BEAUTIFUL BATTLE

Chairman's Comments

NEW YEAR'S MESSAGE 2011 has departed with a whimper and we wonder what 2012 has in store for the gardening year.Extremes of weather are becoming commonplace or are we, I wonder, simply being seduced by daily weather stories into believing everything we are told? I remember disastrous floods in 1953 followed by an extraordinary winter in 1963..... and then the winter of 2010/11. But was last winter really that awful? The countryside seemed to benefit the following Spring and when Autumn arrived it brought with it a plethora of fruits for the delight of us mortals. As I write these notes in early January there is a distinct scent of Spring; daffodils and primroses are in bloom; there is a hint of buds on some shrubs and the soil is pliable although wet. My own garden is basically a clay soil but liberal dressings through the years of sheep and horse manure, plus ash from the bonfire seems to have done the trick. And the vegetable garden last year was almost prolific. But what of Beautiful Battle and all the projects we are going to get up to this year? Well, it is the year of H.M the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and we thought that this event would colour our activities. Colour? Yes, for the baskets and tubs in the High Street, the pots and baskets in the Almonry courtyard and, of course, the Diamond bed itself. All this has been a matter of great debate and we have finally settled on purple (verbena rigida), gold (marigold) red and white (geraniums and begonias) and there will naturally be the odd rogue plant and colour.

There is also in Battle a Silver Jubilee commemorative bed and they are connected in that they have both been conceived and developed by succeeding generations of volunteer gardeners. A new project for this year will be the Acorn bed which will be an enlargement of the oak tree bed at the northern entrance to Battle. This new bed will commemorate, and perhaps perpetuate, the twinning of our town with St Valery sur Somme in the Pas de Calais, just across the English Channel (la Manche) from us. It was from here that Duke William sailed to conquer Britain and Battle is the site of one of the most momentous events in history, the Battle of Hastings in October 1066. Thus, we try to bring gardening into the historical equation lest we forget our heritage. Another project that is waiting to be developed is that of marking the "gateways" into Battle of which there are three main ones. This will involve signage and gardening and designs for both are currently under discussion. The realisation of this project will be a partnership between Battle Town Council, Beautiful Battle members and other volunteers. Beautiful Battle plants, manages and maintains gardens throughout the length and breadth of Battle with a willing, enthusiastic and knowledgeable group of volunteers that turn out whatever the weather, rain or shine. But that success also relies on the 80 local businesses and premises, together with BTC, who sponsor the work year on year. We look forward to another exceptional floral year with new projects bursting out in colour and our existing gardens being renewed once more. So, give a thought each Thursday morning when you see the BB volunteers gardening around the town and stop, look and enjoy the fruits of their work. With very best wishes for a happy and successful gardening year. Simon Alexander Chairman Beautiful Battle