full April Bulletin - Biggleswade Rugby Club

14 BULLETIN APRIL 2012 TEL: 01234 834700 EDITORIAL: editorial@biggleswadebulletin.co.ukTHE GARDEN DOCTORThis month’s gardening tasksDid you know, many of the plantsus gardeners chose to brighten upour garden produce nothing of anyuse to the butterflies, the bees andthe other insects that sustain thenatural world. The very samenatural world that we humansdepend on for much of our food.Einstein famously stated that withoutbees, human beings will livefor only six years as the work theselittle creatures do at pollinating isthat crucial. The decline of insectsis a serious problem and requiresour urgent attention.The problem is, as certainplants have become bred to prioritiseparticular attributes it has beenat a cost; to lose the very parts ofthe plant that the insect worlddepends upon for their survival.Highly bred begonias are justone example. Despite their veryobvious beauty, they produce nopollen or nectar at all and socontribute nothing to the naturalworld.So what can be done? If youwant to make a huge contributionto this worrying problem, whenchoosing plants, look at them as ifyou were a discerning bee! Go forthose that 1. Have only a singleflower as these produce morepollen, 2. A range of flower shapesand heights is useful as it benefitsa variety of insects and, 3. Thoseplants that have a succession offlowers is also good, e.g.Foxglove. Remember, if you can’tsee the centre of a plant, where thenectar and pollen are usuallylocated, nor will the insect!The Garden DoctorTel: 01767 627 581Shuttleworth studentsscoop national awardSHUTTlEWORTH Collegestudents won a bronze medal inthe ‘Ideal Young Gardeners ofthe Year’ competition at the IdealHome Show at Earls Court inlondon.The students went head to headwith UK colleges, with a brief tocreate inspirational and sustainableshow gardens. The bronze medalwinninggarden, by studentWilliam Woodman, includedplantings of culinary herbs andfruit.Channel 5’s TV Gardener,David Domoney, joined forceswith The Prince’s Foundation for asecond year to officially launch the2012 ‘Ideal Young Gardeners ofthe Year’ competition, enthusingstudents with his expertise, knowledgeand guidance.The Prince’s Foundation setclear guidelines for the competitionbased on organic and sustainableprinciples. In addition, eachgarden was to inspire city dwellers,showing just what can be achievedin the most impossible of tighturban locations.David Domoney, organiser ofthe competition said: “The qualityof gardens this year has beenfantastic – over a quarter of a millionpeople entering the IdealHome Show will have taken inspirationfrom these gardens. Thiskind of exposure, with supportfrom The Prince’s Foundation forthe Built Environment, can prove agreat fuel injection for these youngpeople’s career paths and helpthem stand out from the competitionwhen they come to apply forwork.”William Woodman, student atShuttleworth College added: “Theexperience of doing my own showgarden at this level and on thisscale is fantastic. Designing andbuilding an actual show gardenwith the team was just so excitingand to win the award is incrediblyrewarding. I have never doneanything like this before.”Geoff Deeble, lecturer inHorticulture at ShuttleworthCollege, said: “This is a prestigiousaward for the College and thestudents who have worked hard toproduce a garden of a professionalstandard that impressed the judgesand the thousands of people visitingthe ‘Ideal Home Show’. Theywill take this experience with themas inspiration for their careers.”Left to rght: Shuttleworth College students Connor Barber, JackLannon, Jack Brown and William Woodman pictured with DavidDomoney (Channel 5 TV Gardener) and Geoff Deeble (HorticultureCourse Manager, Shuttleworth College). Student Ashley Bradhsaw waspart of the team but not pictured here.