Taken from Lynne’s weekly column ‘Green Scene’ for the Western Mail
2nd March 2024
Stihl Looking Forward to Spring
Hello to March – the month that brings spring, both meteorologically, (1st) and astronomically (20th). And on Sunday 31st of the month the clocks ‘spring’ forward. Hooray.
“Never mind, it’ll soon be shorts weather’, someone said to me yesterday – as I was on my third coat of the day and still wetter than an otters pocket.
I have to admit that I’m not in so much of a rush for ‘shorts weather’ now as I have just bought a fabulous pair of Stihl work trousers. Last week I mentioned that the best gardening advice is ‘Right plant, right place’, meaning that the most effective thing to do when gardening is to put your plants in the position and conditions that they need to thrive. Wearing my ‘new trews’, I realised that, ‘Right clothing for the job’, is equally effective advice.
I love ‘Stihl stuff’ because – as an unlikely fashionista – I love their easily-recognisable flash of orange, but they are also just so practical. With useful pockets in useful places, and zipped vents (more useful than you could imagine), they are cut to allow bending, twisting and kneeling at every possible angle – and are (often) far more flexible than the person wearing them. My fabulous new FS 3Protect trousers also have light padding on the front so you don’t get ‘pebble-dashed’ when strimming and to protect from thorns when hedgecutting and clearing brash and possibly the most important aspect of all, post menopause, – a generously elasticated waistband. Although I’m sure post-menopausal women are possibly not their target customer.
Thank you to Webbs of Crickhowell for ordering my trousers for me, enabling me to choose the right size without the hassle of returns and refunds.
I Have A Nap
I have been invited to try the new gardening app called Fryd (pronounced Fruid, like fruit but with a ‘d’). I have only got four apps on my phone, and that’s sometimes three too many, so I wasn’t too keen at first but was persuaded to try it (my new trousers had put me in a good mood).
Just launched in the UK, Fryd is very willing and able to help you plan your veg plot, get sowing/harvesting reminders, companion planting ideas, access to a crowd-sourced plant library and ‘lots more’. Most of these things are free to access and there’s also an affordable subscription if you want enhanced features. It’s supported by some well-known names in gardening, such as no dig’s Charles Dowding, which is a high recommendation in my book.
I have managed to download it and have a quick look around and I’m sure it could be very useful for a lot of gardeners – especially those starting out and benefiting from ‘community’ help’ as it aims to take the jeopardy out of veg growing. Fryd already has a community of currently 200,000 fellow growers, which you can connect with to share experiences and enjoy learning from each other, and is now available to download in the UK on both iOS and Android platforms.
For more information about Fryd and its mission, visit www.fryd.app/en or follow them on @fryd_app.
So now I’m up to five apps – and I’m also at the stage whenever anyone mentions ‘an App’, all I hear is ‘A nap.’
Swim Wild
For my birthday a couple of years ago, I arranged to go wild swimming with the Wild Woman of the Wye, Angela Jones. A March birthday is possibly not the best time to celebrate in this way, as the water was a barmy (as opposed to balmy) 4 degrees. But it was both magical and memorable, and Angela and I have been firm friends ever since.
Always keen to introduce others to her passion, Angela is hosting a number of ‘Swim Wild Short Breaks’ throughout the year. The first, a Swim and Yoga Retreat, is being held on May 3-5 and based at the beautiful Old Court Hotel, in Symonds Yat West, near Ross-on-Wye.
On June 7th – 9th, you can join Angela on her Snowdonia Wild Swim Adventure Weekend where you can swim in three different crystal clear lakes, or kayak or paddleboard – or enjoy or try all three. You can stay in a 4* hotel or camp and there will be a similar weekend organised later in the year on the 6th -8th September.
If you can’t make any of those dates, Angela is also a dab hand at putting together a bespoke package for private groups of 4 or more people. Her laid-back demeanour and knowledge of wildlife, as well as her super safety ethics, will guarantee you have a wonderful time on the wild-side.
Have a look at her website for other day (and the not-to-be missed night swimming) events too. www.angelajonesswimwild.co.uk
World Wildlife Day
Tomorrow (3rd March) is World Wildlife Day – although Angela and I would obviously insist that every day is ‘wildlife day’. However, on 20 December 2013 at the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), March 3rd was declared United Nations World Wildlife Day (WWD). UN World Wildlife Day has now become the global annual event dedicated to wildlife.
Their website www.wildlifeday.org explains that, ‘People everywhere rely on wildlife and biodiversity-based resources to meet our needs – from food, to fuel, medicines, housing, and clothing. For us to enjoy the benefits and the beauty that nature brings us and our planet, people have been working together to make sure ecosystems are able to thrive and plant and animal species are able to exist for future generations. So, let’s celebrate wildlife and the important conservation work being done around the world.’
I actually feel quite ‘current’, as this year World Wildlife Day is exploring digital innovation and highlighting how digital conservation technologies and services can drive wildlife conservation. Although I’m not sure I can cope with another app.
Fair (Weather) Sex
Not for the first time, I recently heard, ‘The weather must be female the way it changes so much!’ The person (a woman, incidentally) was referring to the fact that last February was the driest on record for 30 years and as I write this we are on course for this year’s February to be the wettest on record.
And if you are feeling the effects of the winter blues, you won’t be surprised to hear that the UK only had 136 hours of sunshine in the last three months.
That’s not a lot – and definitely not enough!
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