Grass ROOTS the RHS Community Update

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Grass ROOTS the RHS Community Update GRASS ROOTS The RHS Community Update Issue 13 • Spring 2013 rhs.org.uk/communities BRITAIN IN BLOOM 2013 The Finalists! COMMUNITIES DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES INTERVIEW Raymond Blanc SUSTAINABLE GROWING MEDIA 2 Welcome NEWS 3 New affiliated societies Put your skills to the test in an RHS pack available horticultural competition There are several changes to the Affiliated Societies scheme for 2013, including 2/ Welcome & LETTERS 2013 Competitions: changes to the ‘event finder’ facility and a new system for registering for the speakers’ Rhyl in Bloom Rhyl 3/ NEWS • 9-10 April, RHS Garden Wisley: The and judges’ registers online. 4/5 RHS BRITAIN IN BLOOM Welcome RHS/ Tim Sandall Daffodil Show, Early Rhododendron To request a 2013 Affiliated Societies Competition, Main Camellia Information Pack, please email FINALISTS Competition, Spring Ornamental [email protected] quoting your To the spring issue and a new name for the magazine! Plant Competition affiliation number and club/society name 6/7 EDIBLE britain Grass Roots is the update for all RHS “in Bloom” and It’s Your • 20-21 April, RHS Garden Rosemoor: or, for those without internet access, please Main Rhododendron Competition phone 020 7821 3069. 8/9 RHS SCIENCE & ADVICE Neighbourhood participants and RHS Affilated Societies. • 30 April – 1 May, RHS Garden Sustainable growing media Wisley: Late Daffodil Competition There are over 300,000 volunteers taking part spirit and share resources; and we speak to and Tulip Competition Funds for sustainable 10/12 COMMUNITIES in the RHS community campaigns - the true Raymond Blanc, the Michelin-starred chef • 4-5 May, RHS Garden Harlow Carr: growing (England only) DOING IT for themselves grass roots that make Britain bloom. We’ve who is supporting this year’s Edible Britain Camellias compete in an RHS competition Late Rhododendron Competition changed the name of the magazine to shift launch campaign. • 25-28 July, RHS Flower Show Tatton Defra, in partnership with the RHS, have set 13/ RHS AFFILIATED the focus on to your work. Grass Roots is Please do keep us in touch with your news: The horticultural competitions run by the Park: Summer Fruit and Vegetable up a project to help Bloom and IYN groups dedicated to sharing your stories and ideas, [email protected] / 020 7821 3118 RHS are open to all, including amateur Competition to increase their use of sustainable growing SOCIETIES to inspire and encourage us all, so please do plant growers. They cover a wide range • 8-9 Oct, RHS Harvest Festival, media. £100,000 is available to support Garden Clubs Information Exchange keep in touch with your news. Many thanks, of ornamental plants as well as fruit and Lindley Hall, Westminster: Autumn groups’ use of sustainable growing In this issue we announce the 2013 Britain vegetables, and prestigious trophies are Fruit and Vegetable Competition media in place of peat. To apply for funds 14/ interview in Bloom finalists; we bring you news of awarded to winning entries. RHS membership • 22-23 Oct, RHS Shades of Autumn groups must be either local-authority led groups that are using gardening to build is not necessary and entry is free. Show, Lawrence and Lindley Halls, or working in partnership with the local Raymond Blanc new partnerships, restore lost community Sophie Dawson, Editor For more information or show schedules Westminster: Autumn Ornamental authority. To find out more see page 9. please contact the Horticultural Competitions Plant Competition Applications will close in July 2013. 15/ RHS CAMPAIGN FOR Manager, Georgina Barter (020 7821 3142 / • 1-2 Nov, RHS Garden Wisley: Late SCHOOL GARDENING YOUR LETTERS The struggling bumblebee [email protected]). Fruit and Vegetable Competition. New match funding RHS Young School Gardener 2013 When we think ‘bee’ we often picture a Halstead RHS/ Andrew opportunity 16/ GET INVOLVED Bumblebees (Bombus) are in bumblebee or honeybee and forget that long-term decline in the UK there are hundreds of species of solitary Coming soon…new RHS website The online fundraising platform Spacehive bees and other pollinating insects. Some has announced £100,000 of match funding bumblebee species feed from a wide range Look out for the new RHS website, due to be launched mid- available to projects aiming to revive the of garden and wild flowers and are common April. Not only are we giving the website a brand new look, UK’s town centres and high streets. Projects in gardens. However, those species with more we’re also adding some great new functions, including your setting out to boost visitor appeal to the Cover image: Richmond in Bloom, Ham United specialised habitat and floral requirements own personal area where you can bookmark content, comment UK’s high streets can apply to receive Group; Credit: RHS/ Julian Weigall have been in long-term decline in the UK. match funding from Experian. The drive is Back cover image: King’s Heath in Bloom Bumblebees are ‘super pollinators’ – they on articles and, if you’re an RHS member, you’ll be able to being led by the Association of Town Centre volunteers; credit: RHS/ Julian Weigall work longer hours than honeybees and in and roundabouts helps make up for the loss access exclusive articles, videos and podcasts. Make sure you Management (ATCM) with backing from DCLG. worse weather; their hairy bodies collect and of natural habitat in the wider countryside. visit rhs.org.uk later this month. For more information, visit: www.spacehive.com/initiatives/ Grass Roots is published by distribute more pollen than sleeker insects. The role of pesticides in the fate of RHS Community Horticulture, 80 Vincent By vibrating flowers, they produce a shower bumblebees is not clear. Studies into the towncentres Square, London SW1P 2PE of pollen, making them more effective at impact of insecticides, especially those in the Tel 020 7821 3069 Calling all Midlands-based community gardeners Email [email protected] pollinating many crops. neonicotinoid group, are being undertaken Bumblebees do not forage far (often just and will help inform decisions on pesticide Brighten up your ©2013 The Royal Horticultural Society The search is on for the best community use at the European and UK level. Gardeners a few hundred metres from their nests) so gardeners in The Midlands and BBC community Registered Charity the more pollen- and nectar-rich flowers* should minimise the use of insecticides and no: 222879 / SC038262 Gardeners’ World Live is calling on all avoid spraying plants when in flower. we can plant and join up, the better. communities to vote. The winners will Dulux are offering 60,000 litres of paint Wildflower and urban meadow mixes, receive a greenhouse worth more than for community spaces as part of their Let’s The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s together with red clover and legume crops, Helen Bostock, Colour project. For more information, visit: leading gardening charity, dedicated to £1,000 and £300 worth of seeds, plus are all bumblebee-friendly. Planting these in RHS Senior Horticultural Advisor advancing horticulture and promoting gardening. tickets for them and their family to attend www.letscolour.co.uk *rhs.org.uk/Plants-for-pollinators Our community campaigns support more gardens, parks, community orchards, verges BBC Gardeners’ World Live at the NEC. than 5,000 groups in creating greener and To nominate someone from your Santander Community Plus provides grants more interconnected communities. For more information about RHS Britain in Bloom, RHS Please send your letters to [email protected] or Sophie Dawson, RHS, own group or another near you visit of up to £5,000 to charities benefitting local It’s Your Neighbourhood and RHS Affiliated 80 Vincent Square, London SW1P 2PE. Letters on all community gardening topics www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com/ disadvantaged people. Funding is available Societies, please visit rhs.org.uk/communities are welcomed, but may be edited for publication. communitygardeners. Volunteers in Belper to cover salaries, equipment or materials. re-plant a flower bed. The closing date is 20 April 2013. www.santanderfoundation.org.uk/ GRASS ROOTS • Spring 2013 rhs.org.uk/communities 4 rhs BRTIAIN IN BLOOM FINALISTS RHS BRITAIN IN BLOOM FINALISTS 5 SMALL TOWN Congratulations RHS Britain Entry name R/n Ahoghill Ulster in Bloom 2013 finalists! Garstang North West Hunmanby Yorkshire This year 78 communities have been nominated to take part in RHS Britain in Bloom, the UK Finals stage Sedgefield Northumbria Coupar Angus Pride of Place Angus Pride Coupar of the campaign. They will be visited by the judges in August and we will let you know how they did in the autumn issue of the magazine. For more information, please visit rhs.org.uk/britaininbloom. TOWN SMALL CITY URBAN COMMUNITY Entry name R/n Entry name R/n Entry name R/n SMALL VILLAGE Blairgowrie & Scotland Bath South West Aldridge (Walsall) Heart of England Rattray Entry name Region / nation Bracknell Thames & Chilterns Bolnore Village South City of London London Barton in Fabis East Midlands Bury North West (Haywards Heath) Cleethorpes in Bloom Freckleton North West Clifton (Bristol) South West Scarva Ulster Colchester Anglia Garforth Yorkshire Eston Northumbria Derry City Ulster Henley on Thames Thames & Chilterns (Middlesbrough) VILLAGE Grimsby East Midlands Morpeth Northumbria London Bridge London Entry name R/n Shrewsbury Heart of England (Southwark) Newquay South West Cartmel Cumbria Mancroft, The Lanes Anglia Oakham East Midlands Elswick North West (Norwich) Windermere Cumbria
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