Following on from the AGM a few points were discussed before the Speaker started.
We were reminded there will be a Fete on June 4th for the Queens Platinum Jubilee celebrations. This will be held in the Church Car Park and surrounds from 2-4pm. We do need plants and other gardening items to sell on the stall so please drop off any items before 2.00pm behind the toilet block in the Car Park. This will be a fund raiser for ourselves.
The two visits arranged so far are to Beggars Knoll, Wednesday 22nd June. 7.00pm start and Lytes Cary, Somerton. Wednesday 10th August 2.00pm start.
We are having a work party on the Saturday following the monthly meeting to tidy the front part of the bank at the Parish Hall entrance. 9.30am start.
After New members were welcomed, we had a wonderful talk with beautiful pictures given by Richard Rickett all about bees. His knowledge on the subject was immense. Although there is only one specie of the Honeybee, from European stock, there are 225 species of solitary bees and 24 species of bumble bee. There are even 18K species of wasp. We were told about the life cycle of the bumble bee and how we can help with different flowers, singles not doubles and hybrids, and trees we can grow throughout the year to help them stock up on pollen and nectar. If you see a lonely bumble bee looking under the weather, it is probably the Queen bee just coming out of hibernation needing sustenance. Make up a drop of equal parts water and sugar and put it in the sunshine to allow it the bee to drink and thrive.
We have lost 80% of insects in the past 25 years, so think about the plants we use and do not use the pesticides readily available from Supermarkets and Garden Centres, these are even more harmful than farmers’ pesticides which are strictly controlled. Let the lawn grown in a couple of areas and when the wildflowers go over, lightly mow the tops off to allow them to flower again.
Next month Jackie Haimes from Bratton Plant Centre will give a demonstration on ‘container planting’ June 9th opens from 7.00pm