Apart from covering your bulbs with netting if planting in the grass, Toby Buckland of tv ‘gardeners world’ gave the following ‘tip’, when he appeared at the flagship event in trafalgar square on friday 1st October.
“Before planting your crocus bulbs place them in a bowl of tonic water (it contains quinine) for a minute or so and it will take away the odour that attracts the squirrels”
He says that it works for him!!!!!
Hilary Benn, shadow minister for the Environment, along with volunteers from the London Wildlife Trust and the staff of the Olympic ViewTube joined Rotarians in planting crocus bulbs at the ViewTube and the Greenway.
View photos in our online photo gallery.
http://www.ribi.org/thanks-for-life/template-press-releases
http://www.focusonthecrocus.org/
Eve Conway, DGN,Communications Chairman
Having just dried out, washed the sweat shirts that you returned, (perhaps NOT the caps, but as long as you wear them at every planting opportunity I do not mind if you kept them).
TV gardeners Toby Buckland and Chris Collins will launch the Big Bulb Plant campaign on behalf of the Netherlands Flower Bulb Centre, the Eden Project and Rotary International at Trafalgar Square on 1 October from 11am-2pm.
The campaign is designed to raise money for Thanks for Life/End Polio Now. Buckland and Collins will demonstrate how to plant bulbs. The public can pick up free boxes of Ruby Giant on the day.
The Netherlands Bulb Information Centre suggests Ruby Giant Crocus should be planted at a nationwide bulb planting day on 2 October, so they bloom by 23 february 2011, Rotary’s Thanks for Life campaign day.
Rotary has bought five million bulbs for what is believd to be the world’s biggest bulb plant in support of a single charity appeal.
Meanwhile, yellows and purple bulbs are the trend for next spring, predictsNotcutts Garden Centres, as it reports a 21 per cent surge in sales of these colours in its autumn bulb range from Simple Pleasures.
Focus on the Crocus will be catapulted into the public arena on Friday 1st October when The Deputy Mayor ofLondon and RIBI President Jim Moulson open The Eden Project’s Big Bulb Plant event in Trafalgar Square. The International Flower Bulb Centre are giving away 2000 ‘bulb boxes’ each containing up to 10 of Rotary’s Ruby Giant crocus bulbs FREE! Thanks for Life Coordinator Don Merritt (D1130), has been working with his team and Peretti Communications to bring together this event for Rotary. Although based in London, Don has been working to ensure that Rotary’s efforts across Great Britain and Ireland will be showcased to full effect in Trafalgar Square – this looks set to be an event for Rotary to be proud of – so why not come along to the launch on Friday 1st October and share in this great display!
Read the latest Thanks for Life/End Polio Now/Focus on the Crocus newsletter
PDG Don Merritt visited Winfield House in Regents Park the residence of the American Ambassador and presented the Head Gardener with 2500 Purple Crocus Bulbs.
American Ambassador’s cat ‘TABATHA’ gives Crocus Bulbs ‘SEAL OFAPPROVAL’
These will be planted on Thursday 14th October when, hopefully the Ambassador and his wife will be in attendance for a ‘photo opportunity
Whilst there, Don took the following photograph…
Your Ruby Giant crocus bulbs will be delivered very soon now. Across RIBI over five million of these flowers are going to be planted throughout the month of October ready to be in full bloom for Rotary Day Thanks for Life in February.
The launch of our Thanks for Life campaign will take place on Friday 1st October in Trafalgar Square.The Big Bulb Plant will be joining with us to raise awareness of Rotary and the Eradication of Polio. RIBI President Jim Moulson will be opening the proceedings and Toby Buckland, lead presenter of BBC’s Gardeners World will be on stage to give master classes on how to get the most from your springtime bulbs.
Why not come along and join in the fun? There will be plenty to see as Rotary International’s END POLIO NOW campaign receives a blaze of publicity as Focus on the Crocus is showcased from 10am to 2pm on the day.
You will have received your Rotary Day Thanks for Life posters and the first of two leaflets to help promote activities in your local area. Use these resources to invite the public to help Rotary and help boost membership at the same time. Remember to get the press involved - new press release templates are available on the website.
Add your planting information to the crocus website. Be Bigger, Better, Bolder and tell the world what you are doing to help eradicate Polio…
Are you going for a Guinness World Record? If so, make sure you have received and read the updated guidelines. Remember, the record attempt can take place on ANY DAY in OCTOBER so go on, give it a try and see how much fun you can have bringing people together united by the common goal of a New World Record!
Happy Planting!
DG1260 Amanda Watkin
Congratulations to the Shrewsbury Clubs and Rotary District 1210 Coordinator Lynne Deavin for bringing our attention to this excellent video featuring TV gardener Chris Beardshaw at the recent Shrewsbury Flower Show.