news

6/9 rHs brItaIn In bloom resUlts

10/11 bloom at rHs sHows

12/13 rHs sCIenCe & adVICe

Autumn jobs in the garden

14 rHs CampaIgn for sCHool gardenIngSchool Gardening Oscars

15/ rHs affIlIated soCIetIesRHS Affiliated Societies updates

Grass Roots is published by rHs Community Horticulture, 80 Vincent square, london sw1p 2pe Tel 020 7821 3122 Email [email protected]

©2014 the royal Horticultural society

GRASS ROOTS • autumn 2014

bloom’s 50th anniversary year has been a truly golden one, with sunflowers rising up across towns, villages and cities, in allotments, school gardens, parks, windowsill gardens - you name it, we’ve seen sunflowers growing there!

thanks to all of you for helping to make the anniversary so special. groups have embraced the theme while continuing to do what bloom gardeners do best - making the places that we all live and work greener, cleaner and better loved.

It’s clear to see that community gardening in great britain in 2014 is in rude health and we’re certain that the next 50 years will see ever more people getting involved. the rHs britain in bloom campaign is looking forward to being there

to support the people that make the magic happen (that’s you, by the way!).

It’s now awards season and we’re delighted to bring you the rHs britain in bloom UK finals results in this issue.*

awards are a good wrap to a year’s hard work and we hope that all bloom and It’s Your neighbourhood groups across the UK are feeling proud of their achievements.

we wish you all a productive - and peaceful - autumn.many thanks,

sophie dawson, editor* for regional results, please visit the bloom region/ nation websites, which can be accessed via rhs.org.uk/britaininbloom

WELCOME

registered Charity no: 222879 / sC038262

the royal Horticultural society is the UK’s leading gardening charity, dedicated to advancing horticulture and promoting gardening.

our community campaigns support more than 5,000 groups in creating greener and more interconnected communities. for more information about rHs britain in bloom, rHs It’s Your neighbourhood and rHs affiliated societies, please visit rhs.org.uk/communities

This magazine is printed on paper using 75 percent recycled fibre and 25 percent virgin fibre sourced from certified sustainable forests. Please pass it on or recycle it.

To the autumn issue of Grass Roots, the magazine for all RHS “in Bloom” and It’s Your Neighbourhood participants and RHS Affiliated Societies.

rHs / C

arol sheppard

Cover image: The Dingle, Shrewsbury. Credit: Shrewsbury in Bloom

A lovely surpriseA week or two ago someone who drives through our village on a regular basis, stopped and asked the postman if he knew anyone involved with Spofforth in Bloom. The postman said he did and the driver handed him an envelope with the comment that he always enjoyed coming through the village and how nice it always looked.

The postman handed it to one of our committee and you can imagine

your letters

please send your letters to [email protected] or sophie dawson, rHs, 80 Vincent square, london sw1p 2pe. letters on all community gardening topics are welcomed, but may be edited for publication.

our surprise to find that the envelope contained £100!

Isn’t it great to receive some positive feedback which provides our volunteers with the motivation to keep up their hard work. Thank you so much to our anonymous donor.

David SaundersChairman Spofforth in Bloom

rHs brItaIn In bloom awards CeremonY Host 3

rhs.org.uk/communities

by monica whyte,bristol in bloom Community association

bristol is honoured to be hosting the rHs britain in bloom awards ceremony this october, with over 71

communities from around the UK arriving to hear their results.

as the closest major city to london and gateway to the south west of england, bristol has a great deal to offer visitors. the city has a rich maritime heritage, state-of-the-art attractions, fantastic parks and green spaces, world-class events, an exciting new shopping quarter and a richly deserved status as the ‘european green Capital 2015’.

our city has a rich seam of history, full of echoes and marks from the past. In the year 1200 bristol was a thriving mercantile town with a population of nearly 2,000; today the population is closer to 350,000. However we are lucky to still be surrounded by flora and fauna that brings the countryside into the heart of the city.

with many of our parks having green flag status, and a wide range of wonderful open spaces - the downs as well as the avon gorge, to name but two - you are never far away from a green space.

Imag

es: b

risto

l in

blo

om

Bristol welcomes the finalists

a wide ranging, diverse community engages with our ‘in bloom’ initiative, and we are also blessed with many food-growing projects across the city. the ‘Incredible edible bristol’ movement aims to create an umbrella network to help people benefit from each others’ experiences. It also acts as a hub for people who wish to volunteer in the city as food growers. the concept is that communities will join together to learn about growing and cooking food within their urban environment, working with local

businesses as well as schools and colleges to create food growing communities of all ages and ethnicities. our ‘blooming’ future depends on ensuring awareness in the next generation of the importance of looking after our surroundings and bristol in bloom facilitates this in all of its endeavours, engaging with young and old alike.

bristolinbloom.org.uk/

bristol landmark, the Clifton suspension bridge and above, harbourside bars and restaurants provide relaxing traffic-free spaces

letchworth garden City Heritage foundation and the rHs are joining forces in an innovative community-

focused programme to create three new sustainable green spaces in the heart of the town. as part of this programme, the rHs Hampton Court palace flower show garden 50 Golden Years: A Celebration of Britain in Bloom was replanted in letchworth following the show.

the other new gardens will include an allotment to demonstrate low-cost gardening, a biodiversity garden, with a focus on encouraging wildlife, and a sustainable garden where the emphasis will be on organic gardening. the gardens will include information boards to supplement the educational elements of the project.

letchworth garden City, an eight square mile area in north Hertfordshire, has a relatively high proportion of social housing (33 percent) compared with the national average of 19 percent. part of the original concept of a

garden City was creating a community that feeds itself and this aim has been reinvigorated through a growing demand to be self-sufficient due to increased awareness of issues like the distance food travels, the cost of food and the use of chemicals in global food production.

John lewis, Chief executive of the letchworth garden City Heritage foundation said, “this is an exciting partnership which will look to deliver beautiful gardens at the heart of letchworth garden City’s town centre and lead to a range of projects to promote sustainable gardening in our community.”

4 news


rHs teams up with world’s first garden City in major new grow Your own project

early warning for parks

the Heritage lottery fund’s latest report, state of UK parks 2014, highlights the potential risks that lie ahead for UK parks.

In 2014, it’s a positive picture: half of park managers say their parks are in ‘good condition’ and 41 percent feel they are improving; 70 percent recorded increased visitor numbers. In the last three years there has been a 31 percent increase in the number of friends’ groups and, collectively, they’ve raised £6.6 million and provided 183 volunteer days a year to each park.

However, when asked to look at the next three years, only 21 percent of managers think their parks will continue to improve; 37 percent expect them to decline. almost 90 percent of managers say budget cuts have reduced staffing levels.

the Hlf report examines future threats to UK parks

bloom’s garden from rHs Hampton Court palace flower show settles into its new home in letchworth; below left, volunteers help construct a second garden in the town centre.

The new RHS website contains more than 6,000 pages of content. Online registration allows you to sign up for

newsletters, add comments to blogs/articles and save content to My RHS. A beefed up advice section contains new ‘beginners guides’, tips on garden design and an improved plantfinder search tool. Plus a new

garden finder search tool with over 800 gardens nationwide. Explore the site at: rhs.org.uk

New RHS website launched

grants for projects in england and wales

now is the time to apply for the ngs elspeth thompson bursary, a fund set up in memory of the gardening journalist to provide funds for community gardening projects. applications must be received by 31 december 2014 and are considered in february 2015. no fixed amount is set, and more than one bursary may be awarded in a particular year; bursaries generally range between £1,000 to £3,500.

In 2014, three groups - from london, gateshead and the west midlands - received funding to create community and school allotments and sustainable growing projects.

to request an application form please phone lizanne o’Connor, rHs bursaries manager on 01483 479719 or download

FUNDING UPDATES

to ensure parks continue to play an important role, the report says park managers need to quantify and illustrate the social, health and environmental benefits of parks so they can compete better for new and existing funding. download the full report from: hlf.org.uk

letchworth g

arden City H

eritage foundation

letchworth in b

loom

Cho

rley

Coun

cil

5


rHs Yorkshire Community funding awarded

New team memberJenna pickvance joined the Community Horticulture team earlier this year as programmes assistant. she provides support to bloom and It’s Your neighbourhood groups and is the first point of contact for any enquiries relating to the campaigns. before joining the rHs, Jenna worked in the private sector, but is enjoying the community aspect of her new role. Jenna’s interests include hiking and growing her own vegetables.

Jenna can be reached by phone 020 7821 3122 or email [email protected]

the archway Urban growth project in leeds is one of 28 community groups in Yorkshire awarded £30,000 of grants from the rHs community fund, this year supported by Kärcher.

the initiative is part of the charity re’new, which provides holistic services to vulnerable and disadvantaged young people to enable them to raise their attainment and aspirations. the garden it has developed is in a highly deprived area: houses are the most densely packed in the UK and have no growing space. funds from the rHs are being used to develop the garden and also to buy gardening resources, such as water butts and hanging baskets, for residents who use the service.

In June, tV gardener and Kärcher watering expert diarmuid gavin visited archway to share gardening tips and present the group with some new water-saving products. “this is an awesome venture that will ultimately help improve many people’s lives as well as the environment,” said diarmuid. to find out how to apply for funding, visit: rhs.org.uk/regional

diarmuid gavin inspires young people at archway to grow their own at home

new fund for communities

bloom groups receive sHip funding

funding for native planting power to Change is a new initiative from bIg lottery which will invest up to £150 million to support the development of sustainable community-led enterprises across england. the fund will open in early 2015. for more information and to watch a film about the fund, visit: biglotteryfund.org.uk/powertochange

grow wild is awarding £1,000 to £4,000 to community groups across the UK that want to bring people together to transform a communal space by growing native plants. they are looking to fund 50 to 70 projects each year in 2015 and 2016. If your group has an inspiring idea to connect people to nature, apply before 2 december 2014.

they are also looking for two flagship projects, one in wales and one in northern Ireland, that will receive £120,000 funding plus contributions towards development and upkeep costs. expressions of interest are due by the 2 february 2015.

to find out more and to apply, visit: growwilduk.com

eight bloom groups across the UK have been awarded funding in the second and final round of the defra/ rHs sustainable Horticulture in partnership (sHip) scheme. the groups will receive a total of £20,254

to fund community projects that will increase their use of sustainable growing media.

rHs / b

ethany Clarke

the form from the rHs website: rhs.org.uk/ngcelspeththompsonbursary

GRASS ROOTS • Autumn 2014

Congratulations rHs Britain in Bloom 2014 finalists!this year 71 towns, villages, cities and urban communities participated in the UK finals - rHs britain in bloom. the judges made their visits in the summer and we are delighted to bring you each community’s result, with Cw denoting the category winners.

small VIllage

Entry Name Region / Nation

Award

Bray Village Thames & Chilterns

Gold /CW

great whittington

northumbria silver gilt

tresco south west gold

VIllage


Award

elswick north west gold

filby anglia gold

glenarm Ulster gold

Kirkoswald Cumbria silver gilt

Moorsholm Northumbria Gold/ CW

Norton in Hales

Heart of England

Gold/ CW

Upper Hopton

Yorkshire silver gilt

large VIllage


Award

dufftown scotland silver gilt

Hillsborough Ulster Gold/ CW

limpsfield south east silver gilt

market bosworth

east midlands

gold

Usk wales gold

small town


Award

Cranbrook south east silver gilt

Dunnington Yorkshire Gold/ CW

pitlochry scotland gold

sedgefield northumbria gold

whitehead Ulster silver gilt

Car

rickf

ergu

s in

blo

om

aberdeen in b

loom

Coastal oVer 12K


Award

sidmouth south west silver gilt

st andrews scotland silver gilt

St Peter Port

Guernsey Gold/ CW

Coastal Up to 12K


Award

filey Yorkshire silver gilt

Hunstanton Anglia Gold/ CW

tenby wales silver gilt


rHs brItaIn In bloom resUlts 7


town


Award

bridgnorth Heart of england

silver

dalton with newton

Cumbria silver

Halstead Anglia Gold/ CW

Henley on thames

thames & Chilterns

silver gilt

Immingham east midlands silver gilt

linlithgow scotland silver gilt

Shevington & District

North West Gold/ CW

thornbury south west silver gilt

large town


Award

belper east midlands

silver gilt

Carrickfergus Ulster silver gilt

Colwyn bay wales silver gilt

Congleton north west gold

durham northumbria gold

farnham south east silver gilt

malvern Heart of england

silver gilt

perth scotland gold

Truro South West Gold/ CW

wisbech anglia silver gilt

Images, clockwise from top left: Golden sunflowers in Carrickfergus; tree planting in Bath; WW1 memorial display in Sedgefield; a thriving community garden in Tamworth’s sheltered housing; wildflowers bring colour to the hills outside Aberdeen.

oldham

in bloom

elsw

ick

in b

loom

tam

wor

th in

blo

om

sedgefield in bloom

barry C

ruse

small CItY


Award

Bath South West Gold / CW

bracknell thames & Chilterns

silver

Chorley north west silver

Crawley south east silver gilt

derry City Ulster silver gilt

Harrogate Yorkshire gold

loughborough east midlands

silver gilt

tamworth Heart of england

silver gilt

CItY


Award

aberdeen scotland gold

norwich anglia silver gilt

Oldham North West Gold/ CW

westminster london silver gilt

large CItY


Award

Hillingdon london silver gilt

leeds Yorkshire gold

Sunderland Northumbria Gold/ CW

CHampIon of CHampIons


Award

ahoghill Ulster gold

City of london london gold

glenrothes scotland gold

Shrewsbury Heart of England

Gold/ CW

woolton (liverpool)

north west gold

Urban CommUnItY


Award

bridgers Community group (leigh)

north west silver

eston (middlesbrough)

northumbria silver gilt

evington (leicester)

east midlands

silver

Kippax (leeds) Yorkshire silver gilt

london bridge (southwark)

london silver

Port Marine & Village Quarter (Portishead)

South West Gold/ CW

town Close ward (norwich)

anglia silver gilt

arriving in the UK in early august, judges from eleven countries visited edinburgh and bournemouth to assess the cities as part of this year’s entente florale (ef) competition.

while ef is not a part of bloom, every year bloom judges invite current and recent finalists to consider entering.

peter Holman UK lead Judge & ef Jury Vice-Chair said, “despite a dull and damp day in edinburgh and riviera like sunshine in bournemouth both entries produced an outstanding tour for the jury. Visits to Holyrood park and the royal botanic garden in edinburgh and the parks, gardens and especially the ‘Chines’ in bournemouth impressed the european team.”

the jury looked at strategies and plans for the landscape, the built environments and their environmental credentials as well as their bloom efforts. at the awards in százhalombatta, Hungary on the 26 september both achieved a gold award and edinburgh also received the lucija Čikeš award for their work on behalf of disabled and disadvantaged people.

for more information, please visit: entente-florale.eu


8 rHs brItaIn In bloom resUlts

John barratt

dIsCretIonarY awards

rHs britain in bloom 50th anniversary award (2014 only)

Chorley, north west

rHs britain in bloom Horticulture award

oldham, north west

rHs britain in bloom environment award

london bridge, london

rHs britain in bloom Commercial award

stockley park, Hillingdon, london

rHs britain in bloom Young people’s award

Immingham, east midlands

rHs britain in bloom school award

Joint winners: st mary’s school, dalton, Cumbria;Cavell primary and nursery school, norwich, anglia

rHs britain in bloom Conservation and wildlife award

tresco, south west

rHs britain in bloom pride of place award

port marine & Village Quarter (portishead), south west

rHs britain in bloom tourism award

shrewsbury, Heart of england

rHs britain in bloom Heritage award

pitlochry, scotland

rHs britain in bloom public park award (given in memory of david welch)

roundhay park, leeds, Yorkshire

rHs britain in bloom Community award

truro, south west

rHs britain in bloom Community Champion award

Chris beard, Harrogate;richard budge, truro;margaret Carter, shevington;roy freer mbe, dunnington;Ken gillance, moorsholm;John Jordan, malvern;

sue lane, tenby;James perry, ahoghill;stan sedman mbe, shrewsbury;penny stocks, wisbech;John summers, perth;

rHs britain in bloom outstanding Contribution award

walter dinning, northumbriamark wasilewski mVo, london

RHS IYN National Certificates of Distinction

friends of the City of swansea botanical Complex, wales

Capel diamond Jubilee Community orchard, south & south east

play lane millennium green trust, south & south east

the gardens residents association, london

north shore street residents, Harrington, workington, Cumbria

residents and friends of trafalgar square, Yorkshire

lower broad street residents association, Heart of england

RHS IYN National Certificates of Distinctionevery year, a selection of the very best rHs It’s Your neighbourhood projects are recognised for their achievements. this year seven groups have been nominated by their region/ nation to receive this award. *list at time of going to press

European success for Edinburgh & Bournemouth

arthur’s seat in edinburgh; a litter pick in bournemouth’s Kings park (right)

bournem

outh in bloom

e dinburgh in bloom


rHs brItaIn In bloom dIsCretIonarY awards 9

Tomorrow’s gardeners nurtured in Immingham

Perfect for Pollinator Chorley

to celebrate the growing for gold for pollinators theme of this year’s 50th anniversary a special discretionary award was introduced to the

campaign for one year only. The RHS Britain in Bloom 50th Anniversary Award was presented to the finalist that demonstrated the best pollinator-friendly planting across their entry.

the north west town of Chorley wowed visiting judges martyn Hird and rae beckwith with its range of planting designed with wildlife in mind. “every roundabout was planted up with a selection of wildflower mixes and the central reservation running through the town was a ribbon of yellow,” says martyn.

“for us, the crowning glory was the seed selection used at astley park, which resulted in a stunning area alive with all manner of insect life.”

the town’s council-led bloom campaign has been going for 10 years and in 2014 took the decision to introduce wildflower areas and herbaceous beds as well as the usual bedding plants. the move is part of the council’s commitment to

reducing its carbon footprint, introducing more ecological practices and bringing wildlife back into the town centre – and it’s gone down well with residents.

“we’ve had more compliments this year than ever before,” said Councillor adrian lowe, who has overseen Chorley’s rHs britain in bloom campaign. and the new planting schemes are set to save money too. “on a 20 metre roundabout, if there’s grass we’d need to cut it 10 to 12 times a year, so maintenance

costs and carbon footprint are high,” Cllr lowe explains. “with the wildflowers it’s cut just twice a year, with a bit of seed re-sown each spring.”

the RHS Britain in Bloom Young People’s Award is presented to the finalist deemed to have involved young people from across the community in the best way. In 2014, it was the

town of Immingham in north lincolnshire that most impressed.the community’s bloom campaign is just four years old and

has focused, since inception, on engaging local residents and young people. the group actively supports enterprise and skills development, offering paid employment to seven youngsters during the school holidays and a full-time apprentice, who receive training to help with plant care, planting, watering, helping volunteers, strimming and hedge cutting.

Visiting judges Jeff bates and Ian beaney, said, “the range of young people working with Immingham in bloom is remarkable. there’s the 30-plus members of Junior anglers, who care for the wildlife at the angling lake and install habitat boxes; the rainbows, brownies, guides, girls brigade, and sea Cadets, who plant and maintain borders; the pilgrim swimming Club is an established rHs It’s Your neighbourhood group which has developed a garden with its young members.”

the group has also coordinated the creation of a ww1 trench with schools across the town. Children were involved at every stage in the part-lottery-funded project, from researching conditions in the trenches to helping to build it. the installation will remain in place until 2018 and will be used as a teaching resource by schools and community groups.

Images: C

horley Council

15-year-old ryan simpson opens the ww1 trench at the oasis academy in Immingham, which was designed and built by young people

Chorley’s planting provides year-round nectar for pollinators, in cemeteries, parks, roundabouts and public gardens


10 bloom at rHs sHows

Garden Designer Jon Wheatley created this year’s RHS Britain in Bloom garden with the help of an incredible voluntary team. Jon is Chairman of South West

in Bloom, an RHS Britain in Bloom judge and an RHS Council member.

Where did the inspiration for the design come from? bloom involves people from communities throughout the UK. the creative and innovative means by which they enhance their environments has always fascinated

me. I never copy but am often inspired by the way people use the power of plants in their local areas.

How easy was it to grow all those perfect plants?planning is essential, particularly with out of season plants – timing things well means that everything will look its best at

rHs/ Julian w

eigall

July’s rHs Hampton Court palace flower show had one very important garden at its heart: 50 Golden Years;

a Celebration of Britain in Bloom. the show’s centrepiece garden told the story of the UK’s biggest community gardening campaign; its evolution over the past 50 years illustrated with different sections showing styles through the ages.

“It was wonderful to be able to share the story of bloom with visitors at this year’s show,” said rHs Community Horticulture manager stephanie eynon. “It’s a campaign that inspires people wherever it goes.”

Blooming marvellous at Hampton

rHs /b

ethany Clarke


11

rHs

/Hel

ipix

Jon

whe

atle

y

Jon

whe

atle

y

Michael Morshead is an apprentice with Truro Council’s Parks Department who assisted with the creation of the Bloom garden at Hampton.

How were you involved in the garden?this was my first time doing a show garden or anything of the sort. me and my fellow apprentice patrick winterton were lucky enough to get the opportunity to be involved with this project where we helped with most aspects of the garden from planting to landscaping.

What were your favourite moments?the build took around two and a half weeks and I enjoyed working within a team of new people from different gardening backgrounds, where we had a laugh and I learnt a great deal.

It was rewarding to see the progress of our garden at the end of each day and even more so when the garden was completed with a positive response from the public. during the build, I enjoyed seeing the other gardens develop too.

What does Bloom mean to you?taking a space and making it a brighter, more colourful and generally nicer place to be with plants.

What do you hope to do next?after completing my apprenticeship, I am due to start a new gardening job for bodmin town Council. I also hope to be involved in more shows next year.

Sam Baldery is a community volunteer and Secretary of East Grinstead in Bloom.

How were you involved in the Bloom garden?

I was asked to help promote bloom and all we stand for which was quite easy to do when you believe in and love bloom. whilst on the garden we provided leaflets to visitors and advised people about the types of plants used.

What were your favourite moments?being part of the bloom team on the garden! It was a proud moment to spend my first time at Chelsea on one of the most visited gardens on display.

What does Bloom mean to you?bloom to me is a way in which we bring communities together through gardening. It brings a smile to people’s faces as they see the environment in which you and they live improve through the voluntary work that bloom and It’s Your neighbourhood projects do. It is these smiles and the appreciation of the community that makes it all worthwhile.

bloom keeps me busy and as secretary, I get involved in all aspects from committee meetings, the annual bloom judging and organising presentation evenings, to gardening and liaising with local businesses to get them involved. bloom is a large part of my life as I love gardening and I love giving back to the community, so what better way that to do it than through bloom?!

Volunteering at Chelseabloom’s anniversary was celebrated with a special garden at the rHs Chelsea flower show. one volunteer shares her story.

Clockwise from above: planting progresses in the bloom garden; volunteer Janet gets

stuck in with some interesting footwear; the garden in the early stages, laying out

the planting areas; sophie ellis bextor with gerald the giraffe

alan titchmarsh in the Chelsea bloom garden

the right time. we also grow about twice as many as we need!

What was your favourite memory of the show?listening to the public’s comments! “we could do that” was a good one. that’s what it’s about, inspiring people with ideas they can take home with them.

rHs Im

ages /bethany C

larke

12 rHs sCIenCe & adVICe


Help for your community with regular news and tips from rHs scientists and advisors. to suggest a topic for this section of the magazine, contact [email protected] / 020 7821 3118

rHs ADVICe Autumn jobs in the garden

aftercare

plant the divisions as soon as possible and water them in well. alternatively pot up individually to build up size, overwintering pots in a frost-free environment

for more advice on any gardening topic, visit: rhs.org.uk.advice

regularly dividing perennials will ensure healthy, vigorous plants that will continue to perform year after

year. It also offers the opportunity to multiply your plants as you need them and cut the cost of buying new stock.

Dividing perennials

most perennials benefit from division every two to three years to maintain health and vigour. for the purposes of propagation (generating new plants), the task can be done more regularly.

these are just a few examples of plants that can be divided: Agapanthus, Anemone, Aster, Bergenia, Crocosmia, Delphinium, Epimedium, Euphorbia, Geranium, Hemerocallis, Hosta, Iris, Lysimachia, ornamental grasses, Primula, Salvia, Sedum, Verbena.

plants can be divided successfully at almost any time if they are kept well-watered afterwards. However, division is most successful when the plants are not in active growth.

divide summer-flowering plants in spring or autumn when the soil is dry enough to work. In wet autumns, delay until spring.

lift plants gently with a garden fork, working outwards from the crown’s centre to limit root damage. shake off excess soil so that roots are clearly visible.

some plants, such as Ajuga (bugle), produce individual plantlets which can simply be teased out and replanted.

small, fibrous-rooted plants such as Heuchera, Hosta and Epimedium can be lifted and pulled apart gently. this should produce small clumps for replanting.

large, fibrous-rooted perennials, such as Hemerocallis (daylily), require two garden forks inserted into the crown back-to-back.

suitable for...

when to divide perennials

How to divide perennials

Hosta plants can usually be teased apart by hand

Dividing perennials such as Hemerocallis can be done by prising apart the root mass with two garden forks

rHs / tim

sandall

spring is also better suited to plants that are slightly tender.

many spring-flowering plants, such as irises, are best divided in summer after flowering when they produce new roots.

Use these as levers to loosen and break the root mass into two sections. further division can then take place.

In some cases, a sharp knife may be needed to cleave the clump in two.

plants with woody crowns (e.g. Helleborus) or fleshy roots (e.g. Delphinium) require cutting with a spade or knife. aim to produce clumps containing three to five healthy shoots.

rHs

/ tim

san

dall

when you’re tidying up the garden this autumn, gather together perennial stems to create a shelter for overwintering wildlife. other objects that can be used to create a bug ‘hotel’ include bamboo canes, wood with holes drilled in, twigs, cardboard, tiles, pots and leaves. Insects such as solitary bees, lacewings and ladybirds will

hibernate inside the shelter and will thank you in the spring by eating the pests in your garden and pollinating your flowers, fruit and vegetables.

for more advice on how to build a bug ‘hotel’ and other ways to help wildlife this autumn, visit the wild about gardens website: wildaboutgardens.org.uk

13


Build a Bug Hotel – Competition time!

Making leafmouldthis is another autumn job that your garden will thank you for all year long. leafmould can be used as mulch, soil improver, autumn top-dressing for lawns, or winter covering for bare soil. this will provide nutrients, lock in moisture and suppress weed growth.

all leaves and conifer needles will eventually break down into leafmould, but the leaves of deciduous trees work best. oak, beech and hornbeam break down with little assistance

and produce an excellent quality product. thick leaves like sycamore and chestnut need to be shredded before adding to the leafmould pile, as they are much slower to break down. You can do this by mowing over fallen leaves. pine needles produce an acidic leafmould, which is ideal for mulching ericaceous plants, such as rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, Pieris and blueberries.

How to make leafmould: place moist leaves into a bin liner, pierce holes in the bag, tie the top loosely and stack the bags out of sight for up to two years. alternatively, make a frame from chicken wire and fill it with leaves. make your leaf heap as large as possible to hasten decay, and moisten it periodically if it becomes dry. If your pile is slow to break down into leafmould, try turning it to aerate the leaves and speed up the breakdown process.

Gather leaves in bags (above) or wireframes for up to two years to make well-rotted leafmould. Thicker leaves can be shredded using a mower (left) before being added.

Below: leafcutter bees will make good use of bamboo canes positioned in a sheltered place, such as a piece of old pipe raised off the ground

If you’ve created a home for wildlife in your garden, community space or school, post a photo of it into our competition and you could be in with the chance of winning one of three fantastic prizes. There are prizes for individuals, groups and schools including a behind-the-scenes tour at RHS Garden Wisley, a wildlife-gardening bundle worth over £300, and free RHS and The Wildlife Trusts memberships.

Add your photos today via the Wild About Gardens Week website. The competition closes on 31 October 2014: wildaboutgardensweek.org.uk/buildabughotel

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Overwintering habitats for wildlife

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14 rHs CampaIgn for sCHool gardenIng

the rHs Campaign for school gardening awards celebrate the achievements of young gardeners across the UK. this year, two new categories were added

to the awards, for best young gardening team and most inspirational teacher.

Young School Gardener of the Yeargeorge Hassall, eight years old, from buckton Vale primary school in Carrbrook, greater manchester was named rHs Young school gardener of the Year 2014 after wowing judges with his infectious enthusiasm, passion and impressive knowledge of gardening

Judge frances tophill, ItV’s love Your garden presenter, said, “for someone so young, his gardening knowledge is incredible and it became clear that his enthusiasm reaches out to the school as a whole, as well as the local community.”

Top Gardening Teamthe rHs school gardening team of the Year was picked up by the 39-strong eco Club at Ysgol esgob morgan school in denbighshire.over just a couple of years, the group has developed the school’s grounds into a gardening haven, complete with their resident chickens, and has joined the local community in litter picking and planting up banks of the river elwy. older members of the team mentor younger members so they can continue to develop the school garden in the future, as well as sharing skills with children from other schools to help them develop their own gardens.

the team’s leader and nominator richard Hatwood said, “the children don’t just attend club once a week, there are children tending to their gardens from 8am in the morning until 6pm at night – using every spare minute of their time outside of lessons, come rain or shine! I’m so proud of their achievement”.

Inspiring teacherrHs school gardening Champion of the Year, awarded to an inspirational gardening teacher, was won by noreen daw, a Higher level teaching assistant at Imberhorne school in west sussex.

noreen’s colleague and nominator robert langstone said, “noreen is an inspiration to me. she works so hard to improve the garden areas, liaising with a number of organisations to come and work with the students. every year we have students that have gone on to study, or get an apprenticeship in horticulture. she continually strives to ensure the students benefit in so many ways and I know that each of them hold her in very high regard.”

the prizes include £500 gardening vouchers and tools for schools, plus the chance to work for a day at the rHs gardens, visit rHs flower shows and take training courses. to find out more, visit: rhs.org.uk/ysg

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George Hassall beat off stiff competition to be awarded winner of the 7-11 age group and the title of RHS Young School Gardener of the Year 2014

Teacher Noreen Daw inspires many of her pupils to choose horticultural careers

Win a £4,000 Hartley Botanic greenhouse!across the UK, schools and community groups are rounding up local adults to join in with get Your grown-ups growing (gYgg) 2014. supported by tV gardener, david domoney, gYgg is a chance for groups to call upon local help to make their garden flourish, with the added chance to win a Hartley botanic greenhouse worth £4,000.

How to get involvedsimply register your school/ community group’s details at rhs.org.uk/gygg and commit to hosting a community event in the autumn term (i.e. before the Christmas holidays). Your event could be a few hours, a day, an evening, a week – whatever you choose. You could enlist people to help build raised beds, sow seeds, plant bulbs or take part in fundraising events, gardening games or produce tasting.

Free resourcesafter signing up, you will receive a free support pack containing a poster, stickers and a selection of Kings seeds to help with your event. You can also head online to find additional resources such as activity ideas, flyers, invitations and certificates.

once all events have finished, one lucky group will be selected to win the greenhouse! Join in at rhs.org.uk/gygg

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New contact

affiliated societies’ membership is now being managed by a new rHs team based at rHs garden wisley. please contact susie Corr with any questions about the scheme. • phone: 020 7821 3069 • email: [email protected] • post: rHs garden wisley, woking,

surrey, gU23 6Qb.

2015 membership year

the affiliated societies annual membership scheme runs from 1 february 2015 until 31 January 2016. renewal mailings will be sent out to societies in december 2014 in time for the membership year beginning on 1 february 2015.

If you would like to find out more about joining the scheme, and all of the benefits it provides, please visit: rhs.org.uk/affiliatedsocieties

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Send in your stories

we’re always keen to hear from rHs affiliated societies with news about your gardening activities in the community. wherever possible we will feature stories in Grass Roots. please send an outline of your news, along with any accompanying images to: [email protected] or post to sophie dawson, rHs, 80 Vincent square, london sw1p 2pe.

susie Corr is the new rHs contact for rHs

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Last year’s winner, Cranberry Academy in Cheshire, with their new greenhouse

Some of the Eco team at Ysgol Esgob Morgan School in Denbighshire with their resident chickens. Pupils and staff have transformed the school’s grounds and also volunteer to take part in community clean-ups and environmental activities

thank you to the thousands of volunteers who grew sunflowers and golden plants to make the 50th anniversary of rHs britain in bloom ‘growing for gold’ so special

share your photos on the rHs britain in bloom facebook page or on twitter with hashtag #OurBloom

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Paul Kendrick

Trish Craig

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rhs grass roots - issue 19 autumn 2014...issue 19 • autumn 2014 rhs.org.uk/communities rhs britain...

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