June 2023

22 Buckden Roundabout June 2023 Village News Knot Garden News What a busy few weeks in the garden! Two of the team have been working hard on grouting between the stone slabs on the ter- race. They have concentrated on the area from the Friends Refectory door to the steps leading down to the gravel path. They are doing a splendid job but we all realise that to complete the whole terrace paving will take a long time. Now that the Golden Marjoram plants are settled into the Bishop bed other members of the team have started the job of spreading blue slate chippings on top of the weed suppress- ing membrane, this should be finished by the Saturday of the Plant Sale. Other on - going tasks are being carried out, nearly all the box hedging has had its annual feed, the hop and the honeysuckle are trying to grow faster than we can tie them to their supports and the weeds of course are enjoying the warm sunny weather. The pomegranates have been taken out of the winter growhouse and are hardening off by the wall be- fore being placed in their summer locations. The smallest pomegran- ate had us all worried, it was the last to grow any leaves. The laburnum is about to burst into flower, I think this is about 2 weeks later than last year. The irises and Solomon ’ s Seal in the bed by the wall have been protected from the cold weather and are both in full bloom as is the Ju- das Tree at the other side of the garden. Buckden Learning Group Update In late April we started a 7 week course entitled ‘ The History of Christianity – from Earliest Times to the Reformation ’. This is being run on Zoom with a long distanced tutor. As the name suggests this is a history course; it is not about faith or belief. 33 members are learning about the History of Christianity from its beginnings in Judaic writings and Greek philosophy and cul- ture, through the early period of establishment of the faith, weaving through the tangle of its fractures and schisms, and the emergence of its various churches with new themes and creeds, up to the period of the Reformation in the 16th centu- ry. At the time of writing (May 6) we have planned a June outing following on from our recent course entitled ‘ How the British Isles Formed ’. We are visiting Potton and Sandy with the tutor to look at some of the rock formations we heard about during the course. Later in May we will commence enrolment for our next face - to - face course which starts at the end of June in Buckden Village Hall. This is a 3 week short course entitled ‘ The Rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany to 1939’. This new course, with a popular local tutor, has been developed with our encouragement. These will be followed by further courses, mostly face - to - face, that have been planned through to Christmas 2024. We hope soon to plan our offerings for 2025. As usual, our courses have been interspersed with some indi- vidual discussion sessions on Zoom; this is expected to contin- ue. We remain hopeful that the group will continue to be success- ful. Note that pre - registration for our courses is essential to avoid disappointment. 1 st Southoe & Buckden Scout Group Beer and Gin Festival Friday 8th & Saturday 9th September 2023 Scout Hut – Lucks Lane, Buckden Please support us raising money for Beaver, Cub, Scout and Explorer activities