InterestGroups

January 2019 Heritage Park

Ferrymead Heritage Park report

* After the recent storm I should imagine there will be tidying up to do. Our strategies for the bunnies seems to be working. It is quite clear that they don’t touch what they don’t like, ie prickly leaves, tomatoes – which are thriving – buttercup pumpkin, rhubarb, potatoes, raspberries and marigolds. I continue to sprinkle a little blood and bone …..
* The church garden is looking a little sick as are the gardens around the picket fence. They look rather bare, whether plants have died or been eaten is a mystery. I have been waiting a year for the hedge in front of the church to grow so we can attempt to level it, and lo and behold, some idiot has trimmed it at the different levels, instead of levelling it off – beggars belief …..
* I think we have to give some thought to planting more hardy plants around the church. The roses don’t do that well because they get little sun and the two in front of the church are barely alive – it was pointed out to me they live in an almighty cold vortex, which doesn’t help. So put your thinking caps on please, any ideas on hardy plants. I find self sown plants all over my garden and have transplanted many plants from this source, ie Solomon Seal, ferns, marigolds, daisies, Mabel Island Lily, and I have transplanted veggies and strawberries, surplus to requirements, as some of you have also done. I have grown some hydrangea cuttings that are ready for planting, plus I am trying to grow some wisteria and jasmine cuttings.
Anyone else with green fingers that can grow some cuttings from hardy plants in your garden, or know anyone with host as that need splitting up, or anything hardy that can be split – all welcome!!

The very excellent news is: Justin told me that lots of people are stopping at the cob cottage garden and make positive comments, the park management is exceptionally happy with our progress, and at the recent U3A Co-coordinators Meeting this morning it was noted that our super duper work promotes the values of U3A by taking part in a community service. So pat yourselves on the back folks!

We would love more people to help out, weeding, planting, raking, chatting and a lot of laughs is the order of the day – 1-2 hours a month.

Diane Campbell

January 2019 cycle from Lincoln to Motukarara

Well as you may remember last Thursday was a warm day with a little breeze.

The intrepid three, Sue, Diane and myself, took off from Lincoln and had a leisurely ride along the rail trail to Motukarara. The first part is through Lincoln village and promised much. Then we met the newer part which is loose gravel and gravel country road, not the easiest however we mastered that. Then along sealed River Road until we met the old rail trail itself and this is easy riding. Flat open country. Lunch was on the verge under trees near Motukarara. Sue then took us to the old railway siding office and we took in the sites and sounds of the area.
A very easy ride home with a back wind most of the way.

Total distance was 32.32kms. Probably close to the limit for a comfortable day. However I did spend a relaxing afternoon as I know the others did too.

I will let you know the next ride, which should be in the first week of February, very soon. It will be around the Ferrymead area I think.

March 2018 Ferrymead Historic Park group

The Ferrymead Heritage Park Interest group kicked off prior to Christmas.
It has been a productive but slow few months since then. The park initially advised us we had a small budget, this became zero. Staff are very helpful and friendly but they run the park on the smell of an oily rag.
Our aim, having adopted the cob cottage and church garden, is to brighten these areas with more colour. The cob cottage garden is undone. The church garden also needs a boost. The plan is to produce, as near as possible, a colonial type cottage garden with the emphasis on vegetables. The early settlers also liked their flowers, it reminded them of home. Since losing our small budget I now have to rethink the original plans.
Members have kindly agreed to propagate plants and seeds. It would be good if we could produce a garden all year round so the expertise of all our members is needed. We have taken the turf off to create paths. We laboured to bring back rotted horse manure from the local riding school. We now need to install garden borders before digging over the compost, then planting.
I am slowly acquiring a collection of donated tools which can be stashed in a lock up at the park, it saves having to take our own each time. I am still looking for donations of garden forks and spades, a soft yard broom, any secateurs, small garden forks, small hearth broom and shovel, and most wanted a large hessian potato sack in which to store these items.
Diane Campbell

March 2018 cycle from Prebbleton to Lincoln

It was far from a perfect day, but as it wasn’t actually raining we headed off anyway. First sign of rain, Karen and I were going to head from home !!

An accident just south of Marches Rd meant the road into Prebbleton was blocked. However the cycle track along the old railway line skirted around the edge of that. We rode along the main road through Prebbleton and turned down Birches Rd. About 1km or so down here we were on a sealed path almost into Lincoln.

While it was very cold, it didn’t actually rain and the riding was pleasant. Coffee in a rather crowded Coffee Culture in Lincoln.

There were 8 of us.

The ride back was slightly uphill, but it seemed to have no effect on anyone.  Drizzle set in as we neared Prebbleton.

Can only speak for myself but I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

The ride next month, last Friday in April, will be a repeat of the ride from PMH to Ferrymead.

Mike