The Balsall Heathan - St. Paul's Community Trust

alsall
heath
in bloom 2013
Calling all Gardeners
Neighbourhood
Gardening Competition
by Pat Wing
If you look round Balsall Heath there is an increasing number
of excellent colourful front gardens, hanging baskets and other
features, which really brighten up the area. Also from the number
of people who visit the Tree nursery we know more and more
people are growing their own vegetables. This year we are reintroducing
the neighbourhood gardening competition, in the
following categories;
Best front garden
Best hanging basket
Best homegrown vegetable
If you would like to enter, it is free and everybody
will get a prize!!! Please fill in an application form available
through Balsall Heath Forum, Tree Nursery, 82-89 St Paul’s
Road, Balsall Heath, B12 8LS (by the junction with Ladypool
Road). We will notify each entrant of the judging day in due
course. There will be prizes
for all the category winners
and these will be presented
at a special presentation
event!
Let’s have lots of entries and
it doesn’t matter whether
you are a beginner or an
experienced gardener. The
judges will decide!!
Special Advice
Cllr Tony Kennedy will hold a one-off special advice surgery on the sofa
at the Ort Gallery Moseley Road wednesday 12th June 5-7.00 p.m.
Your Community Newspaper
The Balsall
Heathan
The deadline for the next
edition is May 31st
Please send your news and views to The
Editor, St. Paul’s Centre, Hertford Street,
Balsall Heath, Birmingham, B12 8NJ.
Tel: 0121-464 4376. Fax: 0121-464 2555
Email balsall.heathan@stpaulstrust.org.uk
Bee Garden
Opens
by John Newson
Bees do a vital job in pollinating
flowers and fruits, but they have
been declining in numbers across
the country. In future they will
have a re-fuelling point in Balsall Heath’s own Bee Garden. This
opened on 18th May and has been planned to provide flowers all
through the year, to feed the bees and butterflies.
The location is Longmore Street, close to Percy Shurmer Academy,
where walkers and cyclists will enjoy it. Birmingham Friends of
the Earth has provided the funds, from a benefit event that they
held. The bee-friendly plants were put in by Balsall Heath Forum’s
Green Team, to enhance a Jubilee Garden that they created
in 2012, marking Queen Elizabeth’s 60 years as Queen. This is
part of making the River Rea valley into a more effective wildlife
corridor, from Cannon Hill Park into the city centre. The opening
was accompanied by a Bee Walk, so that residents could see what
else can be done to increase flowers, bees and wildlife generally.
The Opening included an invitation to our area’s MP Roger
Godsiff, who has been supporting the Bee Cause in Parliament.
Friends of the Earth are campaigning for an end to the use of
certain pesticides that may be linked to the death of bees. They are
encouraging everyone to avoid using these chemicals and instead
to plant bee-friendly flowers in their gardens. Information about
the Bee Cause is at www.birminghamfoe.org.uk or ring 0121 632
6909 (10-5).
Bee plants can be bought at the
Tree Nursery on St Paul’s Road.
We can observe what the bees like
and plant more of it! Watch out for
further information around the annual
Carnival in July, whose theme is to be
“Butterflies, Bees , Bugs and Blooms”.