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24 The Parish Magazine — February 2026around AROUND the THE villages VILLAGES —– 13Phil Mason's animal worldCatapillar!Cowboys!Dog collar!Pigswill!BOURNE AGAINSHADOWSRELIVE THE HITSthFRIDAY 20 February 20267.30pm@Reading Hockey & Cricket ClubSonning Lane, Sonning, RG4 6ST£22 per ticket(There is a bar to purchase drinks at the ClubTo purchase tickets please contactSally Wilson on 07876 899513 ormustangsallywilson@gmail.com
HOME & GARDENAFOOT IN THE GARDENThe promise of sunnydays to comeBy Ray PuddefootFebruary brings that uplifting moment when we knowthat warmer days are on their way and our gardens'transformation from winter browns and greys gathers apace.The promise of warming sunny days grows and growsuntil the day we all notice the world is green and lushagain.A promise that starts with the Snowdrops, crocus,winter eaconites, dwarf narcissus, primroses, helleboresand friends.While the deciduous trees and shrubs are still leafless,take a moment to assess the structure of your garden andplan any changes. Look to achieve a natural balance ofshape and form. If you want to colour theme your borders,I would recommend getting a copy of the RHSEncyclopaedia Of Plants And Flowers.Visiting gardens and concentrating on structuralfeatures, especially in February, can be very inspirational.I have a project to make a wild, tangled, rustic trellisinspired by a visit to Puzzle Wood in the Forest of Dean.It is a magical place used in tv programmes and filmsincluding ‘Dr Who’, ‘Merlin’, ‘Star Wars’, ‘Harry Potter’ and‘The Secret Garden’.Nearer to home many a Botanic Gardens has exciting,small intimate gardens that are full of structural andplanting ideas.FINISH WINTER PRUNINGMild February days are a great opportunity to completethe winter pruning and give the garden a tidy.Direct spring seed sowing of half-hardy annuals andperennials is a great budget friendly way of adding colourto your borders.It always amazes me how spring edging lawns makes agarden look so neat and tidy.Repair bare patches in lawns by lightly forking the soiland sowing fresh lawn seed mixed with compost.It’s a rewarding time to plant as the moist soils andwarming weather helps plants to establish quickly.Many ‘summer impact’ bulbs and corms can be plantedfrom February onwards.These include Lillies (I love the giants), gladioli,sparaxis, nerine, cyclamen and crocosmia.Always water well and mulch after planting to settleplants in and reduce competition from weeds.FEBRUARY TOP TIPSPRUNE AND TIDYPLANTINGSOWINGMULCHING BORDERSSERVICE LAWNMOWERSThe Parish Magazine — February 2026 25February images by Ray PuddefootLook out! Thieves about!Keep a close eye on your belongings because, sadly, noone else seems to be able to do so. Recent figures haverevealed that more than 121,000 car theft offences inthe UK were not solved in 2024-25.Several police forces reported that more than 80% of carthefts were unsolved with 35 of the 44 police forces inEngland and Wales having a total rate of 6o% of all casesgoing unsolved. Some critics even said that the dismalfigures shows that car theft has been decriminalised!In the Reading area there was over 8,900 thefts from avehicle' while in the Thames Valley area only 58 thefts ledto the offender being charged.Theft has been around for a long time. Jesus warned usnot to over-value the things that we own. He said:'Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,where thieves break in and steal.' (Matthew 6:19)
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Page 31 and 32: FASHIONFebruary is the month of lov
Page 33 and 34: HEALTH BY ANNE ELGETIStronger, heal
Page 35 and 36: PUZZLE PAGERALPH'S 'STONES' BIBLE V
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The Parish Magazine February 2026

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The Parish Magazine February 2026

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