272 May 2017 - Gryffe Advertizer

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Bridge Of Weir Horticultural Society
In April, members took part
in a Gardening Quiz. The
teams handled an array of
written and visual questions
with aplomb and luck –
particularly when identifying
obscure tropical plants which
Donald had photographed
whilst on holiday! The
close results indicated the
five teams were a fairly
knowledgeable bunch. After
the Quiz, members listened
to a presentation about, “Our Carbon Footprint” by
Leslie Ritchie of LEAP.
The recent Spring weather has let us enjoy early
flowering shrubs, such as Camellias, Magnolias,
Amelanchier and cherry trees. In particular, Viburnum
tinus and V. X burkwoodii have been covered in scented
blossom; more noticeable this year under the “high”
which has been hovering above. Spring bulbs have
also put on a colourful display, flowering well under the
calmer weather front. This won’t last – but it has been
a remarkable few weeks.
When the weather is good – the gardeners get going, so
this is a timely reminder that also out and about will be
hedgehogs eating our slugs and snails. Blue slug pellets
are lethal for these creatures so must be avoided and
alternatives used
instead. Wool pellets
can be sprinkled
around tender
perennials and
summer bedding,
then watered in.
Slugs don’t like the
rough, hairiness and
back off. Really successful are “slug pubs” filled with
beer or cider. The sweetness draws the slimy creatures
in for a drink – and then oblivion! Equally effective are
plant saucers placed near seedlings, tender plants and
summer bedding and filled with beer or cider. There are
only 1 million hedgehogs left in the wild compared to
35 million in 1980s so we must do our bit to help these
endangered creatures.
Two dates for your gardening calendar: Thursday 11th
May when our guest will be Professor Stephen Phillips MBE
who will talk about Medicinal Plants. This will be a very
interesting and enlightening evening as he expands on our
basic awareness of plants used in medicines. We meet at
The Legion at 8pm and look forward to seeing you there.
Guests are always welcome.
On Saturday 20th May we hold our Plant Sale at 9.30am
outside The Legion. Here there will be a selection of shrubs
and perennials which are looking for new homes; seedlings
brought on by members and boxes of bedding plants. We’re
bound to find something you need in your garden!
Colourful Kilmacolm
April saw the usual spirit-lifting surge of growth in our
gardens, and, for Colourful Kilmacolm, in our various
planters. Daffodils and tulips have been the main stars,
but pulmonaria, saxifrage and hellebore added colour
to our planting at the Pullman.
As this is being written, the weather is still cold and it is
not easy to imagine that we will be planting out summer
bedding in a
few weeks, but
we plan ahead
with ideas for
summer floral
displays to make
the most of our
summer weather,
whatever it may
be this year.
Over the winter months a very willing
local volunteer worked hard with us
to cut back much of the laurel at the
Pullman site, as it was threatening
to take over. This has opened up
further areas for planting and we are always pleased to
be offered surplus plants for this area.
Members are reminded that our AGM will be held on
8th May. Colourful Kilmacolm is open to everyone. If
you have not yet joined, the very modest £5 annual
subscription will support our efforts. You can opt just to
be a supporter, or to be an ‘active gardener’ and help in
practical ways.
Membership forms can be downloaded from our website
www.colourfulkilmacolm.org.uk or you can phone Peter
(01505 872448) or Diane (01505 872611).