www.storeygardens.org
THE FRIENDS NEWSLETTER
Issue No 31
September 2015
September in The Gardens
More visitors this month, as we opened up during the Heritage Open weekend, although
not on their official schedule. We welcomed 79 visitors during the afternoon – a rather
slow start as it was drizzly, but the numbers picked up with the weather. Our very first
visitors, up the steps when we had scarcely opened up the gates, were a family from
Bolton, the family in fact of the KeepMoat people working on the central wall between
the two Gardens. It was the first time he had seen his highly skilled handiwork since the
walls were finished – he was moved on to a different project before the Meeting House
Lane walls were completed. He was very impressed with the Gardens as a whole and
wrote us a nice comment – “Looks really great now that all
the works’ completed. The
gardens are really well kept.
Well done to everyone who
was involved.” There was
plenty of fruit for the public to
pick and eat – even the high
plums were within reach for
some. Many thanks to those FoSG members who helped to
steward on these occasions.
More positive spin-off from the August Open Afternoon
sessions – one of the visitors turned up on the following
working afternoon complete with tools and gardening mat,
and weeded in the sunny herb bed all afternoon – idyllic.
The herb bed has turned up trumps – Fiona has been
encouraged to extend her range of available herbs by the
interest shown by the Chef at the NICE restaurant and
café, in the mange-tout growing up their wigwam of stakes
and in the lollo rosso lettuces. It’s great that the produce
is reaching a wider public.
The September gardening session saw an attack on the
ivy growing on the Meeting House garden wall – no
small task when you’re hemmed in by the wall on one
side, a prickly holly on the other side and a shifting
surface under foot, as collections of dead branches
crackle and give way just at the crucial moment of
exerting maximum pull on a deep-rooted ivy tendril. But
a very small section of wall looks better – for a while.
What’s on in the Hollygon
The wild annuals planted in the Hollygon continue to blaze out, with the yellows,
oranges and reds of Californian poppies, marigolds and nasturtiums, interspersed here
and there with the deep blue of cornflowers. We’re thrilled to report that we have been
awarded a grant from the Lancashire Environmental Fund for some ambitious (but low
maintenance) planting designed by David. This is thrilling news and we look forward to
seeing a transformation of the Hollygon, which will become worthy of its new plaque.
We were particularly pleased to be able to include in our bid some very encouraging
letters of support from local businesses who have really appreciated the work put in to
make the Hollygon less of a forgotten corner and more of a garden in its own right.
Consultation Meeting
A number of FoSG members assembled in The Storey one evening to take part in a
consultation exercise with Georgina Peacock, the designer who has been
commissioned to produce master plans for the Gardens. The meeting was facilitated by
Helen Ryan and Richard Hammond from the City Council, and we were asked to come
up with ideas on improving access, from both the physical and the visual points of view,
and for how the Copper Beech Garden might be developed, and a range of ideas for the
Western Garden. We’re hoping to see a first draft of the master plans late October,
early November.
Other Events
'Autumnal Tree Walk' 11th October – Friends of Greaves Park invite you to their
'Autumnal Tree Walk' on Sunday 11th October - meet 2pm at the playground near the
Pointer roundabout. David Redmore will be enthusing about the park's historic and
unusual trees.
The next Greenspace groups forum will be on Monday October 19th, 7-9pm at the Town
Hall, Morecambe. We will be having a further session with the planning team on land
use allocations, as further consultations and research inform the development plan
document.
Forest Market, Friday October 30th, 10-4, Lancaster Market Square, selling fruit trees,
craft products and all thing woodland related as part of Lancaster's One Planet Festival
Green Party Christmas Fair – Saturday 21 November, 10.00-4.00 at the Friends
Meeting House. FoSG expects to run a stall at this event to promote the group and the
work we do. Please contact if you would like/be able to help
Next Meetings
The next monthly meeting will be on Tuesday 3 November – please note new date, as
this is a change from the usual last Tuesday of the month. The venue of the NICE cafe
and the time of 6.00pm remain the same.
The next work session is on Sunday 4 October, 2.00-4.00pm.
The next Newsletter will be out the weekend of 30 October and copy should be sent to
Sue on sue.widden@outlook.com by23 October.