A STROLL IN THE GARDEN - MARION LYNCH

This weeks featured garden is Marion Lynch. Marion’s garden is full of intrigue and splendid features that look great at any time of the year. Marion is a worthy winner of the Best Garden Award in the Buncrana Tidy Towns gardening competition (four times at the last count)! Marion is an inspiration to gardeners across the peninsula.

How long have you been working on the garden?
Twenty years so there have been many changes over the years.

What is your favourite plant?
I love all plants but if I had to choose it would be Mahonia charity, Fatsia Japonica, lilies and geraniums.

What is your favourite feature in the garden?
The gazebo and water fountain. It’s just beautiful to sit in the gazebo in summer with a nice cup of tea looking up at the Fahan hill with the sun setting to the sound of the fountain. It’s just brilliant!

What is your favourite season and why?
Summer. Beautiful flowers, birds singing and washing in the birdbath and the butterflies collecting nectar.

What work gives you the most pleasure in the garden?
The flowerbeds, planting and weeding. I enjoy deadheading and feeding too.


Any irritations in the garden. How do you cope?
Slugs and our cat. Broken egg shells around the base of plants keep the slugs at bay. The cat is more of a problem!

What is your best gardening tool?
I have two. A small rake and a watering can.

Top Tip for spring?
Plant marigolds through the flowerbeds to get rid of whitefly. They don’t like the smell. “Boy oh Boy” is the best.

Any pans for the future?
I will be planting more flowering plants in a new bed at the bottom of the garden.


PHOTO: Marion’s garden is full of interesting features

Horticultural.

ME AND MY MOTOR-DARREN MCCAULEY

Name: Darren McCauley

Address: Drung

Car: 1991 Ford Sierra Sapphire GLX 1.8

Darren is in the middle of a mechanics course at Magee in Derry. He has always had a keen interest in machinery and was guided by his grandfather from a very early age. He used this knowledge to fully restore a 1974 Ford 4000 tractor last year that had been lying in a field for years until he salvaged it. He has now completed his latest project, his Ford Sierra GLX.


How long have you had the car?
I have had the car since September of last year. Before that I had Ford Fiestas

What condition was the car in when you got it?
The bodywork and interior were in excellent condition. It was a one owner car from new and had been well looked after cosmetically

What work did you do to the car?
I did a complete overhaul of the engine and fitted a new original carburettor. I have used genuine parts to keep the originality of the car intact (apart from the boot spoiler and RS wheels!) The paint was very dull too as red oxidises in the sunlight so this also needed work.

How long did it take you to complete the work?
I lost track! I worked mainly evenings and weekends until it was finished.

Is it reliable?
Yes. I travel to Galway in it every week with no problems at all. If it wasn’t reliable I would probably enjoy fixing it anyway!

Best thing about the car?
The Ford Badge! Ford cars are the main vehicles for our family. My grandparents started the trend and my parents, sister and I have all followed suit with models like the Focus and Granada.

Any plans to change?
Reluctantly yes. I would like to work on another project. (An R.S. Cosworth.)

If you were the Minister for Finance what would you do to help motorists?
Cheaper insurance and improve the condition of the roads.

What would you really like to be driving around in?
A Scania Centurion 143 Topline 500 truck! I would be following in the family haulage tradition. My grandfathers (John McCauley and Billy McDaid) were hauliers and so is my father Billy.

PS

HAPPY 19TH BIRTHDAY DARREN!

Motoring.