Fall Leaf Collage

Here's what you need for this fun fall craft project:

And as officers appeal for witnesses to the thefts, they have released CCTV images of a man caught near the scene of one of the raids, during which a unique 6ft bronze painted lamp was stolen, at around 1am on Wednesday, April 6, in Lemington."Some are very rare with only a few made.As well as the pounds 300,000 restaurant, pounds 100,000 has been invested upgrading the gates and pounds 240,000 has been spent on reinstating the ornamental lake.Instead, the rotting timber window frames and glass have been painstakingly replaced and the building will be used to house a small restaurant and an exhibition space."Although this may seem like a low-level crime, these items are often expensive and have sentimental value to the owners and it's important the thieves are caught."You will be using crayon shavings to get the sheets of waxed paper to stick together. This also adds some color to the collages. Choose some old crayons in a variety of fall colors and use the old cheese grater to get some shavings from the crayons.Flower petalsIT has taken much longer than expected.But bad weather over the winters of 2009 and 2010 delayed much of the work.Fall leaves"We're carrying out inquiries into where the items may have gone and this is continuing.PC Kevin Pentland of Northumbria Police's Outer West Neighbourhood Policing Team, is also urging residents to photograph and mark garden ornaments in case they are taken.IronNext use the iron to press the two sheets of waxed paper together. Unless you're using an old iron, you should use a thin cloth between the waxed paper and the iron, or you might get crayon shavings on your iron, which will transfer onto the next thing you iron...believe me, I know!And there is no doubt the work has created a superb feature so close to the town centre.CAPTION(S):

Photo of finished project: http://www.crafty-moms.com/fall-leaf-collage.shtml

Author: Rachel Paxton

Revamped park ready for summer crowds; Final touches after long refurbishment

Byline: NEIL ATKINSON

The restaurant will be run by Kirklees Council's in-house caterers.But the massive revamp of Huddersfield's historic Greenhead Park is now nearing an end.Police are today investigating a spate of garden raids in which rare, expensive ornaments were stolen.Ornamental grassesNewspaper"We expect the final touches to the conservatory to be made over the next few weeks, so that this and the restaurant can open in time for the summer holidays.Anyone with information about the thefts should contact Northumbria Police on 0345 604 3043 ext 69191.CAPTION(S):STALKING the streets at night, this suspected garden raider was caught on camera."The brand new children's play area is proving to be a great hit, as are the new lake and fountain.The revamped bandstand and cafe have been welcomed by many visitors and the addition of railings and gates have returned the look the park would have had before railings were removed for their metal in the Second World War.Working on a piece of newspaper, lay one sheet of waxed paper down and arrange the leaves, grasses, and flowers as desired.Kirklees Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund are spending pounds 5.4m revamping the park.And raids have taken place over the past week, in which a stone bird bath, a bench, an ornamental cherub birdbath, two stone owls, a stone frog, stone horse's heads and a statue and lamp were taken.Sprinkle crayon shavings all over the sheet of waxed paper, so that when you iron the sheets together, they will completely stick together.Final touches to the outstanding projects are expected to be ready for the start of the school summer holidays in late July, although the main grassed area will not be available for events this year.Due to the size and weight of some of the items, police believe the thieves may have needed a car or van to shift them.A council spokesman said: "With work on the lotteryfunded scheme now almost complete, we've been delighted to see so many families making the most of the good weather and flocking in their thousands to enjoy the refurbished park and its new facilities."The items are unusual and some are difficult to move, with most being stolen overnight. It's possible those responsible had a vehicle and that some of them are linked," he said.That's it! These leaf collages look great hanging in a window as a pretty fall decoration. You could also hang them on the refrigerator, frame them, or even use them as placemats.Since the end of March there have been around 10 thefts from gardens the Walbottle, Callerton and Lemington areas of Newcastle.Old cheese grater

* REVAMP: The park gates at Park Drive South, above, open on to the new children's play area and, left, the park cafe which has also been upgraded as part of the park refurbishment Pictures by Julian Hughes (JH030511Dpark) * NEW FEATURES: The park lake and, above, the conservatory which will house a restaurant (JH030511Dpark-06/05) Purchase: www.examiner.co.uk/buyaphoto 01484 430000 ext 7778

Police plea to grass on this garden raider; CCTV captures suspected thief casing victim's yard

Byline: SOPHIE DOUGHTY

"However, if residents do have items such as this which they want to keep in their garden, they should take photographs of it and ensure it is marked with their postcode so that if it's stolen and then recovered, we can return it."And we're looking forward to later in the summer when the new planting and seeding schemes will have bedded-in to reveal the full effect of the transformation we've managed to achieve.Start by choosing the size of the collage. Tear off two pieces of waxed paper to the desired size. You will be pressing the leaves between the sheets of waxed paper.The gleaming conservatory with its new windows is almost ready and will house a restaurant."Work begins on a new scheme next week to resurface and replace fencing around the tennis courts, which we also hope will be in use again by mid-summer."* REVAMP: The park gates at Park Drive South, above, open on to the new children's play area and, left, the park cafe which has also been upgraded as part of the park refurbishment Pictures by Julian Hughes (JH030511Dpark) * NEW FEATURES: The park lake and, above, the conservatory which will house a restaurant (JH030511Dpark-06/05) Purchase: www.examiner.co.uk/buyaphoto 01484 430000 ext 7778Waxed paperSTOLEN One of the statues taken by thieves SUSPICIOUS One of the suspected thieves is caught on CCTV peering into a garden TREASURED Some of the ornaments that have been stolen from gardens around the Walbottle, Callerton and Lemington areas of NewcastlePhoto of finished project: http://www.crafty-moms.com/fall-leaf-collage.shtml"I'd advise people to be wary about decorating their garden with expensive items.It was decided that the dilapidated conservatory, which is a listed building, would not be demolished.The newly-created ornamental lake is another fine feature."Residents should also look out for suspicious people or vehicles in the area and ensure anything unusual is reported to police as soon as possible.On a rainy day when there's nothing else to do or maybe on Thanksgiving Day while you're waiting for dinner to be ready, bring out the dried leaves and grasses to create the leaf collage.The treasured objects vary from a cherub bird-bath to a stone frog.This project can be done on two different days. One afternoon can be spent outside looking for different colored leaves, pretty ornamental grasses, and interesting flower petals. After the kids have a good collection, have them lay everything out on some newspapers to dry.It was in August 2008 that work finally started on the huge restoration project.

STOLEN One of the statues taken by thieves SUSPICIOUS One of the suspected thieves is caught on CCTV peering into a garden TREASURED Some of the ornaments that have been stolen from gardens around the Walbottle, Callerton and Lemington areas of Newcastle

How to Grow Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental grasses have become extremely popular in the past ten years or so, and if you buy them at a garden center they are kind of pricey. Learning how to grow them yourself is actually quite easy. They can be grown from seed, but I won�t pretend to be an expert at that for several reasons. One, I don�t know anything about growing them from seed, and two, I have no desire to propagate them from seed because seedlings require too much care.

Expert tip: Red hot pokers will generally thrive in a sunny border, providing the soil is not too dry in summer and as dry as you can possibly arrange in winter.Expert tip: Grow these droughtresistant perennials from seed - they thrive in corners and narrow beds.RED HOT POKERSRED HOT POKERSpounds How much? Pack of six for pounds 7.99 (www.jparkers.co.uk, 0161 848 1100).pounds How much? Three plants cost pounds 15 (www.rhsplants.co.uk, 0844 557 2622).

You are welcome to use this article on your website or in your newsletter as long as you reprint it as is, including the contact information at the end. Website URLs must be active links. You are welcome to use this article with an affiliate link, http://www.freeplants.com/resellers.htm

Author: Michael McGroarty

GROW GETTERS

ECHINACEA

Expert tip: Monarda foliage produces a pleasant, citrus-like aroma when crushed.The easiest and most effective way to propagate them is through simple division. Of course you will need at least one parent plant of each variety that you would like to grow. If you shop around you might be able to find some 4� inch pots at a fair price.Red hot pokersExpert tip: Coneflowers combine especially well with ornamental grasses and achillea or yarrow in a natural prairiestyle planting scheme, and in flower beds with globe thistles and bee balm to attract bees and butterflies.In both cases, good drainage is absolutely critical to ensuring good health.TALL and imposing, these plants are traditionally yellow with red tips but they also come in other colours, including dazzling yellows.pounds How much? Buythem from pounds 2.49 (www.thompson- morgan.com, 0844 248 5383).Expert tip: Monarda foliage produces a pleasant, citrus-like aroma when crushed.pounds How much? Three plants cost pounds 15 (www.rhsplants.co.uk, 0844 557 2622).IN midsummer there are no better plants to sum up cottage garden style. These flowers, left, can reach 10ft tall, with spikes in rich and delicate colours.Their fiery, torch-like flowers lend height, vibrancy and drama to any garden, and they work particularly well in planting schemes based on "hot" colours and featuring heleniums, achilleas, crocosmia and day lilies.EchinopsEchinopsBee balmYou are welcome to use this article on your website or in your newsletter as long as you reprint it as is, including the contact information at the end. Website URLs must be active links. You are welcome to use this article with an affiliate link, http://www.freeplants.com/resellers.htmIN midsummer there are no better plants to sum up cottage garden style. These flowers, left, can reach 10ft tall, with spikes in rich and delicate colours.Red hot pokersBLUE flowers will give the garden a welcome cool feeling. Make an instant feature with echinops, partnered with Perovskia atriplicifolia and Sedum matrona.YOU will enjoy a more fruitful garden if your flowerbeds attract pollinators such as butterflies and bees, so make sure you include bee balm or monarda in your planting scheme. The variety Cambridge scarlet is a good choice as it produces bright, scarlet flowers growing in a whorllike cluster on top of tall stalks during July and August.When spring arrives you can divide them at any time as long as they are not well into putting on new growth. The earlier the better. To divide them simply dig up the root mass and start dividing it into pieces. The divisions do not have to be to be very large. It�s difficult to describe, but as long as you have some roots, the new plant is likely to grow. If you have small young plants you can probably just tear the root mass apart with your hands, but if the root mass is very big then you are going to need some tools. You might need some heavy duty tools!Expert tip: Red hot pokers will generally thrive in a sunny border, providing the soil is not too dry in summer and as dry as you can possibly arrange in winter.Along with the flowers, it is edible and can be used to garnish salads and deserts. The fresh or dried leaves can also be brewed into a refreshing, aromatic and medicinal tea.Along with the flowers, it is edible and can be used to garnish salads and deserts. The fresh or dried leaves can also be brewed into a refreshing, aromatic and medicinal tea.Bee balmHollyhocks

Red hot pokers

Author: Anonymous

GROW GETTERS

ECHINACEA

ONE of the best perennial flowers for late summer and early autumn is the coneflower, or echinacea. The daisy-like flowers come in a variety of colours, including purple and creamy-white, that surround high brownish-orange cones.YOU will enjoy a more fruitful garden if your flowerbeds attract pollinators such as butterflies and bees, so make sure you include bee balm or monarda in your planting scheme. The variety Cambridge scarlet is a good choice as it produces bright, scarlet flowers growing in a whorl-like cluster on top of tall stalks during July and August.Last spring I divided several grass plants that had been in my landscape for a few years. When I dug out the root mass it was much larger and more dense than I expected. Using a very good digging spade and some real elbow power I was able to chop the root mass into quarters, and I replanted the quarters back into my landscape. That still left many clumps that I wanted to divide into very small plants that I could pot up in 2 quart containers. The root mass was too dense to tear apart with my hands, so I literally got a hammer and a 4� wide mason�s chisel and chiseled off pieces. It worked and I now have a couple of hundred beautiful little grass plants in 2 quart containers.Expert tip: Coneflowers combine especially well with ornamental grasses and achillea or yarrow in a natural prairiestyle planting scheme, and in flowerbeds with globe thistles and bee balm to attract bees and butterflies.Since then I have talked with a friend of mine who works for a large wholesale grower, and he told me that you never want to let an ornamental grass plant get that big if you intend to divide it. He said they plant small divisions in the field in the spring, and dig them up the following spring and divide them again. He assured me that if you get them just 12 months later, they can be easily torn apart by hand.TALL and imposing, these plants are traditionally yellow with red tips but they also come in other colours, including dazzling yellows.HollyhocksExpert tip: Although echinops are perennials, it is best to plant new globe thistles every four years.BEE BALMOne of each variety is good for a start. I find that the best time of the year to divide them is in the spring, just before the new growth emerges. If you buy the stock plants in the early spring, you might be able to divide them right away. If you buy them at any other time of the year, just plant them in your garden or other suitable location, knowing that you are going to dig them up in a few months, or a year or so.Expert tip: Grow these drought-resistant perennials from seed - they thrive in corners and narrow beds.Their fiery, torch-like flowers lend height, vibrancy and drama to any garden, and they work particularly well in planting schemes based on "hot" colours and featuring Heleniums, achilleas, crocosmia and day lilies.Expert tip: Although echinops are perennials, it is best to plant new globe thistles every four years.BLUE flowers will give the garden a welcome cool feeling. Make an instant feature with echinops, partnered with Perovskia atriplicifolia and Sedum matrona.BEE BALMThese tough plants repeat bloom throughout summer, even when there is a drought.They also look fantastic when planted against a background of ornamental grasses and also in dainty, prairies-style planting schemes.They also look fantastic when planted against a background of ornamental grasses and also in dainty, prairies-style planting schemes.pounds How much? Three plants from pounds 18 (www.hayloft- plants.co.uk, 01386 562999).That sounds like a lot more fun than what I went through!ONE of the best perennial flowers for late summer and early autumn is the coneflower, or echinacea. The daisy-like flowers come in a variety of colours, including purple and creamy-white, that surround high brownish-orange cones.

Red hot pokers

Author: Adrienne Wild