Not Just An Allotment

Saturday 18th September sees the annual inspection of the hedges; I'll be taking a few pictures for the blog of the best and worst so watch this space.

Our association is not just an allotment group we are a garden association so cultivation can be everything from orchards to cabbage patches to flower gardens.

Thanks to very much to Eileen for these wonderful pictures of her garden which has all of the above but these are lovely.

open days for other allotments

A number of Heritage open days are happening this weekend, http://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/ I only just found out about this thanks to Sue. If you can't make any of them this year there is always next year.
 find details of the other places local to Nottingham here...http://www.beestoncivicsociety.org.uk/HODs.html and here http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=6866
 
Allotments and gardens are among the open days.
Allotments Wollaton Road/Central Avenue, Beeston, Nottinghamshire, NG9 2P
A tour of these interesting allotments. There will be stalls selling produce, a barbeque, and tours of the Community Garden
Opening Times: Saturday 11th September: 1200-1600
Directions: Please note that Access is only available from the Central Avenue entrance. From Priory Island towards Derby take the 2nd left road into Central Avenue. The access is right at the top.
Public Transport Details:BUS: Trent/Barton Rainbow 4. Alight the stop after Priory Island.

Inham Nook Allotments: off Slade Road, Pearson Avenue, Chilwell, Beeston, Nottinghamshire,
NG9 4GS
An opening of these allotments with a store on site selling produce including
vegetables, eggs and garden supplies.
Opening Times: Saturday 11th September: 1000-1200
Directions:From Bramcote Avenue turn into Inham Road and take the third left into Pearson Avenue. Slade road is first on the left. Very limited parking available on site.
Public Transport Details: BUS - NCT bus 36. Get off at the junction of Inham Road and Pearson Avenue.

St. Anne's Historic Allotments Heritage Open Day
Open Sunday 12th September 2010  11am – 4pm (last entrance 3.30pm)
Entrance via Ransom Road main gates, next to Coppice Park
We'll be opening up the gardens again as part of the Heritage Open Day
celebrations. This year you can enjoy:
• Apple pressing and free tea, cakes and biscuits at the Community Orchard
• Wildlife activity walk around the Urban Nature conservation gardens, visitors can explore with a few intriguing wildlife games on the way.
• Play works creative activities for children, willow sculpture and weaving workshops , harvest cafe, produce sale, live music from Ecoworks
• History Displays around the site

Heritage Tours
o The Fruit Trees of St Anns; 11.30am starting at information stand, 1.5 hrs (can leave walk after 30min)
o Oliver’s Plot 1pm, starting at information stand, short, circular walk going up to Heritage Plot only, 40min
o Trees and Sheds, 2pm starting at Fresh, finishing at Orchard, .5hrs
Free fun for all the family
The St Anns Allotments are the oldest and largest detached town gardens in Britain, possibly the world. Their unique history and heritage has been recognised and it is a Grade 2* listed site.
For more info visit their website: http://www.staa-allotments.org.uk/

'til May is out

Having spent Sunday afternoon cutting back the Hawthorn Hedge at the bottom of the allotment to a more respectable six feet, I thought I would have a look at the famous Hawthorn and find a few things out about it. 
For one it's very spiky, some varieties have been known to grow thorns up to four and a half inches. I always thought it looked a bit like a rose and it turns out that it is of the same family, suddenly it all fell into place because Crataegus  (Hawthorn) hurts just as much as Rosaceae (Rose)  even through my gardening gloves.

My Grandpa said that they used to use the thorns to play 78s, probably a bit quieter than needles and a lot cheaper as you get one play per needle and the same with thorns I expect.

The Glastonbury Thorn, C. Oxyacantha var. praecox, was supposedly brought to these shores by Joseph of Arimathea on his travels round the country. He carried with him a staff from the Holy Land and legend has it that when feeling a bit tired on the Isle of Avalon he sat down and pushed his staff into the ground, it took root and the Glastonbury thorn was born.

After cutting back the hedge on Sunday I know how he felt, but as for growing Hawthorn by sticking cuttings into the ground now that is a bit more difficult. I think the best way to get new Hawthorns is to dig up the seedlings that have been spread by the birds and pot them on.

Hawthorns prosper after being cut back and the best time should be after flowering, but then you are into the nesting season and I am always reluctant to cut down the blossom. I have left it a bit late to cut back the hedge this year, but then we've had a late Spring; I should have done it late February to Mid March.

As they say “ne’er cast a clout ‘til may is out” although it has been very nice weather for the past few days, the evening and nights can be quite chilly. Last week the frost did get some of my potatoes that were just peeping through the soil. The ‘may’ referred to in the saying is the May Flower or Hawthorn blossom and at home the Hawthorn at the bottom of my garden and along the canal towpath is only just green not a blossom in sight, so keep your jumpers on.