Henbury and Brentry in Bloom-Jubilee

Henbury and Brentry Community are working together to put on an event during the last week of May for everyone to enjoy.

During the first week of May a huge log (see picture) will be delivered to the Barnard Park (open space opposite the shops) where craftsman Andy O’Neill will transform it with his chain saw into two beautiful benches each approx. 7-8 feet long. The benches will be carved from Sequoia (giant redwood) and will take about 5 days each to complete.

Sequoia is one of the nicest looking and longest lasting wood (can last more than 100 years) you can find and Andy is very excited about working with such wonderful and unusual timber to create something lovely for all in our community to enjoy. It will take three weeks for Andy to carve these two benches, one commemorating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the other as yet undecided. There will also be three natural play features to be used as play sculptures for kids.( each one is going to be named by our three Primary schools).

The eight or nine herbaceous borders will be replanted with a range of colourful perennials by the parks officer Peter Watts. A one off design in the shape of a crown approximately ten square metres will be installed and local children will be invited to help with the planting. The Crown frame will be sedum or marigold and filled with petunias. The event will happened at the 24th of May and school children will be invited to help with this, along with everyone from our Community.

Baskets of flowers will be placed around lamp posts on Crow Lane to further enhance the overall celebration.

The intention is to enter this event into the Best Jubilee

Theme for Bristol in Bloom along with other various categories. Anyone who wishes to apply for an award i.e. best public house, hotel, shop front, shopping street area, your street, large garden, small garden and more. Please contact newsletter’s editor (see feedback page 11) for more information. The children are invited to enter for the Bristol in Bloom painting competition.

Check on bristolinbloom.org.uk/competitions website for details.

All these need to be approved by the Neighbourhood partnership by the end of March.

All are welcome to make this a big event for our community and be the best Blooming area in Bristol.

Andy O'Neill, age 41, lives in Yate, used to be a tree surgeon, now a wood carver, carving full time for the last 5 years.
Has worked on commissions for the National Trust, Forestry Commission, South Glos Council, Kent County Council and now Bristol City Council.

You can see some of Andy’s work at this address: www.myspace.com/creativecarving

Blaise Nursery

One of the little known parts of Bristol City Council is Blaise Nursery. Nestling at the end of the Blaise Estate screened from view are the glasshouses and polytunnels where two million bedding plants are grown each year. The small team of dedicated gardeners work all year round to ensure that not only Bristol but also a large number of other Local Authorities are supplied with both Winter and Summer bedding as well as hanging baskets and containers. The Nursery is also run in a ‘green’ way to minimise the impact on the environment with heating provided from waste wood from the councils tree pruning operations, transport provided by electric milk floats, water extracted from a borehole on site and the vast majority of plants grown in our own blend of peat free compost.

The quality of plants produced has been a major factor in the success in the Britain in Bloom Competition with Bristol winning the best National Large City category in 2011.

Rod Pooley. Nursery Officer

24th Henbury Flower Show

The traditional Village Flower Show will be held again on Saturday, 21st July 2012 in the Village Hall in Church Close.

Start planning now to enter classes for flowers, fruit and vegetables; flower–arranging, cookery and wine-making; handicrafts, art and photography.

This year we hope to add a Best Garden competition to be judged prior to the Show. Any Henbury and Brentry residents are welcome. Entry forms will be in the schedule.

Children’s classes this year will include one for miniature gardens for which a special cup will be presented.

Schedules with all the details will be available in early May.

The Committee hope there will be lots more entries this year, especially from first timers, and even if you are not entering do come along in the afternoon to admire the exhibits, watch the presentation of the cups and to enjoy the tea and cakes in the garden (weather permitting).

Enquiries Tel.: 9507712 or 9506891 or Email: mariareeves@sky.com for enquiries about Best Garden’s Competition.

Open Garden

Peter & Ruth at 18 Woodgrove Road, Henbury (Opposite Blaise Castle Car Park ) are hosting this year’s “Open Garden” to raise money for the National Gardens Scheme (n.g.s. Yellow Book). The scheme Supports most Cancer Charities i.e.: Macmillan Cancer support/Marie Curie/Help the Hospices/Cross roads care,etc. The scheme has raised £26 million in the last 10 years for the Charities they support. Peter and Ruth last year raised £650.

DATES: 2nd June Saturday, 16th June Saturday, 7th July Saturday. Open at 2.00 – 5.00pm. Entrance is £2.50 and all the money goes to n.g.s..

Art Studio open, Plants for sale, Tea and Cakes.

Share your Garden

If your garden has become too much for you to manage, there could be something you could do about it.

GardenShare Bristol is a project which tries to match up people who have underused or unmanaged gardens (because of their physical mobility problems or other reasons) with people who want to grow their own vegetables etc but have nowhere to do it.

By sharing some or all of your garden with a local grower you can get a free supply of home grown vegetables as well as regular visits from someone in your neighbourhood. There is a particular demand at the moment from growers in Clifton, Southville, Bedminster and Totterdown.

For more information please phone Abbi on 077 7039 1521 or visit the website at:

www.grofun.org.uk/gardenshare.htm

The above article appeared in the Spring issue of the Bristol Older People’s Forum (BOPF) Newsletter.

This is a great idea and there must be people in the Henbury and Brentry area who either would like to work a garden but do not have one, or have one but are no longer able to manage it. If you are one of these people, contact Garden Share for details.