A Meldreth Garden

The garden is looking good with late summer rain prolonging the flowering season; water buts are full. To maintain the garden display to the first frosts, continue deadheading, removing faded blooms and foliage, and plant into gaps. Many plants have a range of cultivars, annuals, biennials and perennials. The gardener’s better option may be a perennial, less work to maintain, so I am now being more selective in my choices. For years I have grown white hollyhock Alcea rosea 'Chater's White' from seed, it has never lasted more than one season. I have now sown Alcea rosea ‘Halo White’, reputedly a more perennial strain. Selection of strains applies to a number of other plants, Coneflowers Rudbeckia is one I have grown for years as a late summer flowering annual. The perennial Rudbeckia subtomentosa 'Henry Eilers' is an interesting cultivar that I will try next year. Who would have guessed that sunflowers come in perennial cultivars? The showy sunflower Helianthus laetiflorus and western sunflower Helianthus occidentalis are good choices, once established they are not invasive, unlike Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus, also a sunflower.

Invasive tendency is an important characteristic to consider for a number of plants. I have Chinese lanterns, Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii, that look good at this time of year, but is a disaster in a mixed border because of a deep rooting sprawling habit. I will be dividing clump forming herbaceous perennials like day lilies Hemerocallis hakuunensis cultivars, Phlomis russelianadone and Achillea filpendulina ‘Cloth of Gold’. Division every few years ensures healthy vigorous plants that will continue to perform year after year. It also offers the opportunity to multiply your plants for free. The same treatment can be undertaken with ornamental grasses.

For late flowering perennials such as sedums and perennial helianthus a good way to ensure they stay upright next season is to lift and divide after flowering. Not being fully established they will remain shorter and sturdier. An alternative to the Chelsea chop.

Jobs for the Flower Garden

 Collect seed from perennials and annuals; seed from hardy annuals can be sown now. I am sowing California poppies, honeywort Cerinthe major 'purpurascens' and white laceflower Orlaya grandiflora. Growing plants from seed is generally straightforward and inexpensive. It is an opportunity to increase the number of plants in your garden for free. Note; seed from F1 hybrid plants will not come true to the parent plant.

 Net ponds before leaf fall gets underway

 Plant spring flowering bulbs e.g. Iris reticulate and daffodils, leave tulips till later in the season to avoid tulip fire

 Grow a tree from seed, e.g. rowan, holly, yew, euonymus and crab apple. I have grown a number of yew trees from seed.

 Rejuvenate the lawn, scarify, spike, fill hollows, reseed and top dress

 Dig up tender perennials to overwinter in the greenhouse like tender geraniums Pelargonium and African daisies, osteopariums, pelargoniums, tender fuchsias, tender salvias, gazanias and marguerites, argyranthemums, etc.

Jobs for the Vegetable Garden

 Dig up remaining potatoes before slug damage spoils them

 Prune out old raspberry canes and reduce the number of new stems of summer fruiting raspberries, feed and mulch

 Water new plants if dry, using rain or grey water if possible

 Clean out cold frames and greenhouses so that they are ready for use in the autumn

 Plant Japanese onion sets

 Cover leafy vegetable crops with bird-proof netting

 Start planting out winter salads crops

 Support Brussel sprouts which may topple later in the season.

Enjoy your garden.

Musk Beetle

Marian Mair took this fabulous photograph of a Musk beetle in her garden. To see it in colour, visit https://issuu.com/meldrethmatters

Iain McPhee mcpheia1@gmail.com

Meldreth Parish Council

www.meldreth-pc.org.uk

There was no Parish Council meeting in August. The next meeting will be held on Thursday 7th September at 7.30pm in the Elin Way Community Room.

Meldreth Parish Council

Meldreth Parish Council - Contact Details http://www.meldreth-pc.org.uk

Parish Office, Meldreth Sheltered Scheme, Elin Way, Royston SG8 6LT

Office hours: Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 12.30-2.30pm By appointment at other times

Parish Clerk: Mrs J Damant Assistant Clerk: Mrs Sally Walmesley (01763) 269928 parishclerk@meldreth-pc.org.uk

Cllr R Goddin (Chairman) (01763) 260061 goddin@btinternet.com

Mrs Jenni Bone

Contact details had not been provided at the time of going to press

Cllr Adam Bostanci 07400 236329 adam.bostanci.pc@gmail.com

Cllr Joan Fallon (01763) 262822 c.jfallon@icloud.com

Cllr Nick Garner (01763) 268328 nickphgarner@gmail.com

Cllr Roger James (Vice Ch.) (01763) 261085 roger+pc@rogerjames.net

Cllr Alan Land (01763) 261004 conradland@btinternet.com

Cllr James Mossey 07496 324701 j.mossey1211@gmail.com

Cllr Nigel Pellatt (01763) 260909 nppellatt56@gmail.com

A10 Path Maintenance Grant

A new maintenance grant from Melbourn Science Park’s Melbourn Community grant scheme will enable better vegetation cutback along the A10 path between Melbourn and Trumpington. Cambridgeshire Highways cuts the verges and does spot work where it can, but more is needed to keep the path in best condition. The grant was awarded in April and with nesting season nearly over, a late summer hard cutback is now being planned. The grant is held by the A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign and deployed in liaison with Cambridgeshire Highways. If you’d like to be involved in the campaign, please get in touch.

Susan van de Ven and Adam Bostanci

A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign

Contact10cycle@gmail.com www.a10corridorcycle.com