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July 2019 July 2019
Flowers and Cleaning Rota
THE ALLOTMENTS PLANTATION
Date: Flowers: Cleaning:

6 July Anne Forty Audrey Grindrod
Within the land to the south of Bladen Valley owned by the Erica Trust, lies the
Allotments Plantation which was set aside by Sir Ernest Debenham for farm 13 July Amanda Parker Amanda Parker
workers to grow their own produce. Since 2001 the Plantation, today woodland, 20 July Vivi Armitage Vivi Armitage
has been owned by Patrick Grove-White who lives in Poundbury and views the
Plantation as his ’back garden’. 27 July Fiona Hogger Fiona Hogger
For the first 20 years of his life, Patrick lived in Upwey. After leaving school he 3 August Jane Talbot Jane Talbot
gained 2 year’s valuable practical experience of forestry management in
Maiden Bradley and Fontmell Magna before attending Pitlochry Forestry College Flower Festival
in Scotland. Subsequently, Patrick spent 20 years in Australia where, after further
study and awards of a BA and Dip Ed, he became Staff Development Officer for A huge thanks you to all who helped with the flower festival, especially the
the National Parks and Wild Life Service of Tasmania. On returning to England, he wonderful flower arrangers.
taught at a Preparatory School in Sussex for 8 years before retiring to Dorset and
to pursue his painting.
Mowing Rota

Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4

24 June – 7 July Richard Hall Campbell De Richard Talbot Alec Armitage
Burgh

8 – 21 July Robin Snaith Allan Smith Marek Cropper Chris Parker

22 July – 4 Mike Menzies Ian Freeman Ben Bunnell Andy Smith
August

To return to Patrick’s ‘back garden’, the main crop of Douglas Fir is now 34 years
old and 100 feet high, and it is interspersed with 16 other species of both conifers
and deciduous trees. This natural progress to mixed woodland greatly improves
the diversity of habitat and gives maximum food and shelter to woodland fauna.
He has logged more than 23 types of birds, 9 species of animals(excluding
hunting cats and dogs!), a rich variety of vertebrates, butterflies, woodwasps,
bumblebees and other insects, and 15 main species of ground vegetation(some
of which are descendants of the Allotment years). Deer and grey squirrel
management have been essential for allowing the natural regeneration to thrive
in order to perpetuate the woodland, and now the deer numbers are at a much
more harmonious level.

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