February 2023

17 Buckden Roundabout February 2023 Library and Knot Garden February 2023 Warm Spaces As we look forward to spring, Buckden Library continues to be an official Warm Space – a safe and accessible place where everyone will find a warm and friendly welcome. If you are finding it difficult to heat your home full time, then come and share our heating. There ’ s comfy seating, always someone to chat to and of course plenty of reading material! P3 drop ins (formerly provided by Age UK) Caroline continues her monthly visits to the library, offering free information, advice and support for the over 65s and their families. The next visit is on 28 February from 10 - 12. No ap- pointment is needed, just pop in for help and guidance on how to continue to live independently. Half term story time and craft On Wednesday 15 February from 10 – 11am , our local Chil- dren ’ s Centre will be running a special story time and craft. Enjoy a reading of ‘ We ’ re Going on a Bear Hunt ’ followed by some nursery rhymes, crafts and activities relating to the story. Please book in advance for this activity, by calling 01480 358340 or 01480 372700 option 1. Terrific Tuesdays! Our Tuesday morning Duplo and games for the under 5s con- tinues between 10am and 1pm in our children ’ s library with the usual selection jigsaws, Orchard games, building blocks and soft toys. This popular session is a great way to help children socialise, and for parents and carers to chat too! Rhymetime is every Tuesday at 2.15pm during term time. This free session is perfect for pre - school aged children, including babies. Rhyming language and songs really help with speech and early reading development. No need to book for either of these sessions - just drop in to meet up with other families. Children need to be accompanied by an adult. Lego Club Our popular Saturday morning Lego sessions continue, this month on 14 and 28 February . Just turn up if you ’ d like to cre- ate – open to all ages, but children under 11 do need to be accompanied by an adult. Knit Lit Our Knit Lit book club continues to meet every other Friday from 7pm until 9pm . The next meetings are on 13 and 27 Feb- ruary . New knitters welcome – just turn up! Opening hours: Tuesday: 10am – 1pm, and 2pm – 5pm Thursday: 2 – 5pm Friday: 4 – 7pm Saturday: 10am – 1pm Village Hall, Burberry Road, Buckden Tel: 0345 045 5225 www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/library News from the Knot Garden The Knot Garden looked stunning in Decem- ber ’ s snow. All the box hedges were white topped, contrasting with the dark green vertical sides to show the patterns made by the hedges. The pomegranates which are growing in pots had been placed under cover ahead of the cold winter weather. They are half hardy and can survive without heat. They will be brought out in late April or early May and placed, at first, by the garden wall in full sun and later in their positions in the beds. The vari- ety (Punica granatum var. nana) has small red flowers in the summer, followed by marble sized fruits in the autumn. They will grow no taller or wider than 1m., needing little pruning and enjoying well drained soil. They flourished in the heat this summer and produced seed heads that split open to show the seeds inside. The pomegranate was the symbol of Catherine of Aragon who stayed at Buckden Towers in 1533 - 1534. A crown over a pomegran- ate was her sym- bol/badge which is represented on the gate to the Knot Garden. The crown shows she was a queen and the pomegranate was an ancient symbol of fertility and regen- eration, also a Christian sign of Christ ’ s resurrection. Four min- iature pomegranates grow in pots in the garden as it is is dedi- cated to Catherine of Aragon.