Taken from Lynne’s weekly column ‘Green Scene’ for the Western Mail
30th September 2023
Hello October
October arrives tomorrow and like any other month, has its fair share of weather folklore.
A cold October means a cold February.
As the weather in October, so it will be in March.
If October brings much frost and wind, then January and February will be mild.
When birds and badgers are fat in October, a cold winter is expected.
Much rain in October, much wind in December.
I’ll review what weather we had at the end of the month and concoct my own ‘forecast’ for the winter.
It’s Not Just Celery
National Poetry Day is held on the first Thursday of October – the 5th this year – and since it’s launch in 1994, has prompted millions of people to explore or share poetry through a range of live events and web-based activities. Each year the campaign objectives are to showcase new voices and celebrate diversity, to promote the vital role that poetry plays in all our lives – bringing people and communities together – and to encourage a love of language.
I know people who think poetry is a bit like Marmite – you either love it or hate it – but to be honest I appreciate some of it whilst not quite ‘getting’ some of it either. Whatever your view, it’s interesting to learn that nearly 70% of children and young people agreed that writing poetry made them feel better during lockdown. Over the past 18 months, visitors to the National Poetry Day website increased by 40% from the previous year and sales of poetry books rose by 33% last October.
Each year has a new theme and the theme for this year’s National Poetry Day is ‘Refuge’.
More details at www.nationalpoetryday.co.uk
Special, significant ‘timing’ of things always makes me smile and I was given a powerful little poetry book just ahead of National Poetry Day. ‘It’s Not Just Celery’, is described as ‘A poetry anthology blending management of an enduring eating disorder, exploring faith, and simply being human.’
It is written and self published by Cardiff-based author Kathryn Gonzales, who writes honestly about her ‘darkest valleys’ whilst providing much hope and optimism to those also walking in the foothills of mental anguish. It is a courageous ‘write’ and compelling read.
You can contact Kathryn, and order a copy of her book via her email kljgauthor@gmail.com or engage in an audio-visual experience of some of her work at www.artsinhealth.wales/Kathryn.html. Some of her work will also be exhibited at Llandough Hospital from October to January as part of their Arts in Health programme.
Glitter Spinach High
For those readers who remember my excitement about my Glitter Spinach, (also called Tree Spinach), you may recall that although it was described as reaching 6ft mine had only managed 4ft – although that wasn’t stopping me waxing lyrical about it.
Well, just a month or so later and it has indeed reached the lofty heights of well over 6ft – making it a perfect plant for the back of a border or an informal ‘summer screen’.
I’m still picking leaves every morning to have with my breakfast eggs and it is still ‘glittering’. I’m getting very excited about harvesting the seeds in due course and sowing them liberally – but you can buy yours at www.sarahraven.com/products/tree-spinach-chenopodium-giganteum-magenta-spreen
I think they make lovely little gifts that will fit nicely with a card to send in the post.
Witches Butter
Someone asked me last week, “What’s the question you get asked most about gardening?” To be honest, the gardening questions vary quite a lot from, “Why did such-and-such die?” to “What can I plant that is evergreen, will give me colour all year long and is low maintenance?” But the question I get asked the most is “How do you find things to write about every week?”
Nature (and an inquisitive mind) provides me with more than enough material for my weekly columns, but people are also generous with ideas and it’s always nice to be able to share these things with a wider audience.
This week a colleague, Trevor Witt, (www.witt-tree.com) emailed me to mention ‘Nostoc’ and the fact my readers may be interested to know more about it. I recall learning about the slimy stuff in ‘lawn care’ lessons and I also remember one of the common names for it is ‘Witches Butter’. Quite remarkable just what my menopausal memory chooses to remember.
In simple terms, Nostoc is a slimy green-ish algae, which looks a bit like a sort of seaweed, and which may have appeared on your driveway, flowerbeds, or lawn after several days of warm, wet weather. In more technical terms, the green slime is a cyanobacteria that can grow on grass, stone, or concrete and can remain dormant on lawns or driveways for months, until the right conditions allow it to flourish. While Nostoc isn’t harmful or toxic to humans or animals, it can very slippery and therefore maybe hazardous in that sense. It will disappear in dry conditions, and ‘magically’ reappear after warm rain.
Apparently one of the most effective treatments is to sprinkle baking powder over it, or simply remove it with a shovel or trowel. Don’t be tempted to rake it up as this will just encourage it to spread.
Believe it or not, Nostoc is actually eaten by some people, particularly in Asia, although I definitely wouldn’t recommend putting it on your list of things to forage.
Lovely Martin Clunes
Sometimes it’s just ‘sheer chance’ that provides material for my columns. Last week, whilst driving over the mountain, taking Yogi to hydrotherapy, we bumped into Martin Clunes. The enigmatic actor has been filming a rural drama in the area for a few weeks. ‘Out There’ sees Martin Clunes playing Nathan Williams, a man who runs a farm which has ‘been in his family for generations, and who is confronted with dark forces seeping into his rural community with devastating consequences’.
The farm used locally is a neighbour’s farm and one where I started my ‘independent life’ in a mobile home aged just 17. It holds quite special memories.
Having managed to avoid the filming and road closures for weeks, Yogi and I inadvertently found ourselves in the middle of it all and as a result, were lucky enough to have the most fabulous, and unexpected conversation with a very smiley Mr Clunes – in his grey (very clean) farmery overalls. He is one of the nicest people I have ever met and made the biggest fuss of Yogi.
Apparently his fans are fondly known as ‘Cluneys’ and after telling Yogi that she looked 6 or 7 years old (she’s 14), Yogi is now the latest and biggest Cluney of all.
As I drove off, I realised I hadn’t even thought about taking a photo as I had been so ‘engaged’ in the moment and the actual conversation – and that makes a far better memory.
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