Category: Nature

Happy New Year Everyone

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

Happy New Year everyone

This time of year, I love to look through seed catalogues, wondering if the plants will ever be as good as they look in the pamphlet. They never are.

Don’t start trampling all over the soil unless it’s dry as compacting it now will make for heavy work come the planting season. There is always something to be done, whether it’s weeding or taking some of the leaves off hellebores to expose the flowers. Dead heading the winter flowering pansies is a must or they’ll go to seed. These pansies are never as good until early spring when they flourish, and we’re loathe to take them out to make room for spring bedding. If you have managed to get another year out of the wallflowers, you will find they flower so much earlier than the new ones planted out last autumn.

The storms this winter will make us all think twice about planting trees. Trees are one of our biggest assets against flooding, by slowing down the flow of water, absorbing rainwater and reducing soil erosion. Choose a species that fits in the space you have and prune regularly or the local authority will be on your case if it encroaches on to a road or pavement. The lowest branches have to be 2.5 metres above the footpath and 5.3 metres above the road. Yet if it grows too close to your dwelling, you will need their permission to cut it back. Just a thought, after seeing all the fences that have come down lately, why not if you have the room plant a hedge. There are so many different plants that can be used, and they don’t blow over, last a lot longer, look good, great for wildlife and good for the environment. Not leylandii!

Cloches should be making an appearance on the allotments and veg gardens to warm the soil for planting peas. Take any yellowing leaves off brassicas, to stop any disease. Mr Gareth Lewis will have started potatoes off in grow bags inside his hot house, just to be the first with new season spuds.

If you’re like Big John of the Environment team whose tool is always sharp, then you won’t need the service of a free hand tool sharpening session starting on the 6th January in the Wheelwright’s shop by the Church Hall. What’s On recipients can bring them along that week. Shears, loppers, secateurs and mower blades.

 

Take care and happy gardening

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

 

The RSPG Big Garden Bird Watch

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

THE RSPB BIG GARDEN BIRD WATCH

The Big Garden Birdwatch is the UK’s largest garden wildlife survey and it is run by the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds). It has been running since 1979, and every year, over half a million people take part. It takes place over the last weekend in January each year. In 2025 the Birdwatch will take place from Friday 24th to Sunday 28th January. It is hoped it will be the biggest Birdwatch yet.

It’s easy to take part – you simply watch the birds in your garden or local park for one hour, and record what you see. It is a great activity that you can do either on your own or with family members including children. Don’t worry if you know very little about birds. The RSPB has a guide on their website to show you the different species.

Why is it important?

Big Garden Birdwatch provides a vital snapshot of how the UK’s garden birds are faring, taken over one weekend. This gives a good general impression of birds that are doing well, and the ones that are struggling. As the first Birdwatch took place more than 40 years ago, RSPB now have a wealth of data to look back on. Shockingly, the UK has lost 38 million birds from the UK’s skies in the last 50 years, so it’s crucial we do all we can to look after our bird life. Big Garden Birdwatch helps to monitor how garden birds are faring. We are asking you to share your results with the RSPB and the Wenvoe Wildlife Group so we can get a more accurate picture of the birds that live in our parish.

How do you take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch?

  1. Just count the birds you see in your garden, from your balcony, front room or in the local park for one hour over the Big Garden Birdwatch weekend. It doesn’t matter what time of day you do your Birdwatch, but you will see more birds if you do it first thing in the morning.
  1. Only include birds that land, not those flying over. Count the highest number of each species you see at any one time. For example, if you saw four Starlings together, then two Starlings later, your final count will be four (not six). If you see one robin 6 times you only count one robin. If you see very few birds or none at all, that’s also really useful information for RSPB and the Wenvoe Wildlife Group
  1. You may attract more birds to your garden if you regularly feed them. If you have never fed birds in your garden the RSPB website will help you get started.

What to do with your survey results

You can send in your results to the RSPB online. There is a simple form to fill in. Also please send the list of the number and type of birds you have seen to the Wenvoe Wildlife Group; Nigel Billingham (nigelrbillingham@yahoo.co.uk or post to Woodside

Cottage 5 Church Rise CF5 6DE or Bruce McDonald bruce7@btinternet.com or post to 5 Walston Close, CF5 6AS). Please include your postcode as that will enable us to log where the different species of birds are within the parish. The Wildlife Group will publish the results in Wenvoe What’s On as soon as possible.

Remember it only takes one hour to undertake the survey during the weekend 24-26 January. Please put the date in your diary. Thanks for your time

Since the last issue we have had the results of the Tuckers’ Reindeer Sale and were so pleased to receive a substantial sum from Mike and Glenys. Our thanks to all who attended the event, donated raffle prizes, manned stalls, dispensed beverages, baked cakes – you name it! Chiefly, of course, thanks to Mike and Glenys who do so much for the village and without whom these events would not happen.

Following on from our recording project we have been running over the past year, we are currently looking into a funding application to improve nesting habitat for birds within the village. From the data we collect through the project and the garden birdwatch we have been able to identify species that are struggling within the village, and we would like to help them through putting up nest boxes in gardens and the orchards managed by us. In addition, we will be looking to improve our information displays to improve the experience for visitors from the community. An important part of success in this is you – the community. We encourage you to get involved with the Big Garden Birdwatch to help us further understand bird populations within the village which will help increase our chances of success with this project. We would love to get as many people involved as possible, so if you are interested in getting involved with the wildlife group, then please get in touch with us.

Using skills learned earlier in the year on a fruit tree pruning course members have been working on the trees in the Community Orchard. We have heard that two more pruning courses are to be run in the village on Wednesday 29th January and Wednesday 5th February at the Goldsland Orchard and Welsh Orchard (Maes y Felin). To be confirmed which orchard on which day. Check Facebook for booking details. These are free but you must register.

And finally, do you have any Mistletoe berries left from your Christmas decorations? Don’t throw them away but try pressing them against a suitable tree (underside of branch) to see if you can get your own Mistletoe to grow. Suitable trees include Apple, Hawthorn, Acer (Japanese Maple), Poplar. You can try any other tree, but they may not stand much of a chance. The little seed is inside the sticky, pulpy bit. Patience is required as they can take years to get established. Plenty more information online.

Amazing Photo Of A Honeybee Nest

Amazing Photo Of A Honeybee Nest 

Sent in by a resident was this amazing photo of a Honeybee nest in the wild. A local beekeeper pointed out that this will probably not survive the winter. Bee colonies in a hive and sheltered from the elements stand a fair chance of getting through. So if you come across one outside a hive, get in touch with a local beekeeper and they will try to recover the nest and bring it to safety.


The Honeybee is not a native of Britain but was introduced because of the honey it produces and most honeybees that visit your garden will have flown from a nearby hive. Several residents keep bees and one of the Wildlife Group orchards is host to a couple of hives.
Not only do they produce honey, beeswax and royal jelly but they help to pollinate our crops and flowers.

The Wildlife Group Thank All

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

The Wildlife Group Thank All

By the time you read this the Tuckers Reindeer Sale will have taken place and, again, we would like to thank all those who have supported the event and, not least, Mike and Glenys for arranging the occasion and giving so much support to the Wildlife Group. We get no other financial help and this is invaluable in enabling us to maintain our 7 Green Flag sites. During November we have had strimmers and brushcutters in to clear the rampant vegetation at the Goldsland Watercress beds and the St Lythans Wild Orchard. On behalf of the Wildlife Group we would like thank all of you who have supported us through the year and wish you a Very Happy Christmas.

 

The Festive Season Is Upon Us

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

The Festive Season Is Upon Us

With the festive season upon us, the garden gets a bit neglected. That is probably one of the reasons artistic gardeners say we should leave the dead stalks of perennials standing, as it gives structure to the plot. It’s bad enough that the garden starts to look untidy let alone adding to the mess. If you must have some winter structure, get some dogwoods as they have colourful stems and really do look like you’re trying to do your best. Most of the bulbs we’ve planted are in pots that have been dug into the ground so that when they’ve finished flowering, we can retrieve the pots and give the bulbs a feed then let the foliage die down out of sight ready for the Autumn. Hedgehog houses are a good addition to the garden and we are encouraged to help our little friends but check on the occupants as rats love the dry space you have so kindly provided. The Wenvoe Wildlife Group and other prestigious charities would like us to have a wood pile which provides shelter for insects and a snacking area for birds, frogs and hedgehogs. Don’t just throw the wood down like some irate fly tipper; stack it properly so it’s not an eyesore. A couple of stones stacked up will entice the snails to settle in for the winter, then just before the green shoots of Spring appear you can collect and dispose of the blighters.

If we are properly organised, then we should be sending the mower for a service. There is usually a discount at this time of year. If you wait for the Spring when the workshops are busy it can be weeks before you get your machine back. Sharpen all your hand tools now so you’re ready when growth starts. There will be a sharpening day at the wheel wright shop in January for shears, secateurs, mower blades and hooks. Details of dates in the next issue of What’s on.

 

Have a lovely Christmas and a good new year.

Take care and happy gardening

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

 

It Soon Went Bottoms Up

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

It Soon Went Bottoms Up

What started as a full complement of eager veterans ready to clear the vast amount of detritus from the bottom of Pound Lane, soon went bottoms up. Things were going so well, until the police turned up with a warrant for the arrest of team member Gareth (Shady) Williams. Despite some not so convincing protests from the rest of the team, they put Shady in a police van. Big John took it upon himself to lay in the road to prevent the constables taking Shady away, the problem with that was, he didn’t have his glasses on and was lying down at the back of the van and they just drove off. Shady was later bailed for £5. His friend has started a gofundme page to get a legal team on the case. It stands at 90p. Charges relate to his time in France before he was extradited.

Our meeting for December has yet to be confirmed as there could be more arrests from our group if Shady starts squealing under interrogation. If you think you might fit in with this bunch of outlaws, please let the Godfather know.

 

Merry Christmas you filthy animals.

 

Products Have Only Travelled 10 Miles

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

Products Have Only Travelled 10 Miles

There are not many products you can buy which have only travelled 10 miles from source to point of sale. But if you bought some of the preserves and conserves from Daisy Graze at the first Wenvoe Farmers Market that is exactly what would have happened. With fruit from our orchards such as crab-apple and bullace, over to Dinas Powys for preparation and back to Wenvoe for sale. Delighted to see Wild Orchard Bullace jam with this uncommon fruit around here picked in the orchard at St Lythans. To buy from Daisy Graze either try Farmer’s Markets or call in at Janine’s house 22 Greenfield Avenue, Dinas Powys, CF64 4BW.

We would like to thank the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Local Nature Partnership team for cutting the Goldlsand and Community Orchards. This year has seen rampant growth of the vegetation, and we have struggled to keep it under control so help like this is most welcome.

We have renewed the Licence we have with the Vale of Glamorgan Council to look after the Upper Orchid Field so this now runs for another 10 years.

A New Recruit

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

A New Recruit

 

We as a team are happy to announce a new recruit. Martin, son of long-term member Ieuan (pictured), joined in the tidying of the village green in preparation for remembrance Sunday. As with all our team they come with an Achilles heel. Martin being a bicyclist has more than one. This restricts his ability to communicate unless he’s riding two abreast down the middle of a road. He wouldn’t have his picture taken unless he was stood by someone

Now that we have two members below seventy, our insurance allows us to work 500 metres from a defibrillator instead of 50.

Our main source of inspiration, Gareth, turned up late with an excuse that was so unbelievable, we can’t repeat. But his arrest is imminent.

The good men which may not include Gareth, will meet at the triangle of Pound Lane on Remembrance Day. We will remember them

Jobs for the month

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

 

Jobs for the month

 

  1. Depending on the weather, try to lift any dahlias and clean them off; then store in kiln dried sand or dry compost in a frost-free place.
  2. Collect any rose leaves with black spot and bin them. If you don’t do this the spores will infect more plants next year.
  3. Make sure you plant your tulips this month. Plant them deep or you may only get one season from them.
  4. Lift any remaining begonia tubers and dry them, then store as dahlias.
  5. Cut roses down by a third to prevent wind rock.

 

It’s hard to get motivated when it’s gloomy and with less daylight, but anything you can do now will be a big help for next season. Weeds seem to grow whatever the weather, it’s a miserable job in the Summer but seems worse at this time of year. It is an essential task though and cannot be ignored. Mulching is very important, to keep the ground covered and stop soil erosion. This should be laid about 3ins, 75mm, thick to do a good job, which can be expensive if you buy the stuff television gardeners recommend. Grass cuttings, fallen leaves or old compost will suffice. The worms will love you for it and it will improve the soil no end. It’s a fact that if it were not for worms then we wouldn’t have such productive soil so the more worms you have the better the soil. Worms add 5mm to soil depth each year. They are brilliant at breaking down pollutants and turning them into nontoxic molecules. I could go on, but all these facts are available on the Soil Association site. They are the leading charity on the protection of our soil and the way it’s used.

The overall message from the allotment folk is that the year to date has not been good. With the coolest summer for nine years, it has proved to be challenging at Twyn Yr Odyn. Even the prolific Gareth Lewis has had an off year. He has been heard playing Slayer (a rock band apparently) to his plants with no improvement. Some of the older gardeners have seen it all before and love the challenge of tending the soil on top of the hill in a howling gale with rain lashing across – and that’s in June. They are committed to their task, that’s for sure. Even with all this to put up with, they will be planting peas and broad beans to over winter and give an early crop next year hopefully. The National Allotment Association is a membership well worth considering if you’re serious about your patch.

Please remember to check any bonfires you may be lighting, as hedgehogs find them irresistible. If you do cook one accidentally then take salt & pepper with you as they are quite bland.

Take care and happy gardening.

 

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

 

It Was A Brock,

IT WAS A BROCK,

It was a brock, a grey, a pate or a bawson. They were around in Britain between half a million and three quarters of a million years ago where they co-existed with wolves, brown bears, arctic foxes and wolverines. They live underground in setts and a group of badgers living together is called a clan. To those of you who follow our Facebook Page (Wenvoe Wildlife) you will have seen some great shots of badgers in the parish. We do not reveal where they have been seen as badger baiting (using dogs to hunt and kill badgers illegally) is still a problem.

Badgers are at the centre of a major debate between those farmers who believe badgers can help spread TB (bovine tuberculosis) to cattle and those who believe killing the badgers will not cure the TB problem. In the last 10 years it is believed that around 230,000 badgers have been culled. However in Wales the Government have put an end to culling whilst other options to eradicate TB are considered. To find out more about the pros and cons go online.

Badgers have played a significant role in literature including the Wind in the Willows, the Redwall series, Watership Down and Beatrix Potter books. Sometimes they are friendly, sometimes less so. Going back further, they appear in both European and Asian folklore – Chinese and Japanese tradition have them as shapeshifters. They are meticulously clean animals having latrines a little way away from the sett and changing their bedding of straw, grass or bracken periodically. At times they will take their bedding outside to ‘air’ and kill off any bugs and parasites. They have even been known to bring garlic leaves into the sett to help deter unwanted insects.

Along with the poet, John Clare, 200 years ago we can celebrate:

The badger grunting on his woodland track

With shaggy hide and sharp nose scrowed

With black roots in the bushes and the woods

 

1 … 4 5 6 7 8 … 43