June 2022

12 Buckden Roundabout June 2022 Village News Events in June The Huntingdonshire Local Group of the Wildlife Trust have two events in June. The first is a guided walk at Madeleine ’ s Patch on Saturday 11th June at 10.30 am. Madeleine ’ s Patch is a small local na- ture reserve that was previously intensively farmed arable land. It is set up in memory of environmentalist Madeleine Parnwell, who tragically died 4 years ago. The reserve features a species rich wildflower meadow, plus otter, great crested newt and water vole. Park at Green Willows Farm, First Fen Drove, Warboys, PE28 2TZ, TL3174382118, What3Words cop- ies.emerald.resettle. Our second outing is to Brampton Racecourse SSSI at 17.30 pm on 19th June. This is an extremely rich lowland floodplain meadow and the vegetation is exceptional over most of the site. Among others flowers, we should see Dropwort and Sul- phur Clover and hope to hear Corn Bunting and Quail. Access is by private arrangement only. Please meet in the car park at PE28 4UX, TL208720, What3Words crypt.groups.fuel. Everyone is most welcome to attend. There is no charge, but donations are welcome. For more information please ring Alistair on 07775365507 or alistairrgrant@hotmail.com or George on 01480 450809. Part of the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. Registered Charity No: 1000412 Buckden WI It was good to welcome members old and new to our May meeting when we all en- joyed a most interesting talk about the making of a Fenland garden from scratch, starting with a real wilderness state. The title was “ From Crowbar to Crocosmia ” and as we watched, on screen, the development of the site bit by bit over 5 years we were amused to see that our speaker ’ s wife often seemed to be the one wielding the pick - axe or crow - bar! The couple took on Horseshoe Farm, on the B1050 between Somersham and Chatteris, on retirement from teaching with a view to making a garden to exhibit through the NGS yellow book scheme and this they certainly achieved, now welcoming bookings from garden clubs and individuals and providing tea and cakes too. The pathway to this goal had been hard - won, with old concrete areas to dig up and an ancient drain and midden to excavate with a mini digger. Hedge barriers had to be grown to combat the Fenland winds which whipped across the property and there has been a great deal of physical labour involved, as well as vision and determination, to achieve the present beautiful landscape. We were all wowed by the pictures of their beautiful herba- ceous borders, trees and hedgerow walks to encourage wild- life, a lovely pond and bog garden vegetable garden, fernery and alpine beds. There is colour all year round starting in Spring with 10,000 snowdrops and other bulbs in a meadow area. The woodland area has fritillaries and bluebells in season. There ’ s a wonderful collection of irises of many glorious varie- ties with names like Rajah and Carnival Time. In the midst of all this, wildlife abounds with regular visits from fieldfares, gold- finches, woodpeckers, ducks, a barn owl and even kingfishers (not so welcome when they emptied the pond of fish!) There ’ s a bugs and beasties walk between the hedgerows and in the wider garden you may encounter hares, stoats, field voles, squirrels, grass snakes and the less welcome rats and moles. Insects love the flowering plants of course and the gar- den is home to many butterflies and moths. In all it was a most interesting evening. Our next meeting will be on 7 th June at 7.30p.m. in the Millard Suite. New members and visitors will be most welcome. For more information please contact: Ruth Nicholas: 07957 334142 or Judith Armitage: 01480 811717 Coronation memories Betty, now 91, spent the night on the pavement in Parliament Square and got soaked & frozen but had a great view. She writes “ I remember every minute especially when over the loudspeakers at midnight we were told Everest had been climbed. The roar that went up was tremendous. ” Terry Writes “ I remember that it was wet. I was one of the boy scouts standing close to the Victoria Memorial just outside Buckingham Palace. All of the UK districts had been asked to send a representative and I had been selected to represent our part of North East Essex. We had all slept on the floor of a large exhibition centre, I think it was Olympia. After being given a hearty breakfast we had been marched down to take our place and wait for the procession to pass. I have a feeling that we cheered the horse guards more than the Queen. I suppose that it ought to be one of the memorable moments in my life but I must admit to having problems re- membering it at all. I still have the replica of the Anointing Spoon given to us. ”