The Community Gardeners gathered in Love Lane on Saturday, October 31 to work on two projects – giving the young hedgerow saplings some care and attention before winter sets in, and making some progress on the Central Arena area to enable the planting of yet more trees.
A trio of elder trees, which had been planted too closely together when the 300 hedge saplings were set out in the spring, were redistributed along the hedgerow to create a better balance. However, in fact, there was a fourth elder which had not been spotted because the others were looming over it. All the other six species of hedging trees are already growing apace.
Yours truly, the Rye News reporter, was drafted in to assist on the Central Arena project, digging the 12 tree holes, and then filling them in again! But this wasn’t a make work scheme, as she originally suspected, designed to keep her away from the vulnerable young hedge saplings.
Apparently, with the soil still warm but workable from autumnal rain, this is the season to be digging, and new hands are always welcome! The twelve trees will be a mix of Paper Birch and Ermani Birch, both of which have extremely decorative bark and glorious leaf colour, and will thrive in the moist soil of that part of the Garden.
The trees will be planted out over the winter ready for their spring growth.
The far end of the garden is bounded by a drainage ditch. Pip Al-Khafaji, a member of the Garden Steering Group, told us that they had planned to sow wildflower seeds on both banks but, during the dog days of summer, persons unknown had strimmed back the brambles and brushwood.
Disaster! But everything will now regrow with a vengeance! Perhaps the heritage apple trees are partly to blame, attracting the brambles with their come-hither scent.
Pip told us that she is looking forward to planting the locally bred Saltcote Pippin apple tree this winter and has reserved a special place for it.
Weather permitting, the Community Gardeners are usually hard at it every Tuesday afternoon (2-4pm) and Saturday morning (11am-2pm). The entrance to the Rye Community Food and Wildlife Garden is near the end of Love Lane past the Primary School.
Photo: Seana Lanigan