Herald - Issue 396

Page 44 • The HERALD • 8th October 2020 v SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SPECIALISTS v For All Your Gardening Needs General Garden Maintenance Overgrown Gardens Cleared Existing Garden Makeovers Areas Re-designed and Re-planted Hard Features Created Garden Coaching Lawn Care and Turfing Fencing Erected and Repaired Contact Paul on 07794 122065 Contact Nick 07825 662955 or 023 8017 3186 (office) • Local Domestic and Commercial Tree Surgeons • Hedging work • Tree reductions • Thinning • Tree dismantles • Arboricultural reports and Surveys • Fencing Free no obligation quotation, and free advice E: enquiries@langleyarb.com W: www.langleyarb.com | DOWN THE GARDEN PATH | The next Herald is out on 29th October feeders and tables as fast and easy food. Birds use most of their energy just surviving the cold nights, so support is essential to make sure they stay alive. e RSPB’s ve top tips for feeding the birds are: • Di erent birds have di erent tastes and you may attract far more species if you go for variety. Try unusual items such as pastry, cooked rice, grated mild cheese, and cooked potatoes. But avoid any salted foods, and buy toxin-free peanuts from reputable dealers. • Something to drink? Birds need water to drink and bathe in all year. Especially in hard frosts, open water can be hard to nd. Change the water regularly and never add salt. • Bird tables and feeders should be cleaned weekly with very dilute disinfectant to reduce the risk of disease. • Don’t put food on the ground if your garden is used by cats; and locate your table and feeders near to cover to give birds an escape route from predators. • Put up nest boxes, not only to give birds a place to nest in the spring, but many birds use nest boxes to roost in overnight during the winter. Winter can be a tough time for wildlife, because natural food sources dwindle in the cold weather, there is more competition from birds and other wildlife, plants may become covered with snow, berry crops come to an end, and water sources such as lakes, rivers and ponds o en freeze over. In harsh winters, birds such as blackbirds, thrushes and more exotic seasonal visitors like waxwings visit gardens in search of food, which can be a lifesaver for a wide range of species, and helps birds to be in good health when the breeding season arrives in the spring. Natural foods such as berries, fallen fruits, and insects are not limitless; birds are increasingly reliant on us to provide additional food to get them through the cold winter nights. Robins, blackbirds and nches have come to rely on WILD GARDEN PARTY e Healthy Haven garden at the Waterside Medical Practice is looking for more volunteers to help in the garden. Contact Christine Bennett on 023 8084 2006 or Philip Sayers, Practice Manager, on 023 8089 9119 if you are able to help. ey are always looking for donations of plants, whether vegetable or owers. Flower and vegetable seeds are also wanted. Please drop them o at the Medical Practice. ey also need some Bluebells and any plants for shade. Garden Volunteers Needed Meetings Cancelled Dibden Purĺieu Gardening Association have cancelled their meetings for the rest of the year due to COVID. ey are having a Committee meeting in October to discuss future events. ey are looking for a new Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer so if anyone is interested in helping in any of the positions please contact Chris Bennett on 07795 976807. e garden club started in 1946 so it will be celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2021.