Hi folks, I've enjoyed reading your posts for awhile, while I've been on
the waiting list for an allotment here in Devon. I've only just been
able to get one, and to my dismay, not a thing has been done to it since
the end of last summer. I've got a lot of work ahead of me. (apologies
in advance for the long post btw, but I want to make sure I get off on
the right foot)

My current aim is to get the existing beds in shape so I can plant some
vegetables asap. I haven't started any seeds, because I had no idea when
or if I'd get an allotment this year. I don't have any experience
gardening in the UK but judging by what the books and seed packets have
to say, it will be ok if I sow outdoors by the end of May. I'm planting
pretty standard stuff this year: carrots, beets, peas, beans,
courgettes, sweetcorn, lettuce, radishes, spring onions and some herbs.
Also some tomatoes and strawberries, but I'll get plants for those. Am I
being too ambitious, given that it's already early May?

My other question is with regards to bed preparation. The beds are
raised (although the boards have been taken down and need re-affixing)
and full of weeds, plus one of them is full of Jerusalem artichokes
which I don't want to keep (even though I hear they're expensive, and
wonderful, and stuff). My current plan goes something like this, based
on different things I've read and my (admittedly sketchy) understanding
of British growing conditions.

1. Remove weeds (and Jerusalem artichokes)
2. Remove raised soil onto tarpaulin
3. Install newspaper 4-5 inches below top soil level, leaving spaces for
root crop rows (apparently this will help stop any perennial weeds
coming back)
4. Replace soil
5. Fertilise and cover with black plastic
6. Leave for 2 weeks, remove any stubborn weeds, then sow seeds

Does this sound reasonable, or even sensible? Is it overkill? Is it not
enough? I'm used to gardening in a very hot dry (but short) growing
season, where even the weeds have trouble taking hold. I'm looking to
start work this week, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks much,

Misty

Remove Jerusalem artichokes; tell us when you manage that little job, best
thing is leave them in they make marvellous chips. Some people call them
fartychokes. Lepslie


"M Babcock" wrote in message
...
Hi folks, I've enjoyed reading your posts for awhile, while I've been on
the waiting list for an allotment here in Devon. I've only just been
able to get one, and to my dismay, not a thing has been done to it since
the end of last summer. I've got a lot of work ahead of me. (apologies
in advance for the long post btw, but I want to make sure I get off on
the right foot)

My current aim is to get the existing beds in shape so I can plant some
vegetables asap. I haven't started any seeds, because I had no idea when
or if I'd get an allotment this year. I don't have any experience
gardening in the UK but judging by what the books and seed packets have
to say, it will be ok if I sow outdoors by the end of May. I'm planting
pretty standard stuff this year: carrots, beets, peas, beans,
courgettes, sweetcorn, lettuce, radishes, spring onions and some herbs.
Also some tomatoes and strawberries, but I'll get plants for those. Am I
being too ambitious, given that it's already early May?

My other question is with regards to bed preparation. The beds are
raised (although the boards have been taken down and need re-affixing)
and full of weeds, plus one of them is full of Jerusalem artichokes
which I don't want to keep (even though I hear they're expensive, and
wonderful, and stuff). My current plan goes something like this, based
on different things I've read and my (admittedly sketchy) understanding
of British growing conditions.

1. Remove weeds (and Jerusalem artichokes)
2. Remove raised soil onto tarpaulin
3. Install newspaper 4-5 inches below top soil level, leaving spaces for
root crop rows (apparently this will help stop any perennial weeds
coming back)
4. Replace soil
5. Fertilise and cover with black plastic
6. Leave for 2 weeks, remove any stubborn weeds, then sow seeds

Does this sound reasonable, or even sensible? Is it overkill? Is it not
enough? I'm used to gardening in a very hot dry (but short) growing
season, where even the weeds have trouble taking hold. I'm looking to
start work this week, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks much,

Misty

Sounds like an awful lot of work to me:-) Depends on how much time
you've got, but I'd repair your beds, dig and remove weeds (and
artichokes? know nothing about them), rake etc to produce as nice a
tilth as you can and get sowing. Mark the rows clearly, so you can hoe
the weeds in between and when you can identify the seeds you have
sown, hand weed more thoroughly.
I've sown spring onions, leeks, carrots and lettuce in March this
year. Admittedly, we've had a good warm, dry spell and most have come.
But I work on the principle of sowing little, often and if some don't
come, I sow again. It get's me a decent spread of when things are
ready to eat.
Bearing in mind that you are in Devon and I'm in Scotland, I wouldn't
worry too much:-))
Jonny

. My current plan goes something like this, based
on different things I've read and my (admittedly sketchy) understanding
of British growing conditions.

1. Remove weeds (and Jerusalem artichokes)
2. Remove raised soil onto tarpaulin
3. Install newspaper 4-5 inches below top soil level, leaving spaces for
root crop rows (apparently this will help stop any perennial weeds
coming back)
4. Replace soil
5. Fertilise and cover with black plastic
6. Leave for 2 weeks, remove any stubborn weeds, then sow seeds

Does this sound reasonable, or even sensible? Is it overkill? Is it not
enough? I'm used to gardening in a very hot dry (but short) growing
season, where even the weeds have trouble taking hold. I'm looking to
start work this week, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks much,

Misty

In article , M Babcock
writes

My other question is with regards to bed preparation. The beds are
raised (although the boards have been taken down and need re-affixing)
and full of weeds, plus one of them is full of Jerusalem artichokes
which I don't want to keep (even though I hear they're expensive, and
wonderful, and stuff). My current plan goes something like this, based
on different things I've read and my (admittedly sketchy) understanding
of British growing conditions.

1. Remove weeds (and Jerusalem artichokes)

Removing jerusalem artichokes will be a challenge! Grow tough things in
that bed that won't mind disturbance as you pull out all the jerusalem
artichokes you missed first time around.

2. Remove raised soil onto tarpaulin
3. Install newspaper 4-5 inches below top soil level, leaving spaces for
root crop rows (apparently this will help stop any perennial weeds
coming back)
4. Replace soil
5. Fertilise and cover with black plastic
6. Leave for 2 weeks, remove any stubborn weeds, then sow seeds

Does this sound reasonable, or even sensible? Is it overkill?

It's not overkill - you'll still be weeding all through the year.
While you're doing the initial sorting of the soil, try to remove any
pieces of thick root that you see - possibilities include couch grass,
which spreads by underground stolons, dandelion, with thick tap roots
going straight down and which will regenerate form the roots, ground
elder, whose roots have a nice fresh potato-ish smell, and bindweed with
long cream bootlace roots.

Don't expect too much this first year. Look and think about whatever
happens, and you'll learn lots for next year.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

M Babcock wrote:

Hi folks, I've enjoyed reading your posts for awhile, while I've been on
the waiting list for an allotment here in Devon. I've only just been
able to get one, and to my dismay, not a thing has been done to it since
the end of last summer. I've got a lot of work ahead of me. (apologies
in advance for the long post btw, but I want to make sure I get off on
the right foot)

My current aim is to get the existing beds in shape so I can plant some
vegetables asap. I haven't started any seeds, because I had no idea when
or if I'd get an allotment this year. I don't have any experience
gardening in the UK but judging by what the books and seed packets have
to say, it will be ok if I sow outdoors by the end of May. I'm planting
pretty standard stuff this year: carrots, beets, peas, beans,
courgettes, sweetcorn, lettuce, radishes, spring onions and some herbs.
Also some tomatoes and strawberries, but I'll get plants for those. Am I
being too ambitious, given that it's already early May?

My other question is with regards to bed preparation. The beds are
raised (although the boards have been taken down and need re-affixing)
and full of weeds, plus one of them is full of Jerusalem artichokes
which I don't want to keep (even though I hear they're expensive, and
wonderful, and stuff). My current plan goes something like this, based
on different things I've read and my (admittedly sketchy) understanding
of British growing conditions.

1. Remove weeds (and Jerusalem artichokes)
2. Remove raised soil onto tarpaulin
3. Install newspaper 4-5 inches below top soil level, leaving spaces for
root crop rows (apparently this will help stop any perennial weeds
coming back)
4. Replace soil
5. Fertilise and cover with black plastic
6. Leave for 2 weeks, remove any stubborn weeds, then sow seeds

Does this sound reasonable, or even sensible? Is it overkill? Is it not
enough? I'm used to gardening in a very hot dry (but short) growing
season, where even the weeds have trouble taking hold. I'm looking to
start work this week, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.


Yes and no.. allotments are a breed of their own,.. make sure you know
the terms of you allotment agreement (if its rented) some are stricter
than others..

What you propose is not overkill but I wouldn't bother burying newspaper
4 -5 inches below the surface.. I would vary that to be a 'sheet
compost' of manure of vegetable matter (greengrocers waste stinks but
works well) or manure then covered by cardboard of several newspapers
thickness of paper, then layered with black plastic.. Use this over
about half the allotment and then cultivate the rest this year..

In Devon you should certainly be OK to platn out by the end of may, IMO.

You will probably have to keep weeding.. Weeding and mulching are the
key..

You might find some of the linsk at:
http://www.chadahs.org.uk useful as well as the URG allotments FAQ at:
http://www.tmac.clara.co.uk/urgring/urgfaqs.htm

I can particulalry recommend the HDRA and NSALG if you have an allotment
in the UK
//
Jim
North London, England, UK

Misty wrote in message
Hi folks, I've enjoyed reading your posts for awhile, while I've been on
the waiting list for an allotment here in Devon. I've only just been
able to get one, and to my dismay, not a thing has been done to it since
the end of last summer. I've got a lot of work ahead of me. (apologies
in advance for the long post btw, but I want to make sure I get off on
the right foot)

Sounds an easy job, ours wasn't used for over 20 years when we took it over
(except for parking cars on!!!)


My current aim is to get the existing beds in shape so I can plant some
vegetables asap. I haven't started any seeds, because I had no idea when
or if I'd get an allotment this year. I don't have any experience
gardening in the UK but judging by what the books and seed packets have
to say, it will be ok if I sow outdoors by the end of May. I'm planting
pretty standard stuff this year: carrots, beets, peas, beans,
courgettes, sweetcorn, lettuce, radishes, spring onions and some herbs.
Also some tomatoes and strawberries, but I'll get plants for those. Am I
being too ambitious, given that it's already early May?

No, should be OK.

My other question is with regards to bed preparation. The beds are
raised (although the boards have been taken down and need re-affixing)
and full of weeds, plus one of them is full of Jerusalem artichokes
which I don't want to keep (even though I hear they're expensive, and
wonderful, and stuff). My current plan goes something like this, based
on different things I've read and my (admittedly sketchy) understanding
of British growing conditions.

1. Remove weeds (and Jerusalem artichokes)

It's only a year since it was used so will be mostly annual weeds so should
be easy but I'm not so sure the "fartychokes" will be.

2. Remove raised soil onto tarpaulin
3. Install newspaper 4-5 inches below top soil level, leaving spaces for
root crop rows (apparently this will help stop any perennial weeds
coming back)

Shouldn't be many perennial weeds if it's only been left fallow for a year
and you can just hoe them off anyway and if you keep doing that they
eventually die out. (except for Mares Tails that is) :-(

4. Replace soil
5. Fertilise and cover with black plastic
6. Leave for 2 weeks, remove any stubborn weeds, then sow seeds

Why? Why not just weed, manure lightly, and plant.

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.

I agree I would weed and plant. Never heard about newspaper stopping
perrenial weds by the way. As you're a lot cooler than in the City I should
think you have an ideal time to sow sweetcorn indoors ready to go out later
this month

From the English Riviera
If you live in Paradise why would you want to go abroad for a holiday?
Answers on a postcard to
http://www.cornishlight.freeserve.co.uk/rame.htm


Sue & Bob Hobden wrote:
: Misty wrote in message
:: Hi folks, I've enjoyed reading your posts for awhile, while I've
:: been on the waiting list for an allotment here in Devon. I've only
:: just been able to get one, and to my dismay, not a thing has been
:: done to it since the end of last summer. I've got a lot of work
:: ahead of me. (apologies in advance for the long post btw, but I want
:: to make sure I get off on the right foot)
:
: Sounds an easy job, ours wasn't used for over 20 years when we took
: it over (except for parking cars on!!!)
:
::
:: My current aim is to get the existing beds in shape so I can plant
:: some vegetables asap. I haven't started any seeds, because I had no
:: idea when or if I'd get an allotment this year. I don't have any
:: experience gardening in the UK but judging by what the books and
:: seed packets have to say, it will be ok if I sow outdoors by the end
:: of May. I'm planting pretty standard stuff this year: carrots,
:: beets, peas, beans, courgettes, sweetcorn, lettuce, radishes, spring
:: onions and some herbs. Also some tomatoes and strawberries, but I'll
:: get plants for those. Am I being too ambitious, given that it's
:: already early May?
:
: No, should be OK.
::
:: My other question is with regards to bed preparation. The beds are
:: raised (although the boards have been taken down and need
:: re-affixing) and full of weeds, plus one of them is full of
:: Jerusalem artichokes which I don't want to keep (even though I hear
:: they're expensive, and wonderful, and stuff). My current plan goes
:: something like this, based on different things I've read and my
:: (admittedly sketchy) understanding of British growing conditions.
::
:: 1. Remove weeds (and Jerusalem artichokes)
:
: It's only a year since it was used so will be mostly annual weeds so
: should be easy but I'm not so sure the "fartychokes" will be.
:
:: 2. Remove raised soil onto tarpaulin
:: 3. Install newspaper 4-5 inches below top soil level, leaving spaces
:: for root crop rows (apparently this will help stop any perennial
:: weeds coming back)
:
: Shouldn't be many perennial weeds if it's only been left fallow for a
: year and you can just hoe them off anyway and if you keep doing that
: they eventually die out. (except for Mares Tails that is) :-(
:
:: 4. Replace soil
:: 5. Fertilise and cover with black plastic
:: 6. Leave for 2 weeks, remove any stubborn weeds, then sow seeds
:
: Why? Why not just weed, manure lightly, and plant.

On Mon, 05 May 2003 19:45:28 +0100, M Babcock
wrote:

Hi folks, I've enjoyed reading your posts for awhile, while I've been on
the waiting list for an allotment here in Devon. I've only just been
able to get one, and to my dismay, not a thing has been done to it since
the end of last summer. I've got a lot of work ahead of me. (apologies
in advance for the long post btw, but I want to make sure I get off on
the right foot)

Lucky old you! In Cornwall here, there's no way I can get an
allotment.
One thing you could consider as you're starting a little late in the
year, and that is to go to your local livestock market. You will find
farmers there later in the year, selling things like cabbage,
broccoli,caulifower, sprout, leek plants etc. Usually not too
expensive , and that will enable you to get your winter vegetables
planted out in nice time. Good luck, I envy you.
-
Peter James
Change AT to @ to reply

Following up to M Babcock


My current aim is to get the existing beds in shape so I can plant some
vegetables asap. I haven't started any seeds, because I had no idea when
or if I'd get an allotment this year. I don't have any experience
gardening in the UK but judging by what the books and seed packets have
to say, it will be ok if I sow outdoors by the end of May. I'm planting
pretty standard stuff this year: carrots, beets, peas, beans,
courgettes, sweetcorn, lettuce, radishes, spring onions and some herbs.
Also some tomatoes and strawberries, but I'll get plants for those. Am I
being too ambitious, given that it's already early May?

I got my allotment last year and didnt get much sown before end May,
my parsnips turned out better than my neighbours ones, which went in
at the correct time.


My other question is with regards to bed preparation. The beds are
raised (although the boards have been taken down and need re-affixing)
and full of weeds, plus one of them is full of Jerusalem artichokes
which I don't want to keep (even though I hear they're expensive, and
wonderful, and stuff). My current plan goes something like this, based
on different things I've read and my (admittedly sketchy) understanding
of British growing conditions.

1. Remove weeds (and Jerusalem artichokes)

I would forget all this complicated stuff and just get the veg in
after digging over and getting most weeds out. (where I am you are
lucky to get a "prime site" only out of use for 6 months, most have to
contend with small trees!) If you want potatoes then get down to a
garden centre quick while they still have some stock and get a row or
three in pronto. Just set up your three plots for your rotation and
get the roots in quick.

Mark the rows well and keep hoeing between them.

As a novice veg grower these things were fairly easy for me in south
UK:-

bed 1
potatoes, carrots (protect from foxes once large), parsnips, beetroot

bed 2
pak choi (net over from pigeons), perpetual spinach
I had little luck with the cabbage family except for purple sprouting
broccolli.

bed 3
broad beans, french beans, peas

Permenent
strawberries (net), raspberries, loganberries

A marrow plant went well as have parsley, mint, chives and sage in the
herb department.

2. Remove raised soil onto tarpaulin
3. Install newspaper 4-5 inches below top soil level, leaving spaces for
root crop rows (apparently this will help stop any perennial weeds
coming back)
4. Replace soil
5. Fertilise and cover with black plastic
6. Leave for 2 weeks, remove any stubborn weeds, then sow seeds

this is all a mystery to me, i'm afraid.
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
The British hills, London & the Thames path "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk"
Spain, food and walking "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" (see web for email)

On Tue, 06 May 2003 12:28:36 +0100, Peter James
wrote:

~On Mon, 05 May 2003 19:45:28 +0100, M Babcock
wrote:
~
~Hi folks, I've enjoyed reading your posts for awhile, while I've been on
~the waiting list for an allotment here in Devon. I've only just been
~able to get one, and to my dismay, not a thing has been done to it since
~the end of last summer. I've got a lot of work ahead of me. (apologies
~in advance for the long post btw, but I want to make sure I get off on
~the right foot)
~
~Lucky old you! In Cornwall here, there's no way I can get an
~allotment.
~One thing you could consider as you're starting a little late in the
~year, and that is to go to your local livestock market. You will find
~farmers there later in the year, selling things like cabbage,
~broccoli,caulifower, sprout, leek plants etc. Usually not too
~expensive , and that will enable you to get your winter vegetables
~planted out in nice time. Good luck, I envy you.

I'd not buy in brassicas, in case your plot has not got clubroot and
the bought-in ones do... cos once you've got it...

I started at this time of the year and bunged in carrots, leeks
(bought in: Gardener's Kitchen from local garden centre), onion sets
(cheap at this time of year), beetroot (seed tape!), marrows and green
sprouting broccoli (the latter grown myself and planted out in July!)
and accidental spuds (were left from previous tenant) and all did very
well. I was eating the broccoli for most of the next spring. I grew
enough to warrant a second freezer come September and all veg in
Christmas dinner was homegrown.

Have fun - it's hard work but gets easier after the first year.


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove nospam from replies, thanks!

In article , The Reid
writes
Following up to M Babcock

carrots (protect from foxes once large),


How does one protect a carrot from foxes, and what do the foxes do to
them ? I'm presuming dig them up ...

.... but being as my carrots are coming up nicely, and I've just finished
scraping foxshit off the bottom of my shoe after spending some time in
my vegetable patch, I think this is something I need to know ...
--
Judy
http://members.lycos.co.uk/bluelotusrising/index.html
http://www.rigbys.demon.co.uk

Following up to Judy Rigby

How does one protect a carrot from foxes, and what do the foxes do to
them ? I'm presuming dig them up ...

... but being as my carrots are coming up nicely, and I've just finished
scraping foxshit off the bottom of my shoe after spending some time in
my vegetable patch, I think this is something I need to know ...

everything was OK until I started to harvest, they got the scent(?)
and started digging them up, chewing tops off. I put wire netting over
them which expensivly solved the problem.
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
The British hills, London & the Thames path "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk"
Spain, food and walking "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" (see web for email)

Thanks, everyone for your helpful suggestions and sharing your
experience - I feel like I have more common-sense ideas to go on now.
Also quite encouraged. :-)

I've just done my first afternoon's garden recovery onslaught, and
discovered several interesting things:

The bed with the best quality soil also has a large ants nest. Might
have to drag some sterno out there for boiling water, since I imagine
it's not a good idea to plant with them still there? Another bed has
millipedes (are these ok to leave, or will they cause crop damage? I'm
not sure how to evict them). Happily, there are also plenty of worms. :-)

I haven't even gone near the Jerusalem artichokes - I'm too scared! ;-)
I'm not going to expect too much out of that bed this year. There's a
trade shed on the allotment that sells compost and canes and stuff,
which is handy as I haven't got a car, but apparently they only arrange
manure delivery once a year in the winter time, so that will have to wait.

Thanks again for your input,

Misty

"The Reid" wrote in message
...
Following up to M Babcock

As a novice veg grower these things were fairly easy for me in south
UK:-

bed 1
potatoes, carrots (protect from foxes once large),

Interesting, why would you need to protect carrots from foxes?

I only ask because I've planted carrots and we have regular fox visitors.

Alan
--
Reply to alan(at)windsor-berks(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk

In article , Alan Holmes
writes

Interesting, why would you need to protect carrots from foxes?

I only ask because I've planted carrots and we have regular fox visitors.



Well, according to a spokesman for the Nepalese ambassador, Dr Singha
Bahadur Basnyat, they like to eat both carrots and spinach. Full story
copied from the Telegraph online follows:

Russo-Finnish dispute over Kensington foxes
By Catherine Milner
(Filed: 22/09/2002)


Today's marchers in London may wish to make a small detour: a family of
foxes has sought sanctuary from would-be hunters by claiming diplomatic
asylum in a friendly ambassador's garden in the centre of the capital.

The Finnish ambassador, Pertti Salolainen, has been sheltering, and,
according to his diplomatic neighbours, feeding a family of foxes that
has set up home under a shed in the garden of his residence next to
Kensington Palace.

"This is Finnish territory and these are Finnish foxes so nobody in a
red coat or hounds is allowed on my premises," Mr Salolainen has
declared defiantly. "They are free to live here and they bring a
wonderful quality to our life."

The diplomat has become so fond of his vulpine companions that he has
given some of them names and even rigged up spotlights so that he can
view the family - parents and five cubs - playing at night.

He has also taken a number of photographs of them, which he has included
in a calendar circulated to other ambassadors living in Kensington
Palace Gardens, a row of elegant mansions mostly given over to
embassies.

The fact that the foxes have uprooted most of the bedding plants in his
garden in their search for worms and grubs does not bother Mr
Salolainen. Nor does the fact that the vixen fed her cubs on ducks and
other birds taken from a nearby pond.

He told The Telegraph yesterday: "Foxes have a very, warm, affectionate
and caring family life. The parents, when they meet, kiss and hug each
other, like we do, and the parents play with their kids."

Mr Salolainen, who has been in London since 1996, added: "I also have
lots of photographs of them playing with the tennis balls taken from the
Russian residence. They play for hours and hours, running, hugging and
wrestling.

"We don't feed them - they live off McDonald's, left by people in the
park, wood pigeons or ducks taken from the pond in Kensington Gardens.
We all think they are a nice curiosity.

"They must be very clever to have been able to survive in a 10 million
people strong city - I doubt if any dog would survive like that."

The animals are not equally loved by Mr Salolainen's neighbours,
however. The Russian ambassador, Grigory Karasin, has discovered that
the "Finnish" foxes are making nightly raids on his tennis balls.

"We do share our tennis balls with the foxes," said Mr Karasin on Friday
evening, shortly after a few sets with the Polish and Slovak
ambassadors.

It was a nuisance, he admitted, but there were no plans - despite the
long history of border disputes between Russia and Finland - to launch
reprisal raids or send the bill for the chewed balls to the Finns.

"We have open borders here and we do not mind giving them some," he
conceded. Mr Karasin said that he saw the foxes every morning and
evening. "But you can only get to within five metres of them because
then they run away."

A spokesman for the Nepalese embassy, two down from the Finnish
residence, said that their ambassador, Dr Singha Bahadur Basnyat,
supported the foxes - despite the annoyance they caused his gardener.

"The ambassador likes very much to look out at the foxes from his
window," said the spokesman. "We have a small vegetable patch and they
come and eat the spinach and carrots there sometimes, which the gardener
doesn't like very much, but generally we are pleased to see them."

The fox-loving Mr Salolainen has been a naturalist and skilled nature
photographer all his life.

He founded the Finnish branch of the World Wildlife Fund for Nature in
1972, and at a recent exhibition of his photographs in London raised
£17,000 to help the conservation of gorillas. "All my life I have been
in nature conservation," he said. "We are losing some of the battles but
I hope to win some."

Each year he collects wildflower seeds to spread among the shrubs and
trees in his garden. He has planted apple trees and there are bird
feeders and nesting boxes at the front and back of the residence.






http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...09/22/nfox22.x
ml

(watch the line break)

--
Judy
http://members.lycos.co.uk/bluelotusrising/index.html
http://www.rigbys.demon.co.uk