READY STEADY GROW 2012 - SUNDAY 27TH MAY 1-4.30 PM

IF YOU VALUE THE PARK AS AN IMPORTANT GREEN SPACE PLEASE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE IT SURVIVES! … READ ON…..

THE POND

You will have noticed that the promised draining of the pond failed to materialise yet again last year! This was caused by a combination of heavy rain and what appeared to have been a failure of the pump to drain efficiently. The area manager has promised to have a look at this and demonstrate that it is working before we make another attempt. Watch out for news of new date and volunteer opportunities.
Many of you will have encountered our tame heron! This lucky chap is fed on a daily diet of sprats and supplemented by the odd tin of pilchards or sardines. He is now happy to be fed by hand and responds to the whistle from his food supplier! Hopefully he will act on the remaining carp in the pond and assist with their removal.

GEORGE FORREST BED - PLANT DONATION REQUESTS

The heritage style fence is currently being constructed for this bed and should be ready shortly. We can then get busy with the planting and restocking. Our funding award from Pollokshields Area Committee was £5, 524. The fence and installation costs are £5,000 leaving us somewhat short of funds to buy plants. The Friends will shortly be starting a campaign to raise money to buy plants so watch out for more information. Donations will be very welcome can always be made through our pay-pal account on the website.

HELLO DOG OWNERS

This is the time of year when wildfowl are pairing and nesting. Disturbing sites is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Please keep dogs under control around the pond area and keep them from entering the water or going into the vegetation around the margins.
Allowing dogs to trample over formal beds causes soil compaction which eventually kills the plants – the heath beds by the Burgh Halls are a good example – one gone and the next one barely surviving.

The Friends of Maxwell Park. February 1st 2012

VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED!

HELP - SUNDAY 2ND OCTOBER 9.30 AM

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO ASSIST WITH THE RESTORATION OF THE GEORGE FORREST BED IN MAXWELL PARK. IF YOU FEEL YOU COULD SPARE SOME TIME TO HELP WITH WEEDING AND PREPARING THE BED FOR NEW PLANTS PLEASE CONTACT 07966867929.

THE FRIENDS WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD BRING YOUR OWN SPADES, FORKS AND HAND TOOLS PLUS WILLING MAN-POWER!

THE SUM OF £5,5225 HAS BEEN AWARDED BY POLLLOKSHIELDS AREA COMMITTEE BUT AS THE GREATER PART OF THIS WILL BE TAKEN UP BY ERECTING A FENCE (TO PREVENT OUR DOGS FROM DAMAGING PLANTS AND TO DETER THEFT) WE NEED TO SUPPORT LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES WITH THIS PROJECT. FURTHER DONATIONS WOULD ALSO BE WELCOME TOWARDS THE PROVISION OF NEW PLANTS ALTHOUGH IT IS INTENDED TO RESCUE AS MANY AS POSSIBLE. IT IS ALSO INTENDED TO ERECT AN INTERPRETATION BOARD WITH INFORMATION ON GEORGE FORREST, HIS CONTRIBUTION AS A PLANT HUNTER AND HIS ASSOCIATION WITH THE STIRLING MAXWELL FAMILY, WHO FUNDED SOME OF HIS EXPEDITIONS TO THE HIMALAYAS.

Gardens in Britain owe a huge debt to George Forrest as he was responsible for bringing back over 30,000 specimens of 10,000 plants from China over a period of 17 years, at the start of the 20th century. The plants which he introduced into Britain included 300 new species of rhododendron (which was unknown in Britain until his discovery), azaleas, primula, gentians, conifers, orchids, magnolias, saxifrages and pieris - Pieris Forrestii adds a splash of colour to shady corners of many gardens. The list of material collected by Forrest is impressive and includes Abies georgei, Acer, Adenophera, Aster, Dacocephalum, Hemerocallis, Iris, Primula and Rhododendron forrestii.

SPRING NEWSLETTER

At last spring has arrived!

As you may know the Friends of Maxwell Park obtained funding from Pollokshields Area Committee to restore the George Forrest bed at the Dalziel Drive entrance. This should be going ahead soon and will be fenced to stop our dogs from rushing in to select the first bush - it may also deter folk from stealing plants which has happened in the past.

To celebrate this the Friends are organising a trip to the Scottish Plant Collector's Garden in Pitlochry on Sunday 12th June. Please email/leave a note at the Burgh Halls if you wish to come along. The cost will be £15 to include travel and entrance fee.

SUNDAY 5TH JUNE - READY STEADY GROW

This year we are back in the Loggia to the rear of the Burgh Halls. Please come along and enjoy tea, coffee or soft drinks and home baking. As usual we will have a plant stall so if you have any plants you wish to donate they will be most welcome.

POND DRAINAGE

For the third year running attempts to drain the pond have proved unsuccessful owing to a mechanical failure and the bad winter when ice prevented the operation starting before the nesting season. Hopefully this will happen in the autumn.

A number of dogs have been taking to the water - this causes disturbance to nesting wildfowl so please keep dogs under control around the pond area.

Hector has been doing a great job of keeping the park tidy given the amount of working days due to cutbacks. Please help him to keep the beds tidy and place litter in the many bins provided! Again dogs off the beds please and ball games are best played away from formal planting areas.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 23 NOVEMBER 2010

THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING WILL BE HELD IN THE STIRLING HALL POLLOKSHIELDS BURGH HALLS ON 23 NOVEMBER 2010 at 7 pm.

WE ARE DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO WELCOME ANDY CHRISTIE FROM HESSILHEAD WHO WILL GIVE US A SHORT TALK ON THE WORK OF THIS BUSY WILDLIFE RESCUE CENTRE.

MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS ARE WELCOME!

NEWS FROM THE PARK SEPTEMBER 2010

Visitors to the park will have seen the wonderful Heritage Sign recently installed by Land Services! The larger section will have a plan of the park together with information on the features of the park and what wildlife to look out for during the year.

The Friends of Maxwell Park are delighted to have their section as this will enable us to keep you up-to-date with our activities.

We are appreciative that Land and Environmental Services felt this magnificent sign was justified for our Park when the budget cuts are so severe.

AND THEN THERE WERE FOUR...........Sadly we think that the smallest of the cygnets has disappeared for good. The rangers aren't sure if Mr Fox - Vulpes vulpes is responsible or an enthusiastic dog. Four-oh as he was known, was not a very strong little bird and appeared to be somewhat ignored by the rest of the clan. Nature has taken its course as it was doubtful whether he would have survived on his own.

There have been recent sightings of the terrapins in the pond. We think they may be responsible for eating duck eggs in the spring please report if you spot them as they should be rehoused.

Two of the larger fish have been relocated to Queens Park where they have been placed in an enclosed pond so please no more fishing attempts as last year one of the swans had to have a line removed from it's throat. Thank you Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Centre! They also would ask that only grain and brown bread be fed to the wildlife as white bread and rice are not nutritious and results in the swans suffering from malnutrition. Again our thanks to Hessilhead who took our pair away over the winter for a bit of rehabilitation and concentrated feeding.

The Friends have recently been awarded funding from Pollokshields Area Committee to restore the George Forrest bed. You will be aware that plants in this bed have either been stolen or damaged by dogs and plans are underway to replant and fence the bed.

This notable Scottish plant collector and explorer made seven major expeditions to China between the years of 1902 and 1932 with the support of a wealthy syndicate of gardening enthusiasts including Sir John Stirling Maxwell of Pollok. Easily the most significant and popular of George Forrest’s planting introductions was his collection of rhododendron species revolutionising the world of rhododendron breeding.

A grant of £5,500 has been awarded to the Friends of Maxwell Park. We are grateful to the Area Committee for this generous amount which includes a transfer of a previous award for signage as this requirement has been covered by LES.

We shall miss Gus Morrison who will be leaving the Park in November. He has worked so hard to keep the Park looking good over the years and we wish him well. Thank you from us all Gus, for all that you have achieved and for your kindness and good nature - we will miss you!

The Ready Steady Grow Event in June was a great success and we enjoyed the various stalls and organisations that helped to make the day entertaining and we hope enjoyable for all. Our thanks go to all the bakers and helpers who gave of their time.

READY STEADY GROW EVENT 6TH JUNE 2010

DIARY DATE!

SUNDAY 6TH JUNE 2010
1 – 5 PM
The Friends of Maxwell Park invite you to join them for:
Homebaked Teas/Coffees
Free Dray Rides Round the Park
Unusual Plants for Sale Plus Planters for the Patio
Workshops for Seed Boms! Children Welcome.
Pottery Painting and lots more

NEWS FROM THE PARK

At last we can see some signs of spring in Maxwell Park and I hope we will see progress this year.

Those of you who kindly attended the AGM in December will recall we had received funding from the Pollokshields Area Committee for signage. We have been fortunate in having two new sings for the pond area installed by Land and Environmental Services and will shortly be having a large information board for Maxwell Park sited at the main Burgh Halls entrance. Land Services have promised us a section for the Friends to keep you all informed of progress and what is going on in the park.

You will have seen sign around the pond of the intended lowering of the water to plant new oxygenating plants and remove the large carp that have been quietly nibbling at these! The fish will then be transferred to an enclosed pond. It is hoped that this will improve the water quality.

Unfortunately it has since transpired that the mechanism to operate the out-flow is still faulty and the water lowering will now have to wait until next winter as the birds are already starting to nest. This is a great disappointment to us as we were all lined up to help the team from Environmental Services with this project.

Please use the "blog spot" to pass on any comments and suggestions that you may have as it is good to have a flow of local opinion.

The Friends of Maxwell Park will be taking part in the annual Ready Steady Grow Event on Sunday 6th June. A plant stall and tea/coffee stall will be open from 1-5pm and we hope to have the heavy horses dray from Pollok Country Park with us again this year for free rides around the Park. We also hope to have various conservation and wildlife groups with us - lots of information for all ages!

We look forward to June and hope that you will be able to look in and enjoy the afternoon with us.

With best wishes for a good summer!