This and That

The Reckless Gardener newsdesk can get all kinds of information during the summer months and this last few weeks has been no exception, everything from a pyjama party to launch a campaign to save our Toads to information on an exciting new website of activities.

So first to the toads! The wildlife charity Froglife is launching a year long mission to raise money and awareness about the thousands of toads that die on our roads each year. Their new campaign -  Tuppence a Toad - launches with Tucking in the Toads on Friday 1st October, a bedtime themed event to wave the toads goodbye as they hibernate over winter. According to Froglife,  Toads on Roads volunteers saved over 50,000 toads in 2010 alone but thousands are dying where there are no volunteers to take them to safety. The Toad Patrollers go out at night and carry toads across the road in buckets. The Tuppence a Toad campaign highlights the difference people can make by working together and asks people to give their small change to help achieve this vital work. They are also challenging businesses to raise 2p for every toad saved on the road.

The Tucking in the Toads pyjama party is on Friday 1st October 2010 at the Orton Hall Hotel, Peterborough. Find out more on www.froglife.org

The Royal Bath and West of England Gardening Show which runs from 3rd September will be the venue for the launch of a special appeal by the Southern Spinal Injuries Trust (SSIT). The Trust are raising funds to build a Jubilee Garden at the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre which will be used in the rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injuries. The garden will provide patients and their families with an important social area outside the hospital environment as well as offering them the opportunity of gardening as part of the rehabilitation process. We wish them luck in their campaign. If you want to find out more about the Jubilee Garden or would like to contribute/help in fund raising log onto www.ssit.org.uk

One issue we all champ about during the summer months is smelling bins so I was interested to receive a sample of Bin Buddy. The product promises to rid your rubbish of unpleasant odours and kill insects such as flies, wasps, ants etc, between collection days. The dual function neutralises odours leaving behind a freshness while the insecticide kills pests without harming pets or the environment. Its even available in two fragrances - Citrus and Berry Blast.  You simply sprinkle the powder into your bin each time you dispose of your rubbish! Bin Buddy should be available in most major supermarkets but you should be able to get it initially from ASDA, Waitrose and independent hardware stores. I'll let you know how I get on with my sample but anything that keeps the wasps down is a winner in my book.

The hose pipe ban is finally lifted in the North West and we have had quite a lot of rain in the last few weeks so we are back to normal. As August progresses the garden starts to change into its autumn hue. The late Christopher Lloyd observed in his "Gardening Year" that August brought a heavy dew at night to the garden at Gt Dixter. He also commented that too many gardens give up in August and that Vita Sackville-West hated the month at Sissinghurst. However, he goes on to point out that he actually loved this time in the garden and that it provides many opportunities.  Too many of us forget that from mid to late August we can bring a lot of colour into the garden which will carry through to October. The pink Japanese anemone is now starting to strut its stuff in my garden  and the Phlox are rampant. Kniphofia, Aster, revived Alchemilla mollis (cut back hard last month) and of course the wonderful Dahlia, all add colour and substance as the main garden wanes.

I also think late August is a good time to take a long look at the garden and do some planning for next year while you can still see all your plants and their situation. Too many people do this in the winter when the foilage has died and it is easy to think you have more room than you have!

If you are looking for some exciting activities or places to go, you will find- www.ooh.com
really useful. This new site lists gardening courses and activities as well as a wide range of other courses. So log on and see what they have to offer. It's a great idea for a website and I am sure 'ooh' will prove very popular.

So go out and enjoy whatever mother nature still has to bestow and remember that the garden is a year-long project - still lots to do yet!