THE brand-new chairwoman of Henley in Bloom explains herself as an “avid gardener”.
Catherine Notaras relocated to Elizabeth Road more than 25 years earlier and later on purchased a spot of land, which almost doubled the size of her garden.
Over the years she has actually produced flowerbeds and planted trees and hedges to produce a “wildlife corridor” for animals such as hedgehogs.
There is likewise a pond and she has actually constructed a rockery for sluggish worms and amphibians and a wood store for bugs, caterpillars and hedgehogs.
Ms Notaras said: “I moved here in 1986 and in time I purchased a spot of land at the back that was simply soil.
“I put it down to lawn and after that I removed the flowerbeds and included trees. There is such a style for fencing however it is not excellent for wildlife. Hedging takes some time however it contributes a lot more.
“You need to exercise what’s finest for your garden and the plants will inform you if they wish to remain in your garden or not. With my garden I’ve attempted to work my method through the year.
“It begins early with snowdrops and hellebores and daffodils and spring bulbs.
“Then the garden opens up and goes through to the height of summer. When it starts getting cooler you get Michaelmas daisies (yellow) and rudbeckia (yellow) so you have a longer flowering season. We try to use perennial plants for low maintenance.”
Ms Notaras, who likewise runs a gardening task at Gillotts School in Henley, likes to keep her garden as natural as possible.
She said: “I don’t have bird feeders however I spread out teasle seeds high up for birds and we have berry trees and fruit trees and a veggie spot. I likewise have an allocation.
“We do not trim in May and June, although a lot depends upon the weather condition.
“We have a grass snake but it gives me the heebie-jeebies but we put up with that.”
