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p27
 Just as you rake up the last grass cuttings, dismember
the remnants of your busy lizzies, and start sticking the old bulbs in, N16 Magazine has
news that will bring a glow to the heart of every gardener in the area: news of N16's
'Stokey in Bloom 2003'!
Yes this is reclaim the streets, gardening style. We green-fingered goddesses (no gods,
interestingly) here at N16 have devised a cunning plot to get you all out and planting
come next spring. We've pulled together a stellar panel of judges, including our own
gardening correspondent, Luisa (and me, a rank amateur of the 'but I know what I like'
school of horticulture), and we'll be offering some sort of fabulous yet-to-be-determined
prizes for winning entries in the categories that we think best suit life as it's lived
here in N16. In other words, no prizes for flash great landscaped  numbers, but glory galore for: the best patio tub; the most
imaginative windowbox; the coolest and best-kept pub beer garden (no hanging baskets
allowed); and the most original small front garden.
All entrants must live in the N16 area or at least keep their gardening tools and
displays there and if you don't have a garden yourself, but know someone who does, then
nominate them! Like the Turner prize, the judges' decision will be final. We'll publish an
entry form in our December issue and we'll be looking for nominations and entries from May
onwards.
Judging will take place in July, to be followed by a blooming magnificent awards ceremony
graced by a dazzling host of celebrities and experts, not including Charlie Dimmock or
Alan Titchmarsh.
So get out those catalogues, and start making your gardening plans now.
AUTUMN TO WINTER CHECKLIST
tailored to N16 gardens!
Don't be tempted to keep summer annuals too long and plant up window
boxes and patio pots for autumn to spring displays well before the weather turns cold. The
plants will have a better chance to get settled in mild conditions and will flower
earlier.
In our sheltered gardens early autumn is a good time to divide
overcrowded clumps of
perennials or move badly placed ones and also a time to revise their overall garden
worthiness.
During rainy spells remove all containers from their underpots to avoid
plant roots being constantly soggy, as this leads to rotting and makes Mediterranean and
tender specimens more vulnerable to cold spells.
Remove large leaves (sycamore, lime) from the top of plants,
particularly alpines or fleshy ones, and don't let them pile up and blow around all
winter. They can be bagged and used as a mulch when broken down sufficiently.
Avoid heavy pruning of established evergreens in winter, even if it
seems a convenient time. Plants will not grow back until the spring anyway and will look
rather depressing throughout the cold season.
Don't forget that evergreen plants, especially in containers, will still
rely on you for water during the winter if rain is scarce. Check them regularly and avoid
watering on cold days but take advantage of mild mornings to give them a good drink.
Spend time in winter assessing the view of your garden from indoors
rather than be resigned to ignoring it till spring. In winter the evergreen structure (or
lack of it) reveals problems or mistakes to be more easily identified.
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Ryan's hosts its regular Acoustic
Jukebox, hosted by Kacy Nails, on the 9th, followed by The Loft on the 11th, an evening of
Northern Soul and partying 60s style to DJs. On the 16th, 23rd and 30th, Flim Flam present
an evening of alternative jazz. On the 25th, Feline Groovy an evening of 'sexy cat
tunes' is the DJ attraction while on the 26th Ryan's rocks to the rockabilly beats of
the Brick Lane Boogie Boys. On 1 November Coal Porters makes a much anticipated appearance
(see Gigs of the Month, page 20). In addition Ryan's has a regular DJ evening every
Thursday when Uncle Fester and Family present 'Groove o Rama'. Don't forget that you can
also join the Salsa classes every Monday at 7.30. North London's finest jazz venue, The
Vortex, is back seven nights a week. Phone 020 7254 6516 for full details. Acts include
Carol Grimes (11th), London Jazz Orchestra (14th), Deirdre Cartwright (17th see Gigs of
the Month), Stan Tracey Trio (18th), Ian Shaw (26th), hKippers (22nd), The Hub (30th) and
Hans Koller Big band (31st).
Barracuda hosts its regular Friday jazz sessions with Johnny Miller while
downstairs at the Minx Club Andy and Ingrid are putting on Colin
Vearncombe on the 10th and the wonderful Sam Brown makes her return to Stokey on the 27th
November and not as announced in October. At the Stoke Tup, Mike Gibson
is hosting his monthly Acousticism on 30 October while the Tup has an Open Mic evening
every Tuesday. Just turn up with your weapon. Booth's features DJs on Thursdays through
Sundays while Clicia has live acoustic music on Sunday evenings. The White Hart,
Londesborough and Birdcage also have DJs at weekends.
Firefly Rhum Shack has live jazz, Latin and funk on Tuesdays, Thursdays,
Fridays and Sundays. Highlights include Ernesto Estruch Con Swing on the 11th and 25th,
Joe Cang and Robbie Taylor (vocal/guitars) on the 18th and Alan Weekes and Brian Edwards
(guitar/sax) on the 29th.
The Auld Shillelagh will be staging Democracy, Peel Me a Grape and the
Green Room throughout the month, with a new concept Music Temple (Blaxploitation with
the likes of Parliament, Sly and the Family Stone and Funkadelic) date to be announced.
The highlight of the Shillelagh's month, however, is the
Larry Love Showband (Alabama Three) gig on the 24th (see Gigs of the Month).
Slightly further afield, the Jazz Bar (020 7738 4141) in Dalston has Pink
Panther nights, gay, lesbian and mixed extravangas, every Thursday and DJs every Friday
and Saturday night, spinning Salsa, Bossa Nova and Frank Sinatra till 4am on weekends. Chat's
Palace (020 8533 0227) in Homerton provides free acoustic music every Tuesday and
free live jazz every Thursday. On Fridays the Palace hosts club nights with such as
Howlin' Wilf (11th), Applehead (18th) and ProjectFive (25th). Don't miss 'Shakin the
House', featuring the best in local contemporary gospel, on 1 November. Events at Ocean
(020 8533 0111) include The Leningrad Cowboys on the 12th, Urban Frontier (a celebration
of black music, arts and entertainment) on the 13th, and Death in Vegas on the 19th.
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