Community Website
Norfolk county council has sent their regular report to our Parish Council, and they’ve passed it over to be published here on the website. It’s worth a scan to see all the stuff that’s been going on.
Kay Mason-Billig our councillor is happy to answer any questions if residents have any, and also available to assist with their county issues, and her contact details are kay.masonbillig.cllr@norfolk.gov.uk
July is often one of the hottest months of the year and usually a great time to sit out and enjoy your garden! Here’s some gardening ideas for this month while the sun’s shining.
Fragrance is essential in a summer garden so if you can, try to dedicate a space to growing richly scented plants, either in the ground or in pots or containers.
• Buddleia – has a gorgeous honey fragrance. It’s also called the butterfly bush as all pollinators love it – especially butterflies, bees and hummingbird moths.
• Star jasmine – a very reliable and richly-scented, profuse flowering, evergreen climber. Best grown in full sun with some shelter from the wind.
• Tobacco plants – All tobacco plants (nicotianas) have a powerful evening scent,
• Abelia – pretty shrubs producing scented, trumpet-shaped flowers from midsummer and into autumn. Plant in full sun and shelter from cold winds.
Other plants flowering in July include Delphiniums, Agapanthus, Lavender, various Clematis, Dahlias, Sweetpeas, Day Lilies, Honeysuckle and Roses.
• Support tall perennials such as lupins, delphiniums and gladioli.
• Liquid feed containerised plants and keep well-watered in dry spells.
• Feed late-flowering border perennials with a liquid quick-acting fertiliser.
• Start collecting seed from plants you want to grow next year, especially annuals such as Calendula, poppies and love-in-a-mist.
• Inspect lilies for the scarlet lily beetle whose larvae can strip plants in days. Pick off any you spot by hand.
• Watch out for aphids (greenfly and blackfly) on stems and leaves of young shoots.
• Sudden collapse of apparently healthy clematis, especially the large-flowered cultivars, could indicate clematis wilt. Cut out the wilted growth – new shoots should grow from ground level.
• Look out for and treat black spot on roses. Remove and destroy affected leaves to try to reduce disease next season.
• Autumn-flowering bulbs, such as autumn crocuses, Amaryllis and Nerines, can be planted now.
• When Delpinium, Foxglove and Verbascum flowerspikes have faded, cut back to just below the seadheads as the small buds lower down the spike often produce a second flush of flowers.
• Cutting back plants in baskets followed by feeding can encourage new growth and help revive tired displays.
• Keep deadheading Roses, annuals and perennials flower borders regularly to prolong flowering.
• Divide clumps of bearded iris.
• In dry weather a silvery white coating may appear on the leaves of plants such as clematis, roses and Lonicera, caused by the fungus powdery mildew. Although it’s unsightly, it’s not usually harmful to the plant.
• Some flowering perennials, like Nepeta, Alchemilla Mollis, Hardy Geraniums can be cut back and fed now, so they produce fresh green growth to liven up the border and will often produce a second flush of flowers.
• Pick peas and beans whilst they are young. This will encourage the plant to keep flowering and setting more seed.
• Broad beans are very prone to black fly and to prevent this, keep pinching out the tips to stop the black fly setting on the new growth, this also stops the plant growth and encourages more flowers and bean production.
• In July you can raise new strawberry plants from the runners. Peg the runner into the ground, water well and leave for a few weeks until well rooted. Cut off excess runners.
• Depending on the weather, once they have flowered, salad potatoes and earlies should be ready to harvest in July.
• Water tomatoes regularly and try not to let them dry out. Nip out all side shoots, and cut off excess leaves to allow light into the centre of the plant. Once the plant has set 3/4 flower trusses, pinch out the growing point to stop the plant growing taller. Support plants well and secure with soft ties.
Here’s a map of the plans for the East Pye Solar Farm project, for which there’s a consultation open at the moment. It covers a wide area, and the nearest part to us is just southwest of Brooke. There is information here on in-person events and how to give feedback.
Some information is given below from their communications, and you can download a map and information leaflet at the bottom:
The information events will be an opportunity for the community and keys stakeholders to view our updated proposals and provide their feedback. Our in-person events will be ‘drop-in’ style events, where you can visit at any time in the advertised window.
We are keen to hear views on our proposals and are inviting feedback. You can provide feedback via our online feedback form, by completing a hard copy feedback form, or by writing to us via email or our freepost address. All comments we receive will be considered by the team as we work to refine our proposals ahead of submitting a Development Consent Order application later this year.
Wednesday 2 July 2025, 14:30 – 19:30 – Aslacton and Great Moulton Coronation Hall, Carr Lane, Great Moulton, Norwich, NR15 2LA
Thursday 3 July 2025, 14:30 – 19:30 – Saxlingham Nethergate Village Hall, Steward Close, Saxlingham Nethergate, Norwich, NR15 AJ
Thursday 10 July 2025, 14:00 – 19:00 – Long Stratton Village Hall, Ipswich Road, Long Stratton, Norwich, NR15 2TA
Friday 11 July 2025, 14:30 – 19:30 – Brooke Village Hall, Norwich Road, Brooke, Norwich, NR15 1AB
Saturday 12 July 2025, 11:00 – 15:00 – Hempnall Village Hall, Bungay Road, Hempnall, Norwich, NR15 2NG
Tuesday 15 July 2025, 14:30 – 19:30 – Seething and Mundham Village Hall, Wheelers Lane, Seething, Norwich, NR15 1EJ
Monday 21 July 2025, 18:30 – 20:00 – Community Webinar, via Zoom (details of how to register to attend the webinar can be found on our website: http://www.eastpyesolar.co.uk)
Have you heard Alpington is going to have a community shop at the Wheel of Fortune public house?
Barry, the landlord has transformed a garage into a shop space and will lease this to the community.
The shop will be run by volunteers and will be a Community Benefit Society (CBS} and registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCS). We are currently receiving sponsorship mentoring from the Plunkett Foundation.
A CBS is a not- for- profit society managed by the community for the benefit of the community. Any money made over and above that is needed for trading, will be distributed to community projects, voted on by the membership.
Are you or would you like to become involved?
Several people have already expressed an interest. Currently we have a steering group who have started gathering information on polices, opening bank accounts, all of which need to be put in place before we can open. This all takes time but we are keen to start looking at the shop itself and what stock it will hold and when it will be open.
We will need approximately £1000 to be able open the shop so fundraising will be an important part of the next steps.
On Wednesday 30 July 2-6 pm at the pub we are holding an information afternoon. Please come to learn more and make suggestions of what is needed in the shop. Spread the word and invite friends and neighbours who may want to be involved and perhaps have relevant skills that can be used.
A public engagement survey is now live regarding the local government reorganisation proposal that you might have seen in the news. You can find a link here to be able to give your views.
It was sent out to our Parish Council from the “Strategic Advisor & Deputy Monitoring Officer” of the South Norfolk and Broadland Council.
Here’s some text from the survey website, and a link to the survey at the bottom:
The Government has set out its ambition to
reorganise all two-tier local government areas in
England.
At the moment, councils in Norfolk operate under a
two-tier system. This means responsibilities are
split between district, borough, city, and county
councils.
Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) would
replace the current councils in Norfolk with new
unitary councils – single organisations responsible
for all local services in an area. The aim is to
simplify the system and improve how services are
run.
The survey is your chance to share your views on the proposed changes. Your feedback will help us make
decisions that work for our communities.
You can find a link to the survey here: Your Voice, Your Future
Norfolk county council has sent their regular report to our Parish Council, and they’ve passed it over to be published here on the website. It’s worth a scan to see all the stuff that’s been going on.
The next Alpington with Yelverton Parish Council meeting will be held at 7.30pm at the village hall, Mon 7th July 2025. The agenda is downloadable here.
Quiz and raffle at the Brooke and District tennis club! Sat 12th July, 7.30pm, Brooke village hall. Email by 6th July to register a team.
As we go into June, officially the first month of Summer, there are lots of things to do in our gardens. And now thankfully the warmer weather is with us.
• Common jasmine – A strong climber, which will quickly cover pergolas, trellises and sheds.
• Star jasmine – This evergreen climber has a beautiful fragrance very similar to common jasmine. Shelter from cold, drying winds and site in full sun or partial shade.
• Peonies – There are many perfumed peonies available.
• Lilies – Easy to grow in containers or pots, they prefer ericaceous conditions.
• Philadelphus – The mock orange, is one of the most richly scented plants.
• Empty, mix and refill compost bins to speed up decomposition
• Spray roses showing signs of disease, such as blackspot, powdery mildew or rust
• Continue watering any new plantings until they’re well established
• Water newly laid turf several times a week, for at least the first month
• Trim fast-growing hedges, such as privet, every six weeks over the summer
• Put stakes in to support tall, large-flowered dahlias and tie in stems as they grow
• Prune spring-flowering shrubs, such as kerria, choisya, chaenomeles and ribes, after flowering
• Check hedges and shrubs for nesting birds before you start any trimming or pruning, so you don’t disturb them
• Remove any all-green shoots on variegated shrubs, cutting right back to their base
• Feed lawns with a liquid or granular lawn fertiliser
• Lift and store tulip bulbs after flowering
• Give wisteria its summer prune, cutting all the long sideshoots back to 20cm, to promote flowering next spring
• Support tall-growing perennials, including hollyhocks and delphiniums, with a sturdy cane or supports
• Continue planting summer bedding in pots and borders, and water regularly to help plants establish quickly
• Cut back spring-flowering perennials, such as pulmonaria, to encourage a fresh flush of foliage
• Tie in new stems of climbing and rambling roses horizontally to supports, to encourage more flowers
• Pinch out the tips of fuchsias and bedding plants to encourage bushier growth
• Give container displays and hanging baskets a liquid feed every few weeks to encourage flowering
• Fill any gaps in borders with pots of tall bulbs, such as fragrant lilies, to add instant colour
• Prune late-spring or early-summer shrubs after flowering, such as weigela and philadelphus, thinning out the older stems
• Add marginal plants, such as arum lilies and marsh marigolds, around the edges of your pond
• Plant out sweetcorn after hardening off, arranging plants in blocks to aid pollination
• Cover developing and ripening fruits with netting or fleece to protect them from birds
• Enjoy the last harvests of asparagus this month, then leave the ferny top-growth to grow up over the summer
• Spread mulch around thirsty crops such as beans and courgettes to hold in moisture around their roots
• Water vegetables and fruit in containers regularly, especially during dry sunny weather
• Go on regular snail hunts, especially on damp evenings, to reduce populations
• Tie in new shoots of blackberries, raspberries, loganberries and other cane fruits
• Apply tomato feed regularly to fruiting veg crops, including tomatoes, courgettes, pumpkins and chillies
• Rejuvenate chives by cutting the clump down to the base, for a fresh crop of new leaves in just a few weeks
• Water beans and peas as they start to flower
• Pull out any raspberry canes sprouting up out of their dedicated area
• Sow herbs in pots to grow on your kitchen windowsill, such as coriander, parsley and basil
• Plant out tender vegetables raised indoors, including beans, tomatoes, pumpkins, courgettes and sweetcorn
• Put houseplants outside for the summer in a warm, sheltered spot to enjoy the fresh air and extra light
• Harden off hanging baskets and pots of summer bedding that have been growing in the greenhouse
• Water plants daily in warm weather, ideally in the evening or early morning, and avoid splashing the foliage
• Increase greenhouse shading and ventilation to keep temperatures down on hot days
• Feed flowering and fruiting plants weekly with tomato feed
• Water greenhouse tomatoes regularly to prevent split fruits and end rot
• Start watering houseplants more frequently as temperatures and light levels increase
Did you know that the Parish Council collates information on drivers’ speed through the village, and the reports are available on the website for anyone interested? The May 2025 report has just been added.
The camera is moved around the village roughly every month, and the speed of the average speeder is calculated. You might be surprised how many cars go over the speed limit, and surprised at the maximum recorded speed each month.
All the reports going back to 2022, can be found here on our parish council page:
https://alpingtonwithyelverton.com/about/parish-council#speeding-reports
Alpington and Yelverton 