The Allotment
Friday 18th November 2022
The last of the Brother Cadfael Rose blooms on the Church Allotment. Having cut over 70 buckets of flowers for Church this season we are now putting the Lottie to bed for the winter. Thank you so much for your support.
Friday October 7th
Beautiful Harvest Festival Dahlias from the Church Allotment
Tuesday 6th September
It’s Dahlia time! The gorgeous Dahlia “Be Kind,” and a bucket of
beauties.
Look out for them in Church, particularly underneath the Tower.
Thursday 21st September
Our lovely Dahlia on the Church Allotment named “Be Kind.” Candy floss on a stem and without the calories! Just perfect.
Monday 9 August 2022
The beautiful Dahlia “Kiev” in bloom on the Church Allotment.
Friday 15 July 2022 - Phew! 
We now cut our blooms for Church after 7.30 pm on Friday when it is cooler (well, a little bit cooler at any rate). Gorgeous Gladioli for the
Confirmation Service on Sunday.
JULY 2022
Saturday 2 July 2022 - Two beautiful buckets of flowers from the Church Allotment for delivery to our wonderful Church Flower arrangers today, including the first of the amazing lime green Gladioli. A lovely variety of blooms including the Brother Cadfael Rose. We have two Wedding Anniversary posies to cut next week, and last week Bolders took home colourful posies that they had arranged from the allotment blooms.
Julie and Team
FEBRUARY 2020
Wet and waterlogged......
but otherwise the Lottie is in remarkably good shape given the weather conditions over the Winter months. We have a few daffodils in bloom, and the rhubarb is bravely sporting new crinkly green
leaves, but it has been impossible to work the plot. Any work to the soil will just impact it and this will create adverse conditions for the soil structure and the worm runs in later weeks and
months. There has, however, been much activity away from the plot. Seeds have been ordered and have started to arrive, and the sweet pea and annual plants have been ordered for April/May delivery.
This includes Zinnias and Antirrhinums. The new Dahlia tubers will shortly be started off in pots. We have purchased some rare and heritage Italian vegetable seeds including climbing edible Squash
and we look forward with interest to seeing how these grow. Hopefully we will find a spot for one more rose, the beautiful and fragrant creamy white “Litchfield Angel.” We look forward to another
year, and another beautiful Summer and Autumn flower and vegetable cutting garden.
Julie
and Team
JULY 2019
Despite the heat, the Lottie is now overflowing with flowers and produce. The rains during the week of 15 July were a blessing, as watering and weeding can be a challenge!
The new Dahlia bed is a colourful mass of Sweet Peas, Dahlias and Sunflowers, and elsewhere we have Cosmos, Cornflowers, Chrysanthemums and Verbena, and perennials galore. We currently cut about 4
buckets of flowers for Church every Friday evening, plus jars of Sweet Peas and herbs. The raised bed has produced our first lettuce (now all sold), together with tubs of Courgette and Tomatoes. We
notice dozens of Bees on the flowers, particularly the Aliums, and often the Bees continue to stay with the flowers once they are cut and in the buckets of water. We will be planting more lettuce
this week. We look forward to seeing you at RUSTINGTON FLOWER SHOW on Saturday 17 August (2 - 4pm) when we will be exhibiting.
Julie and Team
THE CHURCH ALLOTMENT IN MID-MAY 2019
The Lottie is now a riot of lovely green hues, and a promise of what is to come. We have picked our first rhubarb but this year it is very slow and I think it might now need to be divided in the
winter. New plants have been purchased but I think the crop this year will be reduced.
The Globe Artichoke on the other hand has seven "globes" and the plant itself is enormous. The Sweet Peas are growing well, and the new Dahlia plants are flourishing. We have planted five new Lavenders and some beautiful Hollyhocks called "Halo Blush" and some gorgeous pink Delphiniums. The 10 new Chrysanthemums should arrive this month.
I am growing all sorts of vegetables on my plot and hopefully there will be a surplus for sale. We look forward to J Squad's visit in June when they will be making fresh posies and planting up
Courgettes and salad crops. We continue to battle the Bindweed.......... but otherwise all is well and beautiful.
Julie and Team
RUSTINGTON HORTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION - SPRING SHOW
Here are the gorgeous Lottie Narcissi (middle front) that won 2nd price at the Show on 23 March. A second entry of Narcissi - one specimen stem - won 1st prize. Three members of J Squad each won a
1st prize for their baking plus two cups at the end of the show, and there were four more 1st prizes for Victoria Sandwich Cake, Indian Gluten free Butternut Squash Cake, Rock cakes and Marrow
and fruit chutney, entered by Jennie and Julie. In all we achieved eight 1st prizes, 1 second prize and 2 cups! It was all great fun and the children were so delighted. Needless to say, it was lovely
to welcome our supporters from Church to share a delicious afternoon tea at the Show. Thank you everyone.
The next Show dates at the Woodlands Centre are:
22 June - Rose and Sweet Pea
Show
17 August - Summer Show (wonderful Dahlias)
Julie
11 March 2019
The Lottie is awash with beautiful Narcissi, including the lovely tub of "Jet Fire" alongside the shed, (see photo), and a border of yellow daffodils and multi headed white Narcissi. As we are
now in Lent we are leaving the blooms for the early Bumble Bees who are in need of the nectar. The new pink and cream Foxgloves have been planted, and the Chrysanthemum and Sweet Pea and Green and
White foliage seedlings
ordered.
The Meadow Mix Flower Seeds have arrived and these should give us a glorious summer display of Cosmos and Cornflowers. We are preparing the plot for Spring Planting. Hopefully we will have blooms for
exhibition at Rustington Spring Flower Show on 23 March (2pm at The Woodlands Centre).
Our resident Robins are always on the plot when we are working there, and perch inquisitively on anything to hand, including the lawn mower and spade handles. We just have to wait for them to lose
interest and fly off before we can carry on! The plot might otherwise look a little brown and boring in March but there is a lot of life emerging. One of the Rhubarb plants is in full leaf already so
hopefully this is a good sign for an abundant and delicious crop.
Julie and Team
1 JANUARY 2019
What a beautiful day to start the new year, with Straw Flowers and Lavatera still blossoming on the plot, together with orange Marigolds. The Rhubarb is slowly emerging, and the Globe Artichoke
has gone into overdrive with gigantic silver leaves shining in the winter sun. The narcissi bulbs are now showing through the very wet soil, but as yet there is no sign of the Snowdrops. Our two
Roses, "The Pilgrim" and "Brother Cadfael" have produced new leaf shoots and look very healthy. All of the plant and seed catalogues have now arrived and we will shortly be ordering our new Sweet
Peas and other annual plants. Work will start shortly on preparing the plot for the spring planting, and hopefully in February we will be able to let you know what we will be growing throughout this
year- we have already chosen the perfumed apricot pink Sweet Pea "Heaven Scent."
Julie and Team
5 November 2018
Our Lottie and J Squad cake sale on 4th November to raise funds for a raised bed, was a great success. All the bakes used fruit and vegetables grown in the uk.
Sadly, the frost last week decimated our lovely Dahlias and to some extent the Cosmos, but we are still able to cut at least two buckets of blooms each week. We will shortly be removing the Cosmos and Cornflower plants and will replant next year. In the meantime we and the children have some lovely plans for 2019 that will be revealed in the New Year. h week for Church from the hardier varieties - White Daisies, purple Mallow, Straw Flowers and orange Marigolds.
Julie Churcher
FRIDAY 19 OCTOBER 2018
We are still cutting three buckets of flowers each week to decorate our Church. The colours are gorgeous and the blooms show no signs of fading. The
orange bucket contains our first Chrysanthemums. Hopefully, we can continue until the first frosts. Until then the Lottie is magical and the "Dig for Jesus" potatoes are growing at an
amazing speed - well, the foliage is - let's just hope that the tubers are forming inside the bags!
Julie and the Team
SATURDAY 18 August, 2018
The Lottie is overflowing with beautiful flowers that have continued to keep our lovely Church decorated throughout the summer. We were awarded 1st prize at Rustington Flower Show on Saturday
in the Floral Art Class entitled "A Jug of Flowers for the Kitchen Table." The flowers were taken from the Church Lottie.
We will shortly be preparing the new Dahlia bed for 2019. J Squad will be growing their winter potato tubers in sacks for harvesting just before Christmas, when the children will be able to tip
them out and then take the lovely potatoes home to enjoy. Look out for the photos at the end of the year.
Julie
JULY 2018
This is the beautiful David Austin Rose, "Brother Cadfael," very kindly donated to the Church Allotment this month. As many of you will know, Brother Cadfael is the central fictional character of the
Cadfael Chronicles written by Ellis Peters. Brother Cadfael is portrayed as a Benedictine Monk at the Abbey of St Peter and St Paul in Shrewsbury in Shropshire which is where the David Austin
Nurseries are based. This lovely rose will join our rose "The Pilgrim', also a David Austin rose, and named after the Pilgrims in Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales"
Julie
Tuesday 3 July 2018
Very early morning on the Lottie - just after 6am. The Cosmos, Cornflowers and Purple Alliums are now in full bloom, along with the lovely yellow Evening Primrose and many perennials. There is still
a lot of work to be done to keep the weeds in check and watering is challenging, but the plot looks lovely. The Sweet Peas are doing their best but many people are telling me that the cold wet spring
set them back rather and unfortunately this is not a very successful year for some Sweet Pea growers. We cut two large buckets of flowers for Church every weekend. They look truly beautiful in the
Chancel. We will shortly be planting out the Autumn Chrysanthemums. The strawberries have now come to an end but hopefully we will have more Rhubarb to come.
Julie and the Lottie Team
Monday 11 June 2018
The Strawberries are ripening and we have now had two sales of delicious sweet fruit with more to be harvested. The Lottie flowers are now in Church every Sunday - currently the glorious
Foxgloves and Lupins. The Allotment provided the table posies for the Children's Society Sussex Cream Tea and we were delighted to sponsor the seeds, compost and bio degradable pots for J Squad. We
are so looking forward to an extra special year. It is lovely to see the Cornflowers now in bloom and many other varieties soon to be ready for
cutting.
Julie and Team.
26 MAY 2018
The Lottie is developing beautifully. The strawberry plot is in full bloom, and all the perennials and new annuals are doing well. Our first lush red Lupins and gorgeous multi-coloured
Foxgloves are now in Church. We look forward to a wonderful tapestry of colour this year.
Julie and the Team
A new Rhubarb - 3rd May, 2018
Here is our new Rhubarb, a lovely healthy plant named "Pink Champagne" from Westdean Gardens. As the Rhubarb is so popular, we thought we would increase our yield. We hope to plant up the plot in the next week with the Rhubarb, and the Cornflower and Sweet Pea plants that have all come on well. The grass paths have been mowed and it is now a case of "weed, weed, weed ........" Julie and the Team
29 MARCH 2018
All of the "Blue Boy" Cornflowers seedlings have now been potted on and will be transplanted to the Lottie when they are stronger and the weather warmer. We will also be sowing some Cornflower seed
direct onto the plot for a later crop. The Sweet Peas seedlings are looking very and healthy and will go out shortly. We hope for a beautiful crop. The Foxglove plants on both my Lottie and the
Church Lottie have increased in size and we are hopeful of a dramatic display this year, both on the plot and in Church - probably in
May.
Julie and the Team
24 MARCH 2018
We were delighted to receive 2nd prize for a vase of 5 Narcissi from the Church Allotment at Rustington Flower Show in March. A wonderful afternoon with some gorgeous blooms on show. Please do attend
these lovely village events at the Woodlands centre - 2 until 4pm. The next two shows this year are the Rose and Sweet Pea Show on 23 June, and the Summer Show on 18 August where there will be a
profusion of Dahlias. Both shows will feature other flowers, fruit and vegetables and produce from the Church Allotment, plus delicious afternoon tea and cake. If you would like to enter an
exhibit please telephone the Show Secretary on 01903 856007.
Julie and the Team
5 JANUARY 2018 - "SHOOTS ARE APPEARING"
It might not look much from the photograph taken on 5 January, but there is much new life on the plot. The new Alliums are all showing through the very wet soil and the Rhubarb crowns are pushing
their way through like cream hens eggs.
The Foxgloves planted last spring have formed beautiful clumps and I am really excited about seeing the lovely flower spikes when they appear.
As you can see, the Globe Artichoke has gone from strength to strength and looked lovely today in the dappled sunshine. We hope for many globes this year. My all time favourite Sarah Raven Catalogue has just arrived and we will again be ordering our annuals from Sarah. She has the most beautiful Dahlia, new to the Catalogue, and I hope to find room for a few tubers - "Penhill Dark Monarch." In shades of coffee, apricot and raspberry.
We are delighted to welcome Grace and Charlie to the Lottie team and hope that they will love being on the plot as much as myself, Jessica, Sue, Janis and Jennie - and of course Trevor, our plot
neighbour, who helps us out with such generosity.
Wishing all our supporters a Blessed New Year. Julie and the Team.
October 17
Well - someone has to be first! We have a lovely bed of spring flowering Narcissi on the Church Allotment, normally blooming between March and April. This little lady, however, has popped up on her
own this week. She has the most heavenly fragrance and it was lovely to spot her yesterday as the sky darkened at 3.15pm. We will leave her as a nectar treat for the bees. We have beautiful
butterflies, and the Greenfinches are feasting on the sunflower seed heads that we have left for them. The frogs are also back and the Robin has been singing his heart out over the past two days on
top of the Sunflowers. The Allotment is looking very autumnal and architectural - it is
beautiful.
Julie
19 August 2017
The lovely "Cafe au Lait" Dahlia from the Church Allotment - a 3rd prize winner in today's Horticultural Show at Rustington. Thank you to everyone who came along to support us...... and many congratulations to Jennie Nixon who won 1st prize for her Victoria Sandwich cake - the first time she had entered the show. Julie C.
Friday 11 August
Dahlias freshly picked today from the Church Allotment to decorate our lovely Church this weekend. Beautiful.
Julie Churcher
Allotment flowers arranged for church 16th July -
such lovely colours and I love the way the colours in the stained glass window reflect on the cross.
Thank you Helen and Team. Julie C
JUNE 2017
The Lottie is a mass of flowers and looks truly beautiful. Many were cut to use for our wonderful Festival of Flowers and for a Wedding.
As always we entered the Rustington Rose and Sweet Pea Show this month and were delighted that our David Austin Rose, "The Pilgrim," won first prize in the yellow Rose section, and then went on to
win the "Tom Lloyd Memorial Plate" for Best Yellow Rose in Show.
Our Rhubarb won 1st Prize, our Strawberries 2nd Prize, and our vase of mixed flowers 3rd prize. The very hot weather has not been liked by the Strawberries and they seem to have stopped
producing fruit, but we have plenty of Sweet Peas and lovely mixed flowers to use in Church and to sell as usual by donation. The lovely photo of "The Pilgrim" Rose is courtesy of Liz Henderson.
Thank you Liz.
Julie and Team
25th March 2017
Our lovely Rhubarb from the Church Allotment that won 1st prize at Rustington Flower Show last Saturday.
FEBRUARY 7th
Our first snowdrop on the plot......
........ and watch this space!!!
3O JANUARY 2017
Our first Snowdrop has bloomed on the Church Allotment in the border by the shed. So lovely, but I must remember to take a camera next time! As it will be sometime before we have any vegetables or
flowers, the Team hopes to treat you all to cake with a difference with your Coffee after a 9.45pm service - the details and date will be published in the News Sheet. Try something a little out of
the ordinary - Carrot Cake, Beetroot and Chocolate Cake, Chocolate and Courgette Cake,Parsnip Cake or perhaps Apple cake! Join us and be adventurous. As always we will have our little donation box -
your support is so appreciated.
Our Team is growing and we are now 9 strong which is fantastic. Photos next time.
Julie and Team
LOOKING FORWARD TO SPRING ON THE PLOT - 11 January 2017
Nearly two months ago in November the team put the plot to bed for the Winter, and an inspection today delighted with signs of new growth. One yellow Crocus in bloom stood out against the otherwise
brown of the earth and dried stems. Daffodils are in bud and our Strawberry and Rhubarb plants are pushing up new bundles of pale green leaves. The daffodil bed is awash with dozens of strong self
seeded Poppy plants, and we will leave them to grow and bloom and will add wild flower seeds in the spring. This will give us a beautiful display by the perimeter fence. We are all so looking forward
to an amazing Cutting Garden this year. Julie Churcher
and Team
PUTTING THE PLOT TO BED FOR THE WINTER 
Julie, Russell, Jessica and Jeannie, met on the plot on 14 November for an Autumnal sort out, and of course, coffee and cake! The Strawberry bed has been cleared of all dead leaves and there is
now plenty of room for the plants to grown easily in readiness for that luscious fruit in June. Perennials have been cut down ready for new growth in the late spring and our glorious faded Sunflowers
have been removed - they were so huge this task took two of us - as did the work on the Strawberry bed. Many thanks to those of you who took seed heads for the wild birds and pet Parrots. They went
as far as Rustington, East Preston, Storrington and the National Trust in Surrey. We will be planting new Daffodil bulbs and many more beautiful flowers in the spring for sale after services
and to decorate our lovely Church. I understand that the cost of commercial flowers will increase substantially next year so please pray for an abundant "crop on the
plot." Julie, 14th November
Sunflower seeds from the allotment - the birds just love them! Julie Churcher
The Harvest Festival dispay of flowers grown on the church allotment including the lovely alium seed heads. Julie Churcher
More stunning sunflowers!
August 27th
Lovely colour on the Church Allotment last Saturday morning, and waiting to be cut for Church. Can you spot the Honey Bee hard at work ? Don't worry - we won't cut his Sunflower !
August 2016 - Dahlias from the Church allotment - 2nd prize awarded in two classes at Rustington Flower Show this month. We are delighted.
July 2016 - Flowers in Church from the Church Allotment for the marriage of Mark and Hayley and for the first services in our beautiful Church following the Church reordering. Thanks be to God.
Beautiful sweet peas from the church allotment! JC 16/7/16
No pesticides, no air miles! Just tubs of sweet red deliciousness. Our first crop of the season. All sold out at Waffle this week. Look out for them at our usual venues as the crop ripens
for harvesting. Advance Notices will be published in the News Sheet when possible.
Julie Churcher, 16th June
Our lovely plot and cutting garden is in excellent condition, and the Strawberries are covered in hundreds of flowers that hopefully will provide us with a huge crop of fruit. Ann and Mervyn have given the shed a second coat of preservative paint, and Jessica, Russell, and Jeannie have dug and weeded so that we are now virtually weed free. The Cornflower seedlings are popping up through the heavy clay soil, and the sweet peas are planted. All of the perennials are now doing well. We have lots more seed and summer bulbs to be planted and these will go in over the next two weeks, and our first crop of Rhubarb is now ready for harvesting. Delicious!
Julie Churcher, 14th May
"SPRING IS IN THE AIR"
Welcome back - I am sorry there is no photo, but this is what is happening on the plot. Unfortunately Storm Katie damaged our last crop of beautiful Narcissi. We have a lovely bed of yellow
Wallflowers and we will leave these for the early bees to enjoy. The Allium bulbs are up and the Lupins planted, and the Perennials we grew last year are showing signs of new life. We will shortly be
planting the Sweet Peas out and hopefully an early sowing of Cornflowers. The plot is in very good condition thanks to the wonderful time put in by the Team. We look forward to a summer of stunning
blooms and colour, to include Sweet Peas, Cornflowers, Sunflowers, Cosmos, Daisies, Lupins, a bed of English Wild Flowers, and much more. Our "Pilgrim" rose is doing well. It will be so lovely to see
the flowers in our beautiful Church when we re-open in the
Summer.
Julie Churcher 14th April
Sunday 18 October
2015
I just love the architectural "disorder" of these
Dahlias blooming on my Allotment. The way in which nature produces such beautiful varieties is wondrous. The Dahlias are being picked every week from the Church Allotment for the Upper
Room, for sale after Church, for the tables at the Friendship Lunch (see our Facebook page), or for individual orders and Pacettis Cafe. As fast as the blooms are gathered more buds appear. The
first frosts will, unfortunately, devastate the plants, and we will then clear them away and lay a protective barrier of straw over the tubers to protect them until the Spring. It can be a little
chilly on the plot at the moment, but with the sun shining through, and the Robin keeping us company, it is a joyous place to be.
Julie
Churcher
The sun has been wonderful for ripening off our 15 Butternut Squash - a wonderful crop for only two or three plants. This week over 100 mixed variety Daffodils have been planted in front of the patio together with snowdrops and a bed of Wallflowers and purple Alliums. We have planted a David Austen Rose, a beautiful old fashioned yellow rose with an amazing scent and named "The Pilgrim." The onions have been harvested for sale, along with the French beans, yellow Courgettes and Dahlias, and of course some of the Butternut Squash. The Cornflowers seem to be producing fresh blossoms, and we will leave them awhile so that the Bees and other beneficial insects can benefit. The plot remains very productive, and is very beautiful at the moment with a glorious show of multi-coloured Dahlias. Julie Churcher 2nd October, 2015
10th September, 2015
It was a beautiful day at the Weald and Downland museum today and this is one of the three Shire horses waiting patiently while the cart was loaded with the harvest. I have a wonderful old Allotment book that directs that when making your paths between the plots they must be wide enough to allow your horse to walk along them!
The Miller at the museum has given me a bag of corn to grow on the plot and I will have some more from the seed merchant at Chichester. We hope to grow a block of corn and will post pictures from time to time - hopefully from sowing to harvest. We now look forward to the lovely mellow days of Autumn.
Julie Churcher
29 August 2015 - A LATE SUMMER HARVEST
Our first onion crop - thank you Brian H for providing us with the onion sets. This is about a third of the crop with the remainder to be lifted in the next two or three weeks. They all have lovely bronze skins and are nice solid vegetables. They have survived the wet weather well. The Yellow and green courgettes are providing a weekly crop and today I picked the first of the climbing French Beans - the flowers are a lovely creamy white. We might have a few sticks of Autumn Rhubarb later on as the new plants are suddenly bursting into growth, as are the new strawberry runners that are rooting well. The butternut squash are rambling across the patch as though they own it. It was lovely to see the Cornflowers today - they are still blooming and were a mass of honey bees seeking out the pollen.
We will be growing the Cornflower seed this October to ensure larger and earlier plants next year. They are quite happy to overwinter. There will also be a wildflower area - perhaps next to the patio - that we hope will be a riot of colour and a haven for the bees next summer. As this summer comes to a close there is much to harvest and enjoy. Look out for sales after Church and at Coffee Break.
Julie Churcher
Sunday 1 August - all bunched
and ready for Church
Our first Sunday at Rustington Primary
School, and what a lovely service.Sunday 1 August - all bunched and ready for Church
Thank you so much to Jennie N who
helped to pick and bunch the flowers on Saturday evening. It takes a long while to pick, sort and bunch and help is much appreciated. Early evening is also a beautiful time to be on the plot. The
heat of the day has softened and for most of the time we worked together in happy silence, just content to enjoy company and the peace of the day.
All of our produce sold out on Sunday
morning - Gladioli, Dahlias, Cornflowers, Sweet Peas, Seeding Dill (wonderful with the Dahlias), Mint, Pinks, and Courgettes. We will have produce when possible but not every Sunday, and I hope to be
at Wednesday Coffee Break sometimes, but if you would like flowers, herbs or vegetables (according to availability) at other times please let me or a member of the team know. Local delivery is
possible. It was very special to be able to provide some of the flowers for Jacob and Chrystal's Wedding, and also for the table arrangements for the Friendship Lunch and for sale for Church
funds at the Summer Fair.
The plot is a delight! Thank you all for
your support.
The Allotment Team
FRIDAY 10 JULY
2015
Our Sweet Peas, Cornflowers, Mint and
Strawberries are absolutely gorgeous. We also have the most amazing poppies. They are far too delicate to pick but the colours are incredible, ranging from baby pink to post box red and some stunning
deep Crimson blooms. I picked the fruit and flowers in the photo early on Wednesday morning and sold out completely at Coffee Break. Hardly a footprint let alone an air mile! Our picnic table is
being delivered by Keith H on Monday morning - thank you so much Keith for volunteering - or were you volunteered? We are very grateful to everyone who has donated tables, chairs and sun brollies -
and also a very warm welcome to our new volunteers.
Julie and the Lottie
Team
FRIDAY 3 JULY - We are in
bloom!
We now have a beautiful flower cutting
garden! The Sweet Peas are now in full bloom, and the multi-coloured Cornflowers are a lovely sight. We have picked and sold quite a few punnets of our new Strawberries. I had a look today and the
cucumbers and courgettes are on their way, although in this hot weather they need copious amounts of water. Many thanks to Trevor, our plot neighbour, who keeps an eye on them and rescues them from
shrivelling up when necessary!!
The small vases of flowers in the Church
Porch are all from the Allotment, and this weekend include Cornflowers, Sweet Peas, Feverfew daisies, herbs and seed heads. If anyone would like a mixed posie for a friend or for
themselves just let me know - they look lovely in jam jars (a small donation to the allotment fund would be welcome). I will sell after Church as often as
possible.
As ever it is a haven for the bees and
butterflies. Thank you to everyone for your support again this year. If you would like to visit just let me, Lea, Jessica or Russell know. We would love to see you there and no doubt there will be
something to take home with you.
Julie and the Lottie
Team
"AN ANGEL SMILES EACH TIME A FLOWER BLOOMS"
Many thanks to Brigitte for the gift of our Allotment Angel. As soon as our shed is up she will have pride of place on the door looking out over our plot.
The soil for the new strawberry plot has been enriched with solid conditioner and the new strawberry plants are enjoying being in their new position - they were beginning to flower in their pots! We look forward to a good crop.
Two stray spears of asparagus have popped up on the plot - I will leave them to grow their feathery fronds and use them in our flower bunches. The sweet pea and cosmos seeds have come up although no sign of the runner beans yet. Hopefully the herbs and poppies will be planted this week, together with the summer pinks and the rhubarb. The rain forecast toward the end of this week will be very welcome as the plot - being on clay - is rather dry at the moment. Things are coming on.
Julie Churcher 20th April
Friday 13th March, 2015 - We have new strawberry plants
The two strawberry beds gave us a
superb crop last year, but the plants are very old and ideally should be replaced every three years. They have not come through the winter well and the decision has been made to replace them.
Twenty-four new established plants of "Cambridge Favourite" have been purchased, all beautifully healthy and with good disease resistance. The donations paid to us by Pacetti's Cafe and Deli
for their table flower posies has in turn paid for the new Strawberry plants. The new bed will be prepared this week, and planting will hopefully take place in the next few days. They should crop
this year from June. Maisie and Eleanor of the Flowerpot Crew will take care of the Strawberry plot, and I think we can excuse them a taster or two - or three......
!
Julie and Team
Saturday 7 March 2015 - Preparing the site for our shed
A combination of a clash of Church activities, family commitments, working and chest infections (me embarrassingly), meant that only Lea, Maisie and Jessica were able to attend to the first plot clearance of the Spring today. A tremendous amount of work was achieved and the old, not very productive, raspberry canes have now been removed and about a dozen sacks of plant material taken to the dump. Thank you so much. Needless to say Lea, Maisie and Jessica are now relieved of Allotment duties for a while. The rest of the team - I hope - will now level the southern end of the plot ready for Steve, Graham and others to put the shed and patio in place and then it will be all systems go for the spring planting. I think the girls deserve a bottle of Radox each! Maisie has taken the photos below showing the plot today in lovely sunshine, and the area now ready for the shed..... and the Daffs are still slowly emerging I am assured!
Julie Churcher
Friday 27th February, 2015 - "Beautiful snowdrops in the Churchyard but not a bud in sight on the Lottie!"
I made a visit to the Lottie today with scissors in hand in the hope that at least the more established daffodils and narcissi on my own plot would have bloomed. One brave bud basked in the sunshine but that was all, and as for the fifty or so bulbs planted on the Church Allotment in the Autumn, there was not a bud in sight although they all appear to have shown willing and are pushing young leaves up through the very wet soil..... And so we wait! The first bloom will immediately appear on this page - quite when that will be remains to be seen.
The Snowdrops in the Churchyard are,
however, glorious and we have many different varieties, some scattered in very small groups, and others in wonderful white and green clumps. So special at this time of
year.
Our very tame Robin in the Churchyard
entertained myself and a small group to a wonderful vocal concert in the week from his perch in the Yew tree. Amazingly we all stood only half a path's width from him and at eye level, but he showed
no signs of nervousness and showed off for quite a few minutes. Again, I regret not having a camera with me but sometimes the memory of something so lovely is extra
special.
Julie
Churcher
A pot of sunshine on a Winter's day
FEBRUARY - HERB POSIES FOR PACETTI'S ITALIAN DELI AND CAFE
We are very excited to be supplying the
Cafe with table posies from the Church Allotment - all proceeds will go toward the Allotment fund. With many thanks to the Allotment Department of Rustington Parish Council for supporting this
project and for giving us the necessary permissions, and, of course, many thanks to Stephen and Samantha Pacetti for showcasing our herbs and flowers.
Julie Churcher
TUESDAY 20 JANUARY
This morning was perfect for a couple of hours work on the plot. Lovely and sunny and surprisingly
mild. I did take my coat off at one point, but it was back on within thirty minutes! A little bit of a chill in the air! The Dahlia tubers have been covered with straw to protect them from
frost. I expect we will lose a few but these will be replaced with new varieties. Plants past their best have been removed and those we cannot compost have been taken to the tip.
"Rose and Spud" have coped remarkably well and are still in situ. Our pet Robin spent the morning with me - he likes to sit on Rose's head and watch me whilst I work. I will try and catch a photo of him, but he does tend to flit about! Our spring Broccoli is doing well, and the leaves looked lovely covered in the early morning frost. On my own plot I discovered my first clump of yellow crocus in bloom - what a lovely surprise first thing this morning - spring is in the air! Julie Churcher
Summer
Winter
What a difference between Summer and Winter!
In the beginning...
Rustington Parish Council has now allocated our Church an allotment. The church flower team will oversee the project but we do need a working team and, particularly in the next week or two, volunteers to tidy and prepare the ground for planting. There will be some digging required although the Council will clear and dig the plot first. If you can help in any way at all please contact me. This is an exciting project that will benefit our Church family including our Youth Group and Junior Church who will be given their own plot. Further information will follow at the end of this month. Thank you so much. Julie Churcher.
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