Suffolk Based Woodcarver Makes His Debut At The Country Living Magazine Spring Fair

One of the country’s foremost woodcarvers will make his debut at the Country Living Magazine Spring Fair. Paul Jewby, who is based in Suffolk and specialises in the restoration of 18th century English carved and gilded furniture and the carving of all forms of ornament, will demonstrate to visitors how to carve small, ornamental pieces to enhance any room. Paul is just one of five live craft demonstrators appearing at the five day event in Islington’s Business Design Centre from 12 – 16 March.

Paul Jewby, woodcarver, says, “I have been lucky enough to help restore some of the country's finest furniture, including a pair of tables designed by Robert Adam for the Earl of Coventry, made in 1767. I have also been involved in extensive restoration to a pair of Holbein tables, badly burnt in the fire at Windsor Castle and several pieces of furniture made by Thomas Chippendale. Of these the State Bed at Harewood House was the most prestigious project.”

“I hope that my demonstrations spark an interest in the Fair visitors and show them first hand the intricacies and time involved in such a skilled art form. Most people will never have the chance to see such a traditional skill being carried out so I look forward to the feedback. ”

Paul, who has been carving and carrying out furniture restorations for over 20 years using predominately Victorian tools, is also the recent recipient of The Country Living Magazine’s Balvenie Artisan Awards 2007. The award for best use of a traditional craft or skill recognises those with a traditional skill at the heart of their business and, crucially, rewards those passing on these skills to a new generation.

The Country Living Magazine Spring Fair is from 12 – 16 March 2008 at the Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, Islington, London, N1. For further information and to book tickets, call 08701 261800 or log onto www.countrylivingfair.com.

Greenfingers to get 100,000 children gardening – and raises £80,000

The Greenfingers Appeal is to repeat its hugely successful 'Schools Sunflower Challenge' in 2007, having broken all records last season by encouraging a stunning 100,000 children from 750 UK schools to grow sunflowers for themselves. The project also raised a tremendous £60,000 for UK Children's Hospice gardens and participating schools.

Sponsored by B&Q and with seeds donated by Thompson and Morgan, the Sunflower Challenge is a combined educational and fund-raising initiative that brings gardening into the classroom and the home.

Income from the scheme is split 50:50 between the schools and the Greenfingers Appeal. Last year the Appeal was able to direct some £30,000 towards the provision of new gardens in UK Children's hospices.

Endorsed by celebrity gardener Tommy Walsh the project, now in its fourth year, provides free sunflower seeds and a comprehensive teacher's pack showing how the 'Sunflower Challenge' complements the National Curriculum 'Life Processes and Living Things' section. Children grow the sunflowers at home or at school, observing and recording their progress and learning from the experience.

Hints and tips for growing the seeds successfully, a growth chart and sponsorship forms are included, and the children are encouraged to obtain sponsors from friends and families who pledge an amount for each centimetre of the sunflowers final height when measured at the end of the summer term.

Mrs C Hopgood, Deputy Headteacher, South Norwood Primary School, commented:

'This has been the most successful class fund-raising/sponsorship activity that the school has ever done. Just four classes of 4-6 year olds took part, with one six year old boy raising the sum of £161:00 himself and several others raising well above £40:00 apiece. The Sunflower Challenge fitted in perfectly and certainly caught the children's imagination as evidenced by the magnificent response.'

The Greenfingers Appeal is the charity of the gardening industry and is currently raising funds to build much-needed gardens at children's hospices. Last year the Appeal raised more than £160,000 for the provision of new and improved gardens. Twenty-four projects have so far been completed or are underway, out of the 42 Children's Hospices in the UK running or under construction.

The Garden Press Event 2008

On Tuesday, January 29, 2008 I had the great privilege and pleasure to attend the Garden Press Event 2008 at the RHS Lawrence Hall in Vincent Square, Westminster, London, and a most productive day was had, at least by this writer, and some new – new to me at least – products have been obtained for review, which shall be coming soon.

To begin with I would here like to express my sincere thanks to Neil Gow of GIMA for inviting me to this great event.

Then my thanks goes to Frank Foot of Rollins Bulldog Tools Ltd. who took the time to talk to me and to invite me to contact him for review samples, an invite that I may be able take up in the not too distant future. The press pack that I was given contained a very nice pair of bypass pruners of the Premier Range and for a recommended retail price of just over £12 this definitely is a real nice solid made tool. The head and blade is of high-carbon steel SK-5 and identified as Japanese steel, which, having dealt in knives before professionally, is a very good carbon steel, so it should withstand a great deal of use. The problem with most people is always abuse rather than the intended use that damages their tools and also the fact that they do not look after their tools. Carbon steel does want a little TLC after use, such as keeping the blades oiled and greased.

Special thanks must go to Richard Hayter of Bahco (SNA Europe) and Rachel Collinge, SNA Europe's PR agent, for for taking the time out for a rather lengthy chat and for providing me with two product samples for review; the reviews of which shall be forthcoming soon.

A fine number of gardening-related manufacturers, growers, seed companies, suppliers and vendors supported this event held in aid of the “Greenfingers Appeal”.

Ball Colegrave, the well-known seed and plant company, showcased their range of “Kinder Garden Plants”, the range that is intended to introduce children to the pleasures of gardening. Aside from flowers there is also a fruit and veg part to this range, which is very nice to see. This could be very useful in introducing children at a young age to the growing of produce for the table.

A couple of new and relatively new products could be seen, of which the “Waspinator” and the “Plant Minder” do stand out to a degree and above all what caught my attention was the “Patio Grow”, which could be described as “your allotment on your patio” or, if more than one unit be employed, “in your backyard”, by “Gro Garden Products".

One of the other products that caught my attention was the Greenhouse Sensation's “Grow Your Own Portable Garden”. This is a brilliant piece of kit and definitely something that many people who would like to grow some of their own greens and such in locations without green areas, and even in apartments, and such like, have been waiting for.

Other products on show included another number of innovative products. One was the new and revolutionary “Chambermate”, by Chambermate Ltd. The “Chambermate” is the solution to the age-old problem of how to cover, without asking for problems later, the unsightly manhole covers in gardens, diveways and borders. Another the Backsaver Digging from Backsaver Garden Tools Ltd. in Leeds. While this may just be seen as yet another automatic spade it would appear to be quite a little different in its action and speed. Well worth a look.

Some of the products that I have seen shall, hopefully, be featured in the pages of this journal in the near future, including a couple of product reviews, as already indicated.

© Michael Smith (Veshengro), Jan/Feb 2008

Tend to Your Garden in Winter

Although many of the perennials grown in the garden slumber through the winter months, the gardener is far from inactive.

In fact, winter in the garden can be as busy as any other season of the year.

Here are some essential gardening tasks that are recommend green fingers take care of when it gets frosty outside:

1./ Check in on your plants: Examine the greenhouse (or cold frame) regularly for any sign of pests or disease it could be harboring. Remove any dead flower heads, yellowing leaves, and other plant debris before mold starts to form, to cut the risk of infection.

Heavy snowfall can settle on conifers and evergreens with larger surface areas, causing the branches to buckle or break under all that heft. Knock the snow off to help reduce damage, because a torn branch leaves an open wound for infections in spring.

2./ Protect them from the cold: Insulate your greenhouse and cold frame with bubble wrap or similar insulation, because reducing drafts saves on heat loss and plant casualties.
Outdoor evergreens, container plants, tall plants, and plants introduced since the previous winter will need protection if the weather takes a nasty turn. (They can be severely damaged by wind, which can loosen roots.) Consider planting a windbreak or shelter to reduce the airflow.

Another problem caused by the wind is foliage drying out, which happens when freezing gusts draw moisture from leaves faster than it can be replaced. Erect a screen of woven plastic mesh or horticultural fleece on the windward side of vulnerable plants to reduce the wind's effects and protect the leaves. During heavy frosts, some plants may even benefit from being bundled up in protective fleece, which absorbs some of cold.

3./ Prepare the soil: Because winter frost can break down sticky clay soil better than any cultivation tool, it can be an ally when it comes to preparing heavy soils. This is the time to incorporate compost or other organic conditioners that will improve soil structure and boost plant growth.

4./ Deal with construction and landscaping jobs: Because sections of the garden will be bare, it's easier to see the garden layout and make changes for the coming spring. If the soil isn't too wet to be structurally damaged by foot traffic and wheelbarrows, you can take the opportunity to install or improve drainage systems.

5./ Handle repairs and maintenance, and that includes repairing handles: Consider the lack of vegetation a bonus, because this is an ideal time to drain and clean pools and ponds, as well as repair pond sides, walls, and liners. Or use this time to re-level, change the shape, increase the shape and size of borders, and reseed areas where growth is sparse. However, no work should be carried out if the grass is frozen, because footprints made on frozen grass can cause it to turn brown.

Repair, sharpen, clean, service, and otherwise maintain tools that are used in your garden, whether the lawnmower, the strimmer, bill hooks, secateurs, etc. A well-maintained tool or piece of machinery will give you good service for many, many years and will make life and work easier.

Michael Smith (Veshengro), January 2008

Gorilla Tubs – Product Review

Is there really anyone out there who does not know the Gorilla Tubs by Faulks & Co. at Barwell, Leicestershire? If so, then let me tell you a little about those tubs and their uses.

Tubtrugs are the slightly more “domestic” relations of the Gorilla Tubs. The latter are intended for the more industrial use and are equally at home with the professional gardener as a “basket” in which to deposit weeds from weeding flowerbeds or Rose cuttings or what-have-you, as they are on a building site for mixing cement or plaster or for removing rubble from confined spaces. Anything you can do with a bucket you can do with a Tubtrug and a Gorilla Tub.

In our time now where we all need to think “green” and recycled Faulks & Co have been leading the way for years with the timeless range of recycled tyre rubber products, and the rage of those is just way too large to list here. You can see them at http://www.tyrerubber.com.

With all the ranges of tubs from Faulks & Co. anyone will be able to find one that is just right for his or her job.

The ordinary gardener at home or the allotment will be served well enough with just the standard flexible Tubtrugs, and it has many more uses around the home too, while the professional gardener, whether landscape or parks, would be better served, no doubt, with either the various sizes of the Gorilla Tubs ot by the “baskets” of the “Tyre Rubber” range of recycled products.

For further information see the websites at:

Tubtrugs

Gorilla Tubs

Recycled Tyre Rubber Products

© Michael Smith (Veshengro), January 2008

Pest Stop Mouse Traps – Product Review

There can hardly be much new as regards to mouse traps, many a reader, I am certain, is probably thinking now. But, well, there can be.

Pest Stop presented new mouse traps at the DIY & Garden/Totally Tools Show at Earls Court during 13-15 January 2008

I must say I actually must have missed seeing the stand when I was at the show but the kindly provided press goody bag in the Press Office gave me enough samples to test.

The first one we shall be looking at is the Sure-Set Plastic Mouse Trap.



This brand-new mousetrap is simple to set and use; once baited, simply click the lever down to set. The mouse has to tread on a platform to reach the bait-well, which triggers the trap, meaning that the mouse cannot take the bait without triggering the trap. It is simple to set and empty. There is no need to touch dead mice and the plastic construction makes for easy cleaning. They are sold as a twin-pack, as it is advised to set more than one trap in an infested area to increase catch-rate and they are quick and humane.

The second one in the pack was the Pre-baited Snap Trap Mousetrap.



This plastic mousetrap is pre-baited with a mixture most mice find irresistible, and is extremely safe and easy to set. It is pre-baited with a mixture of peanut oil and molasses, extremely attractive to mice. The Snap Trap sets with a simple click, and can even be set using just one hand even. There is no need to touch dead mice; simply release by pressing down on the tab - the trap will then be ready for re-use

This trap is absolutely, in my view, ingenious, as it is, basically, out of the box, so to speak, ready to roll and catch mice, as it is pre-baited.

The only question that might come to mind is their environmental impact as they are plastic and a lot more sophisticated than the humble simple little “Little Nipper” traps which have a wooden base and a wire mechanism.

NB: Mice carry a variety of diseases, and should never be handled without protection.

In addition to this if you are dealing with dead rats then it is an absolute must to wear disposable gloves (and they MUST be disposed after) and ideally also a face mask.

© Michael Smith (Veshengro), January 2008

Cable Buddi – Product Review

Cable Buddi is a unique safety cable clip on device from the Stadium Group plc.

We all know the trouble with the trailing cables of electric lawn mowers, hedge cutters, and other such tools. How easy it is to cut through through the power lead we also, I am sure, have found out to our peril. Now Cable Buddi can eliminate all those problems to a great degree; operator error excluded.

Cable Buddi is ideal for all kinds of electrical tools, whether lawn mowers, hedge cutters, strimmers, rotavators, garden vacs, chain saws, woodworking tools, drills, and much more.

Cable Buddi helps reduce the risk of cutting through electrical cables and reduces the risk of tripping over same. Both rather a health and safety issue.

Cable Buddi allows the equipment to be used with two fully operational hands, thereby reducing the risk of repetitive strain injury (RSI) and increasing efficiency.

Cable Buddi allows full concentration on the job in hand without the need to worry about the cable, as the cable is safely towed by the side of the user.

At a retail price of GBP 1.99 is it well worth getting a couple of them for sure.

Cable Buddi should be available from most Hardware Stores or Tool Shops and large DIY outlets, I should think, like Homebase and B&Q. If not ask the store to get Cable Buddi for you.

Cable Buddi is brought to you by:

Stadium Group plc
Jubilee Avenue
Highams Park
Chingford
London E4 9UD
Tel: 020-8531-6767
www.stadium-ventilation.co.uk