DATES FOR YOUR DIARY JUNE THE WATERSHED MAGAZINE Wednesday 4 6.30pm Let’s Talk Discussion Group Thursday 5 6,30pm Coates Gardening Club Outing Saturday 7 2pm Kemble Playgroup Summer Party Saturday 7 7.30pm Bingo Night at Sapperton Village Hall Saturday 7 7.30pm Rotary Club Charity Concert in Tetbury Saturday 7 5 - 9pm Rodmarton & Tarlton Fiesta Sunday 8 2 - 6pm Open Gardens in Ashley and Culkerton Sunday 8 3.30-5pm Messy Church! Kemble School Hall

Thursday 12 10am Time Out Bible Discussion Friday 13 6.30pm Sing! Charity event in South Cerney Church Tuesday 10 11.55am Mobile library visiting Coates Tue 10 - Fri 13 9am - 4pm Cirencester College End of Year Exhibition Thursday 12 7.30pm Fashion show in Meysey Hampton village hall in aid of BEAT Thursday 19 11.30am Good Companions Coach Outing Thursday 19 Mobile police station vising our villages Saturday 21 Armed Forces Parade Gloucester Cathedral Thursday 26 10am Time Out Bible Discussion JULY Thursday 3 7.30pm Coates Gardening Club meeting Norah Kennedy on Willow Tuesday 8 11.55am Mobile library visiting Coates Thursday 17 2.30pm Good Companions Meeting Radio Gloucestershire’s Pete Wilson Saturday 19 Mobile police station vising our villages St Matthew’s, Coates Tuesday 22 Rodmarton and Tarlton Parish Council meeting

END OF YEAR EXHIBITION The BTEC Art and Design final year students Cirencester College End of year exhibition June 10 -13 from 9am to 4pm. June 2014 Cirencester College, Stroud Rd, Cirencester, Gloucestershire 24 1 RECTOR USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS Rev Trevor Kemp 770550 Watershed Editor Bob Merrill 771496 Coates Rectory, Coates GL7 6NR Watershed Treasurer Janet Loines 841578 Watershed Intercession Group Anne Chilton 770726 Email [email protected] Coates Parish Council Bob Allen 771229 LOCAL ORDAINED MINISTER (Non-stipendiary) Coates Parish Council clerk Annie Rogers The Rev Pepita Walker 760211 Coates PCC Treasurer Janet Trinder 770525 Coates Gardening Club Margaret Reynolds 771354 CURATE (Non-stipendiary) Coates Social Club secretary Annabelle Crapper 770266 Rev David Austin 860692 Coates Tree Warden Geoffrey Moore 770869 READER Coates Village Hall Susan PJ 770596 Richard Marlowe 770401 Coates Neighbourhood Watch Roger Clarke 07774 642016 Frampton Mansell Village Hall Bookings 760102 or 760300 Barrie Cran 770809 Rodmarton & Tarlton PC C/man Paul Drake 770267 STRATEGIC YOUTH MINISTER Rodmarton & Tarlton PC clerk Susan Hare Odele Harding 07747 611690 Rodmarton PCC Treasurer Simon Biddulph 841462 COATES Rodmarton School Colin Jones 841284 Rodmarton Village Hall Norman Hopkins 07514 485555 or Church Wardens: Dickie Randall 771300 841287 Tony Berry 770220 Rodmarton Cricket Club Nick Clarke 841421 Flower Team Leader Heather Wheatley 770829 Sapperton with FM PC Chair Sarah Osborn-Smith 760874 SAPPERTON WITH FRAMPTON MANSELL Sapperton with FM council clerk Michelle Hugh 760153 Sapperton/FM PCC Treasurer Peter Mammatt 760852 Church Warden: Jeremy Hoskins 760227 Sapperton/FM Snow Warden Mark Franklin 760226 Dorothy Mammatt 760852 Sapperton Tree Warden Paul Dingley 760788 Deputy warden St Kenelm’s Mark Hamer 760715 Sapperton Village Hall Annette Bullock 760468 Rotas Kate Gordon-Lennox 760651 Sapperton School Dawn Thomas 760325 Royal British Legion John Chilton 770726 Secretary PCC Natalie Hunt 760421 Good Companions Betty Mixture 770569 RODMARTON AND TARLTON (Chapel of Ease) Watershed RDA Bob Merrill 771496 Church Wardens Watershed Farm Club Liz Collins 770621 Rodmarton Mary FitzGerald 238607 District Councillors Thames Head Ward John Birch 770360 Sophia Kinmont 841222 Avening Ward Jim Parsons 01453 836596 Tarlton Jasper Biddulph 770230 County Councillor S D E Parsons 821451 Flower Team Leader Sarah Pope 841253 Member of Parliament Geoffrey Clifton-Brown 01452 371630 Secretary PCC Jane Marlowe 770401 Cirencester Hospital 655711 Police non emergency (24hrs) 101

Lynn Saunders - Village Agent 07776 245 754 Coates Resilience plan agents Tony Berry 770220/07980336303 John Birch 770360/07989946224 David Lattimore771006/07836511011 2 23 MOBILE LIBRARY VISITS FORTHCOMING SERVICES IN THE BENEFICE th The mobile library visits Coates every 4 weeks. The visit for the next 1 June 7 Sunday of Easter months will be on Tuesday 10 June and 8 July between 11.55am and 9.30am Kemble Holy Communion 12.55pm outside the village hall. 9.30am Coates Holy Communion 11am Poole Keynes Family Service 11am Somerford Keynes Morning Prayer MOBILE POLICE STATION 11am Sapperton Family Holy Communion The mobile police station will be visiting our villages this month on 11am Rodmarton Holy Communion Thursday 19 June staffed by PCSO King and will call at the following times. 4 June Midweek Wednesday 10am Kemble Holy Communion Frampton Mansell 1pm - 2pm 8 June Pentecost Sapperton 2.15pm - 3.15pm 9.30am Kemble Morning Prayer Coates 3.30pm - 4.30pm 9.30am Coates Holy Communion They will be visiting next month on Saturday 19 July at the following 9.30am Poole Keynes Holy Communion times: 11am Tarlton Holy Communion 11am Somerford Keynes Holy Communion Frampton Mansell 9am - 10am 11am Frampton Mansell Holy Communion Sapperton 10.15am - 11.15am 11am Rodmarton Matins Coates 11.30am - 12.30pm 11 June Midweek Wednesday 10am Kemble Holy Communion ADVERTISING IN THE WATERSHED 15 June Trinity 9.30am Kemble Holy Communion If you wish to advertise in our parish magazine please contact Bob 9.30am Coates Family Service Merrill at Glebe House, Coates, GL7 6NU. Tel 771496, Mobile 07866 9.30am Frampton Mansell Holy Communion 972389 or by e-mail to the Watershed magazine at 11am Poole Keynes Morning Prayer [email protected]. Adverts at a third of a page cost £15 for 11am Somerford Keynes Family Service a single issue or £60 for 5 issues. Adverts at half a page cost £23 for a 11am Rodmarton Holy Communion single issue or £90 for 5 issues. The magazine is published 10 times every year; July/August and December/January are joint editions. 18 June Midweek Wednesday Cheques should be made payable to Watershed magazine. 10am Kemble Holy Communion 22 June 1st Sunday of Trinity 8am Tarlton Holy Communion (BCP) CLOSING DATE FOR NEXT MONTH - 12 JUNE 9.30am Kemble Morning Prayer Contributions should be sent to Bob Merrill at Glebe House, Coates, 9.30am Coates Holy Communion GL7 6NU. Tel 771496, mobile 07866 972389 or by e-mail to the 9.30am Poole Keynes Holy Communion Watershed magazine at [email protected]. Articles should 11am Somerford Keynes Festival Songs of Praise be in Arial font at 11 point with formatting kept as simple as 11am Frampton Mansell Holy Communion possible. The editor reserves the right to edit any articles. All articles 11am Rodmarton Family Service should be submitted by 12 June at the latest for inclusion in next 6pm Kemble The Source month’s issue.

22 3 FORTHCOMING SERVICES (cont) 25 June Midweek Wednesday 10am Kemble Holy Communion 29 June 2nd Sunday of Trinity 11am Somerford Keynes Benefice Service

REFLECTIONS FROM THE RECTORY In Church as most of you will know we celebrate seasons that either help us prepare for something or take us on to discover something– Advent is the season of preparation leading to Christmas and Lent leads to Easter but the celebration of the great festival is in the weeks that follow so we celebrate Jesus birth from Christmas day to Candlemass (Feb 2nd) and we celebrate resurrection from Easter day (April 20th this year) until the Ascension (May 29th this year) which celebrates Jesus return to heaven. This Jesus told us he had to do before the Holy Spirit could come to his disciples which we celebrate at Pentecost (June 8th) the week after the ascension. This is really quite counter cultural because in our ‘now’ world we do all of our preparing and then normally collapse exhausted on boxing day before Do you have a mole problem? we move on to the next item in the diary. The idea of a celebration With over 30 years experience in traditional mole control I can lasting for weeks seems quite odd and in the secular world the day effectively, discreetly and humanely remove the culprit(s)! after a great celebration is usually dominated by clearing away the No gas, chemicals or poisons used and completely safe to rubbish. children and pets. For the Christian the great celebrations are annual reminders of God’s NO MOLE - NO FEE presence and of all the wonderful things he has done and prepared Fully insured and references available for us but they should also be reminders that refocus our spiritual lives Telephone: 07766 132934 (Days) 01285 770968 (Evenings) on the journey that God calls us to share with him. Journey is all about Member of the British Traditional Molecatchers Register movement, where are you going and how will you know when you get Member of the Guild of British Molecatchers there? BPCA/RSPH Level 2 Certificate in pest control They say that the surest way not to achieve anything is not to have Call now for a free, no obligation site survey and quote any goals or any plans. Dreams are unfocused and fuzzy but if we www.gbestateservices.com take a dream and make a plan of actions and go one step at a time it is amazing how much we can achieve. You are far more likely to do Laundrycare the things on your bucket list if you write it down and pick one thing at Your local company a time to strive for. Time is also an inherent part of a journey, by  Ironing Service definition it is not instant and this is part of the truth of God’s plan for  Laundry Service us, he calls us to journey with him and the exciting thing is that  FREE Local Collection & Delivery wherever the journey takes you God will be with you if you look for  Non-Smoking Environment him. Cirencester (01285) 654076

4 21 Being a disciple is about going on a journey with God to exciting Firefly Fabrication places; Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh, it was the last city on earth he wanted to go to, but in the end he was glad he went. Journeys may Manufacturing be physical but they are also mental and spiritual places for growth. In Gates Wine Racks Jonah’s case for example, the physical journey is paralleled by his spiritual and intellectual one. God calls all of us to journey with him but Railings Candelabra he leaves it up to us to decide if we are willing to take up the challenge. What decision have you made for yourself? Rose Arches Signs & Frames One of our members here has been facing all sorts of challenging Phil Robbins choices recently. Our youth minister Odele Harding and her husband Andy had a beautiful baby a couple of months ago. Becoming a parent 07973 819347 is very challenging in all kinds of ways and it changes your perspectives on a lot of things when you find yourself responsible for the health and wellbeing of a child. Andy and Odele have both felt God was calling them on to another journey and although they were happy here, they are now preparing to move to a new ministry in Edinburgh where Andy will be youth pastor because they want to follow where God calls them. Sad as we are to see them go we are excited to see them continuing to look for where God wants to take them and we know they will have a successful ministry there when they move on in the summer. Please pray for them as they move and start their new ministry in Scotland. God calls us to journey with him because he has plans to help us grow as individuals and as a community and so we are also delighted that we can celebrate Anton Wynn’s arrival as our PSALMS youth and children's minister. He has been providing maternity cover for Odele since January, grew up near Chalford and has a real sense of calling to village ministry and we look forward to sharing all the blessings God will bring with him. If you haven’t met him already I hope you soon will.

CALL THE MAN WHO CAN PLUMBING With love and prayers

NO JOB TOO SMALL KITCHENS Trevor Kemp - Rector Tel: 01285 770550 PAINTING R.O.W. BERRY Email: [email protected] HOUSE, PROPERTY &

BATHROOMS GARDEN MAINTENANCE TIME OUT BIBLE DISCUSSION TEL (01285) 658398 TILES The Time Out Bible discussion group for mothers of school age MOBILE 07971 548962 children in the benefice will meet this month at 10am on Thursday 12

& 26 June. For more details and venue, please contact Julie on LEAKS PATIOS FENCING 770123 or email [email protected] or DECKING GUTTERING [email protected].

20 5 NEWS FROM COATES COATES GARDENING CLUB On the evening of Thursday 5 June, members and friends will visit the beautiful Cerney House Gardens, North Cerney. This outing is open to anyone who wishes to see the many lovely features of this garden. Please meet in Coates village hall car park at 6.30pm to arrange car sharing or phone me on 771354 for more details beforehand. Entry to the gardens is £5 per head; do join us. Then on Thursday 3 July at 7.30pm in Coates village hall, Norah Kennedy will demonstrate some of the many uses of willow for baskets and structures in the garden. There will be no meeting in August. Margaret Reynolds THE GOOD COMPANIONS The Good Companions outing is on Thursday 19 June. The coach leaves Coates village hall at 11.30am and is fully booked. The July meeting is on Thursday 17 July at 2.30pm in the village hall when the popular speaker from Radio Gloucestershire Pete Wilson will talk about his 31 holidays in Antigua over the last 25 years. Raffle and refreshments will follow. Betty Mixture COATES VILLAGE LOTTERY The first draw of the new Coates Village Hall lottery year was held at 7.30pm on 2 May, during the Social Club Family event. There were 59 participants. Prizes were awarded as follows: First Prize: £50 to No 58 Sue Russell Second Prize: £30 to No 98 Sarah Fuchs Third Prize: £20 to No 85 Robin Pond I would like to thank all our generous contributors and also the trustees whose efforts ensured that the contributions arrived in time for the draw. Half of all contributions is spent on village hall improvements and the remainder given as prizes in monthly draws. If you are one of those who intended to contribute but missed the boat this time, there is still plenty of time to join in. Forms are available at the village hall or from Diana Crane, Betty Mixture, Roy Pond, Ron Smith or Michael Vaughan. Diana Crane

6 19 NEWS FROM SAPPERTON AND Out of this world FRAMPTON MANSELL Decorating services Established 1999 ALTAR EGO Free estimates The first clue should have been the robin that flew past my head as I Reliable friendly professional service opened the garage door. However, keen to embark on the annual References available on request spring clean of almost empty paint pots, old cardboard boxes, a rusty Interior and exterior bike and forgotten mismatched chairs, I sallied forth almost without noticing a rather unusual addition to our artificial Christmas tree half Email [email protected] escaping from its wrappings. There, towards the top of the tree and in Telephone Mike Sawyer in Coates on 01285 771467 place of the usual angel, was a little nest of eggs. How very apt - a robin family in the Christmas tree at Easter time! The industrious parents were using the open cat flap to fly in and out to access their HFL Property Services nest. We crossed our fingers and prayed that no passing cat would pop in out of curiosity as the chicks hatched a few days later. Garden Maintenance I started writing this at Eastertide, a time of family togetherness and Landscaping – turfing, terraces, fencing celebration. As we share our Easter eggs there is always at least one Painting & Decorating – interior and exterior member of the family – usually a parent – slaving away providing food Handyman Service (1/2 day minimum) and nourishment. The self-sacrificing parent is a reflection of Jesus’ Tree Surgery self-giving love for the sake of the whole world. That little nest of eggs Carpentry – kitchen fitting, wardrobes was the best Easter present we could have been given and I am delighted to report that we are now empty nesters with every hope that Contact: 07887 591971/01285 850672 a successful maiden flight was made by all. www.hasslefreeliving.com

Specialist in airport transfers and long distance journeys. Friendly, flexible and reliable licensed service available day or night for pre booked journeys. All UK and European destinations. Central London a speciality. Credit card facilities available Phil Bradley, Cornerstones, Stroud Road, Bisley Tel: 01452 770337 Mobile: 07082 154968 [email protected] www.cornerstoneschauffeurservice.co.uk Proud to have served the Cotswolds for more than a decade.

18 7 SCHOOL TIES SAPPERTON SCHOOL SING Schools Out! Pupils have returned from the very This concert (see poster below) has been completely set up by local welcome Easter holidays and the talk is now of teenager, Jess Turner, who sings with Kemble Choir. A working visit tennis – including another trip to Wimbledon for to Africa last year inspired her to invite local choirs, including ours in Year 6, cricket, BBQs and long summer Coates, for a unique fundraising concert - there will be six choirs in evenings. In past years, Sapperton has done well at total, from neighbouring parishes. All the ticket money goes to Sing! a summer sports and news of further successes is Comic Relief charity set up by Annie Lennox to reduce the eagerly awaited. But these results will have to wait just that little bit transmission of HIV and improve the care of those affected by it in longer as the important issue of SATS has to be mastered before Africa. games can begin in earnest. Year 6 are working very hard as I write, Please come and support your local singers, Jess and most poring over past maths and English papers with perhaps just the importantly, the charity. If you like it, come and join the Coates choir! occasional wistful glance at the sun-dappled trees in the wooded For more information contact Liz Collins on 770621. valley behind them…… And then there will be water sports again in the Cotswold Water Park – very popular last year where Sapperton students got extremely wet SING! and sunburnt but managed to come first, second and third in the Charity Event 2014 “Forgotten Wetsuit-requiring-a-parental-trip-back-to-the-lake-in-the- Deals with HIV and Aids in poor countries evening Competition” - and of course Country Dancing at Fairford, back by popular demand. For those not in the know, this charming Choirs from all around the district performing for last event, held on a beautiful Hardy-esque (or Laurie Lee-esque?) July evening last year, could have come straight out of the pages of you! Tess of the D’Urbervilles and was enjoyed by girls, boys and parents In South Cerney Church alike. The date for this year’s festival is still awaited but will be published in parent mail when known. Friday 13 June And the key piece of information you are all waiting for? What’s that? Doors open 6:30pm to start at 7pm Oh, the title of the School Play! – Well, very sorry to disappoint you but even this columnist doesn’t have the necessary clearance to that Tickets: £5 level of classification. Again, all will be revealed in parent mail in due course. Raffle and Refreshments! All this to come…..just got to get through those SATS first! “In support of SING, a restricted fund managed by Comic Relief, registered charity 326568(England/Wales); SC039730 (Scotland)”. Molesworth PRAYERS IN THE BENEFICE NGS GARDENS OPEN IN ASHLEY AND CULKERTON  Mondays at Coates at 9am A very pleasant afternoon can be spent visiting a variety of village  Tuesdays at Frampton Mansell at noon (Holy Communion on the gardens on Sunday 8 June from 2 to 6pm. Five gardens will be open first Tuesday in the month; on other Tuesdays there will be in Ashley, and two in Culkerton. Teas will be served in a marquee at devotions) Ashley Manor, also stalls selling plants, cakes and produce. Ample  Wednesdays at Kemble at 10am (Holy Communion) parking will be available at Ashley Manor and The Ox Barn in Tuesdays at Kemble at 8.30am Culkerton. All the open gardens are within easy walking distance of  Fridays at Rodmarton at 9.15am parking. Proceeds will also go to Marie Curie Cancer Care.  Saturdays at Somerford Keynes (first Saturday in the month only)

8 17 Let’s Talk Discussion Group Join us on Wednesday 4 June 2014 at 6.30pm The Crown, Frampton Mansell [with our thanks to Simon and Gemma.] A time to get together and discuss topics of interest. For further information contact Paul or Pepita on 760211

FRAMPTON MANSELL COFFEE MORNING Thursday 5 June - 10.30am to 12pm at Woodstock. Please join us for a coffee and a chinwag! Everyone welcome.

16 9 NEWS FROM RODMARTON, TARLTON, CIRENCESTER EATING DISORDER SUPPORT GROUP CULKERTON AND HAZLETON The local team will be on hand for the monthly meeting on Wednesday 4 June held in St Peters Lounge, St Peters Court, St Peters Road 7.30 RODMARTON PARISH COUNCIL - 9pm. This is for sufferers and carers of those who are distressed and At the last meeting Rodmarton Parish Council discussed several coping with anorexia or bulimia. items. The protection of the Rodmarton green was uppermost as Plum/East/Jungle shops in Cirencester have come together to put sadly there are people who drive over it and wreck it making the on a fashion show to support the group on Thursday 12 June in village look unsightly and uncared for. It was proposed to install Meysey Hampton memorial hall at 7.30pm. I am indeed humbled wooden posts to keep these drivers off the green. A subvention to the and thrilled. Tickets are on sale now at £10 each to include a glass of Watershed Magazine of £450 was agreed. A co-operative buying wine and some nibbles. Further drinks are available for a donation. scheme for heating oil was to be looked at. To help make sense of There will be an excellent raffle. the seemingly haphazard numbering system of buildings in the parish I am delighted and honoured to hear that I have been shortlisted for a a diagrammatic map of Tarlton was produced to match that already category in the national BEAT volunteer recognition awards as part of done of Rodmarton. The maps which bear the number of the houses the 25th year of Beat. The award ceremony will be taking place in the but not the name of the parishioners are to be installed in the village House of Commons and hosted by MP Caroline Noakes and bus shelters where everyone, especially delivery people, can refer to sponsored by Debenhams in June. them. Full minutes of meetings of your parish council can now be If you are out and about on Saturday 28 June then call into the seen together with other items on the parish website: www.rodmarton Lechlade craft fair as the organisers have chosen to support the group -pc.org. with the raffle proceeds on that day. The next meetings of the parish council will be on the third Tuesday Further details about the group in confidence from Pat 01285 770385. every other month, 22 July, 16 September, 18 November – all welcome. Summer party and sponsored obstacle course RODMARTON CHURCH CHOIR Forthcoming choir services over the next months are: Sunday 8 June Whit Sunday

CARERS SUPPORT GROUPS There’s a big difference between caring about a loved one and caring On Saturday 7 June 2014 at 2pm (whatever the weather) for them. Many of us experience the joys (and occasional with refreshments frustrations!) of being in a family, sharing our lives with spouses, At Kemble Primary School partners, children, parents and other relatives. However, this can all change if we find someone becoming dependent on us because of All children, whatever their age, are welcome to take part in completing the long-term physical or mental illness or disability; caring like this can obstacle course and, if they like, they can come bring many strains and stresses. Many such carers find emotional dressed as their favourite story or nursery rhyme character. and practical support from meeting together to share their stories, Prize for the best dressed! receive helpful information and have a regular monthly break from All welcome, the more the merrier! caring. If you’d be willing to help organise such a group in your area If you would like a sponsorship form for your child please email us could you please contact Roger Hare of Carers Gloucestershire on at [email protected] 01452 872241 or email [email protected].

10 15 NOTES FROM CULKERTON (cont)

Not to be outdone by rejoicing in the Welsh valleys, Slad is staging a RODMARTON AND weeklong festival in late June. Doubtless the village pub, The Woolpack, will overflow into the road, down the banks and into the TARLTON churchyard where the great man is buried. See http://laurielee.org/. But what is most interesting about Laurie Lee is that he moved back to Slad after Cider with Rosie was published, when he was probably wealthy enough to have lived almost anywhere, and after the rural F I E S TA idyll he describes in the book had long gone – if it had ever existed in the first place. Yet the Slad valley was where he belonged, and although it had changed enormously – and not necessarily for the Barbecue and better – and he had changed too, it remained Home, his place of true belonging. Like all great poets he knew where his roots lay, and he understood the importance of places of belonging, heartlands. Continental Café Music Matthew Oates Wine and Real Ale Bars KEMBLE AND DISTRICT ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Soft drinks and light refreshments WOMEN’S SECTION At the recent annual conference in Llandudno the Gloucestershire Pimm’s Tent Standard Bearer, Mrs Rachel Perkins, won the National competition. Rachel will now represent the RBLWS at all events including the Saturday 7 June 2014 annual remembrance services in London with the Royal Family. 1,117,077 Commonwealth service men and women were killed during the first world war. The losses were felt in almost every town and Rodmarton Village Hall village in the UK and throughout what was then the British Empire. The RBL working in partnership with the Commonwealth War Graves 5pm to 9pm * Grand Auction * commission would like to see each and every one of these men and women individually commemorated throughout the WW1 centenary  Attractions for children * years. Every man remembered is an opportunity for the public to be part of the great collective Act of Remembrance. To this aim please sow poppies. B & Q will donate £1 for every packet sold to the work of Snail Drag Racing and Tug of War the legion. For more information see www.everymanremembered.org There will be an Armed Forces parade from the College Green by * Quad bike and trailer rides * Gloucester Cathedral to the docks on Saturday 21 June. The Standard Bearers of Kemble and District RBL and Women’s Section Entrance and meal tickets available in advance will be in attendance. from 770401. Entry £2 - free for under 12 Pat Ayres Hon Sec and Standard Bearer.

14 11 NOTES FROM CULKERTON NOTES FROM CULKERTON (cont) GARDENING TIPS FOR JUNE I would like to tell you about the garden at Snowshill, which is looked after by the National Trust. Linda Roberts, the Head Gardener, has ‘No two gardens are the same. No two days are the same in one taken an organic approach and for 25 years the garden has benefitted garden’. Hugh Johnson, garden writer. from annual dressing of home-made compost. Plants are selected for Summertime begins the season when preparation work, sowing and their toughness; there is no irrigation system so drought resistance is a planting out in the previous months allows you time to really enjoy your necessary quality. Visit the garden to see dependable garden plants garden. Breakfast, afternoon tea, and alfresco family meals in the for Cotswold gardens. Take a notebook and camera. When you get garden are delightful. home refer to a good reference book or use the internet to find out There will be a few on-going jobs of succession sowing of vegetables, more about the plants you have seen. and thinning seedlings as required, some of these are excellent as An easy and quick annual for edging is night scented stock, giving a micro-greens for salads. Weeding should be in hand, but some fabulous perfume in the evening. watering and feeding will need attention. To keep flowers coming it is Sally Oates well worth the time deadheading, especially roses. A reader asked me to identify a mass of seedlings that had appeared LAURIE LEE CENTENARY in April. These were Ash of all things which should be hoed out as There is great rejoicing in the Land of Song across the Severn, for it is soon as seen; a spade can be used on larger saplings. Ash trees grow Dylan Thomas’s centenary year. The Welsh seem to have forgiven very quickly, and for those with garden space and a wood burner, can the man from Cwmdonkin Drive, Swansea, for taking the mickey out of be grown on a coppice rotation. them so remorselessly in Under Milk Wood, and the principality is, to Now is the time for summer pruning of stoned fruit, which includes use one of its rugby terms, bang up for it. A huge diversity of events is peaches, apricots, and plums. Be careful not to remove fruit; look well taking place all over Wales, including several Dylan Thomas drinking before you cut. Talking of peaches, I have a quandary at the moment. tours. Dylan is without doubt one of the finest poets in the English My lovely peach tree took the winter of 2012/13 poorly suffering language, though one of the most difficult to understand as in many of massive die back and this year has only a few leaves at the top. My his poems meaning is carried more by the sound of the words, their intuition tells me to leave it another season to see if new shoots break cadence, than by normal literality. from the trunk. Here, in the Cotswold valleys, we are celebrating Laurie Lee’s During this month, top fruit apples and pears very often shed extra centenary, for Laurie was born in Slad on 26 June 1914. His small fruit. This is known as the June drop and happens usually in hot masterpiece Cider with Rosie, which was published in 1959, is one of dry weather. To help trees keep more fruit, water and mulch, or to the greatest pieces of English rural prose writing. Laurie did, though, have fewer but larger fruits thin out, but leave this job until very late in wish to be remembered more as a poet. Sure, Cider with Rosie is the month. what is termed a prose-poem but he also wrote some seriously fine Summer pots can planted up and positioned around the garden. They verse – April Rise is as good as anything Edward Thomas wrote (and can look good placed singularly or in groups. This year I have an as a near-disciple of Edward Thomas that is the finest tribute I could added bonus. As the winter was so mild a large pot planted with last pay to our man from Slad). Above all, Laurie had a poet’s mind and year’s birthday present rose and nicotiana, has remained a saw things through a poet’s eye. In places in Cider with Rosie it is partnership. The Nicotiana affinis had been cut back ready to be hard to tell what is actual and what is fantasy, as to poets both are removed in October last year but was over looked, and started re- equally real, being opposing ends of the spectrum of reality. People growing on the spring. This pot looks very good just now; all will be fed without a poet’s disposition may struggle to understand this. soon.

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