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Summer at Beth Chatto Gardens

beth-chatto-water-garden

Summer Events at Beth Chatto Gardens

The Beth Chatto Gardens have recently been in touch with a summer offer:

We’ve come to realise that a lot of the local community have never visited the Beth Chatto Gardens before and so we’re offering free entry to the garden for children under 14, throughout the summer holidays (3 children per paying adult at £6.95), and we’d also like to invite you to a FREE evening of music and art on the 20th September.

It would be lovely to welcome members of your parish to the gardens and if you’d like to sign up for the events newsletter, please do here: http://eepurl.com/bmfHyb.

More events are listed on their website at: http://www.bethchatto.co.uk/events/.

Beth Chatto Gardens are based on the ecological and creative principles of their founder. They aim to provide an inspirational and sustainable, quality experience for all visitors. Education and enjoyment underpin the gardens’ philosophy.  They are located at: Elmstead Market Nr Colchester Essex CO7 7DB.

 Contacts & links are:

 

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Free Dog Chipping

dog-chipping

Free Dog Chipping

The Safer Colchester Partnership are offering free dog chipping in the Colchester Exhibition Unit which will be located at School Road Green Space, Monkwick, CO2 8NN on 26th may between 9:30am and 2pm.

Local wardens will either chip them then and there or, if it isn’t convenient, issue you with a voucher to be used at a later date (booking an appointment for a warden to visit). If your dog hasn’t been chipped it makes sense to follow well know dog trainer Cesar Millan’s advice, especially when the chipping is free:

I think it’s so much safer than other forms of identification. If your dog gets lost, he might lose his collar and tags; if your dog is stolen, the thief might remove his collar and tags. With a microchip, you can help people who find your dog find you and if someone else says it’s their dog, you can prove the dog is yours.
They make some neat stuff that works with your dog’s microchip, too. Like a pet door that recognizes your dog’s chip and lets him into the house (but not the raccoon that comes by later). The microchip won’t track your dog though. Your dog has to be taken somewhere to be scanned.

… not that we need to worry about too many racoons in Colchester.

As well as chipping, there will also be an ‘advice surgery’ on dog’s behaviour, so come along and talk about him if your terrier is a terror.

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Trees for Years 2015

Blossom of the Bird Cherry – one of the varieties on offer

Trees for Years 2015

Colchester Borough Council have 2015 free trees and fruit bushes to give away as the popular annual Trees for Years initiative returns for the ninth year in a row. The free plants are available to Colchester Borough residents, community groups and parish councils. Residents can collect up to three plants per household and up to 15 per community group, school or parish council. This year’s initiative includes a variety of fruit bushes, decorative shrubs and trees to help create a greener Colchester for all.  Species available this year are:

  • Raspberry Canes
  • Gooseberry Bush
  • Acer campestre – Field Maple
  • Betulapendula – Silver Birch
  • Cornusalba ‘Siberica’ – Red Stem Dogwood
  • Cornusstolonifera ‘Flaviramea’ – Yellow Stem Dogwood
  • Blackcurrant Canes
  • Forsythia x intermedia ‘Spectabilis’
  • Prunuspadus – Bird Cherry
  • Corylusavellana – Hazel Cob Nut

The 2015 bare root trees and fruit bushes will be available on a first come first served basis. Cultivation guidance will be available so that trees can be selected, taking into account the ultimate size and form of mature trees. People collecting trees need to bring their own bags to put them in. Trees must be planted on private property. Postcodes will be recorded to monitor the distribution. The event, which is funded through sponsorship by officeis takes place on Saturday 7 February, from 10am to 1pm, in the car park of Colchester Borough Council’s offices at Rowan House, in Sheepen Road, Colchester.

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(Free) Trees for Years 2011

Silver Birch floweringTrees for Years 2011 will be taking place on Saturday 22nd January.   The free trees will be given away from the Council Offices car park at Rowan House in Sheepen Road.  Over 2000 trees will be available on a first come first serve basis.  Residents can collect up to three trees/plants per household and community/volunteer groups, Schools and parish councils can collect up to 20 trees per organisation.  Trees for Years are open to all residents, parish councils, community/volunteer/charity groups and schools in the Colchester Borough.

The trees will be available between 10am – 3pm.  Trees must be planted on private ground.  Cultivation guidance will be available.  Postcode and housenumber will be recorded to monitor the distribution of the trees in Colchester.  Please bring a carrier bag or black rubbish sack with you to put your free trees in.

This year’s theme is fruit and nut and the following species will be available.

  • Raspberry canes
  • Blackcurrant canes
  • Redcurrant
  • Strawberry
  • Pear communis – Pear
  • Corylus avellana – Hazel cob nut
  • Betula pendula – Silver Birch
  • Quercus robur – Oak
  • Acer campestre – Field Maple

For further information please email David Carter, Parks Development Officer, or telephone 01206 508632

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