by Derek Smith
Last Sunday, I led the Witch’s Tree walk. It was a chilly, dull day, unlike last year’s walk when it was sunny and 18 degrees. Nevertheless, 16 of us set off across the Flats to Bushwood. Once into the trees, we had the autumn colour all around. The pronounced yellow of lime trees, the crinkled yellow and brown of oak …
This time of year, we become very aware of trees. The leaves of deciduous trees are going yellow and some like the cherry tree going red too. The big month for leaf fall is actually November which is less than a week away. By December, we’ll have bare, skeletal branches, in the garden and along Earlham Grove. I went around …
Newham Council very soon will be implementing its waste food plan. It should begin for some households before the end of the year, and for all households in 2026. It is government directed. We will all be given what they call a caddy, which is a 5 litre container with a lid. Most people will keep it in their kitchen. …
On Thursday and Friday we had an inch of rain, brought in by storm Amy. All around the garden are sycamore helicopters, and scattered along the pavement of Earlham Grove, which made me think how wasteful nature can be. Those on the pavement are being trodden in, and will either be swept up by the roadsweeper and end up in …
It is an overcast, gloomy day but a very busy day in the garden. There’s drizzly rain which does add up over the day, giving us 2mm, so needed after a dry couple of weeks. The morning was the last session for the ukulele class, after ten weeks, but many of last year’s there too, along with friends and family. …
The apple tree, given to us by the Irish pensioners, is in bloom. Quite shockingly so, as April is the month for apple blossom. This is five months on. Though, September is very like April in terms of temperatures and day-length. It seems the tree has picked up on these signals, perhaps enhanced by the dryness back in April. It …
There’s a plant sale on, and we are doing well as I arrive. By the time I leave there’s not much left to sell which is the aim. The tables are outside the garden, and there’s three or four volunteers chatting and selling plants. I wander into the garden; it’s pretty busy. Children playing with Lego, the mud kitchen is …
We had a lot of rain yesterday. It started in the early morning. I can’t say when. I popped into the garden at 7.30 am, holding my umbrella. I had one task and that was to see the rain gauge. It registered 10 mm, a satisfying amount after a very dry month. Just 4 mm in total before this, which …
So little rain this month. All our rain barrels are empty. Our sole source of water is our tap on the standpipe. I have been keeping track of rainfall with our rain gauge, hardly arduous this month. Throughout August, we have had 4mm of rain, while the average rainfall in London for August is 48mm. This is drought. Farmers are …
A coolish day, somewhat surprising, after the hot days, with the temperature creeping up to the low 20s while I am in the garden this morning. But it remains dry. Two days ago we had 3mm of rain which gives us 4mm this month, which is a paucity when August’s average in London is 48mm. Many of our plants are …
