On Sunday 5th July, at the Open Garden at Anne & Philip’s there will
be a basketmaker, Craig Dawe, who would like to run workshops as well
as have a stall.  Dependent on the interest, Craig would be able to
run two workshops with 8 people in each workshop.  Most people take
about two hours to make a basket. If one group started at 1pm and a
second group started at 3pm, then anyone who took more than two hours
from the first group could still continue while the second group were
starting and anyone in the second group would have up to 3 hours to
finish by 6pm.

Places are limited (8 people per group) and would need to be booked in
advance, with payment made at the next meeting.  The cost would be £30
per person including materials, with half being donated to the Roy
Castle Lung Cancer Foundation on the day.  Most basket making
workshops cost more than £50, so this is a good opportunity for
everyone, and the workshop would be local too.

If you are interested in taking part in these workshops, then please
let Yvonne know as soon as possible either by email
yvonne@clanlaw.org.uk, or phone 01558 650870.

Do put the date in your diary!

We have added a new page to our website for members to contribute any useful tips and information they may have – ‘Gardening Tips and other miscellany’. Elena and Julian’s homemade weedkiller recipes are the first tips to feature plus an interesting link from Elena to an article on Edible Flowers on lifespan.com.

Elena’s Homemade Weedkiller Recipe

1 gallon of white vinegar
1/2 cup salt
Liquid dish soap (any brand)
Empty spray bottle.
Put salt in the empty spray bottle and fill it the rest of the way up with white vinegar. Add a squirt of liquid dish soap. This solution works best if you use it on a hot day. Spray it on the weeds in the morning, and as it heats up it will do its work. Good to know!

Julian’s Homemade Weedkiller Recipe – use on paths, drives, yards etc

½ kg Salt
1 dessert spoon cheap wash powder
1 gallon hot water

Place salt and wash powder in a watering can and fill up with the hot water, stirring to dissolve.
Use a watering can with a rose and apply with rose close to the ground making sure everything is thoroughly wetted.
Repeat 4 – 5 times between mid March and September.

Also from Elena is a link to a useful article on edible flowers found in the newsletter from lifespan.com (to see the article click here) If you click on the link it will take you to the article from where you can download their edible flowers chart so that you can have it more easily to hand. Unfortunately it is in PDF format so I can’t reproduce it here.