When The Pimblett family moved to France it meant that a vacancy for a builder on Herm arose.  James, Fiona, Brandon (4) and Emy (2) Hastings applied for the post and were the family to be chosen to move here.  Brandon spent the last few weeks of term at school but is now enjoying being at home with his sister for the summer holidays.  Meanwhile James can be seen around the island doing a variety of building jobs. 

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It’s several years since hay has been made using the Herm fields but Herm management were happy to come help out a Guernsey farmer by offering the island fields.  Rainfall levels in the Bailiwick of Guernsey during April and May were very low so there isn’t a lot of grass available on Guernsey for the farmers to turn into hay.  Using the Herm fields isn’t straightforward as three pieces of equipment had to be brought over on the Herm Sea Horse!

Every Tuesday Herm residents and staff have been gathering to play some friendly football matches.  Despite the rain starting half-way through last weeks play they continued and fun was had by all.  I think there are always a few sore muscles on a Wednesday morning!

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Every year SG Hambros bank, in conjunction with Sunseeker entertain their clients on Herm.  It’s an occasion the Herm school children look forward to.  If they are lucky the Sunseeker crew kindly take them for a quick spin around the island before the boats go back to Guernsey.  Smooth sea conditions and the sun shining brightly ensured a good time was had by all!

Alison Houston recently stayed on Herm in one of the Holiday Cottages.  When she sent her grocery list to the admin office she enclosed a photo taken in 1960 when she worked in the Herm gift shops.  She is no longer in contact with any of her Herm colleagues but has very fond memories of the time she spent working in Herm.  She also worked here for the 1959 season and said that since then Herm has always had a special place in her heart.  She has visited Herm several times since as she used to bring her boys on holiday here.  This time she came once again with her sons and whilst they camped with their families Alison enjoyed staying in Lower Keep.  Left to right:  Anne, Olive, Alison, Alma, Pat and Patsy.  Are you one of the 1960 gift shop team?  It would be lovely to hear any memories you may have of your time on Herm.

Gift shop manager, Neil Waterhouse enjoyed hearing stories from Alison about life in the Herm gift shops 50 years ago.  Alison and her friends are sitting in front of the shop which was then known as ‘The Shanty’.  That building no longer exists! 

 Alison Houstoun joins the current gift shop staff.  Left to right:  Sarah Finch, Richard Mayberry-Woolfe, Kathryn Bailey, Tom Bates, Alison Houstoun and Jemma Williams.  Gift shop manager, Neil Waterhouse is at the back.

Assistant shop manager wasn't able to get out for the group photo as the shop was too busy!

There are still some tickets available for the Herm garden walk on Thursday 8th July.  The walk is part of the summer festival Floral Guernsey week and is being run in conjunction with the Royal Horticultural Society.  Join head gardener Brett Moore and assistant gardener James Cordingley for a private tour of the exotically planted gardens of Herm Island. Catch the 4.15pm boat to Herm and start the guided walk at 5pm.  Included in the ticket price is a 3-course meal in the Ship Inn at 7pm.  Please wear sturdy footwear. Prices: RHS members £30.00 non members £36.00 Book by 07/07/2010 by phoning the White House Hotel 01481 750075

If you can’t make the garden walk here’s a few photos of what’s happening in the flora and fauna department!

Dragon Arum Dracunculus vulgaris

This plant is a tuberous perennial which is fully hardy despite looking exotic. It is grown for its beautiful flower which can be up to 35 cm long and is maroon purple in colour. The flower stays open for only 4 – 5 days. On one of those days it produces an unpleasant fragrance to attract flies for pollination. It prefers lots of sun and well-drained soil as it originates from the Eastern Mediterranean.  This one is flowering outside ‘Foxglove’, cottage rooms which are part of The White House Hotel.

 

Common restharrow Ononis repens

In the days before tractors, restharrow was annoying to the arable farmer. Its matted stems and deep roots slowed the progress of a horse-drawn plough or harrow. There was another reason why restharrow was disliked by the farmers: it tainted the milk, butter and cheese. The leaves when crushed give off a strong, unpleasant, goatlike smell and cattle that eat the leaves give tainted milk!  This one is flowering near Robert’s Cross.

This puffball, a distinctive white fungus ball was spotted under some leaves at the side of The Drive.  In the UK they are most commonly found between July and November.  The fungi is a white ball shape with almost no stalk, on average 10 to 30 cms diameter although rare examples have been recorded at over 1 metre in diameter ! A large example will provide food for several people but as with all fungi must be picked and eaten while fresh, the white flesh quickly turning yellow and then green as it decomposes.  (Apply all fungi rules if you decide to eat a puff ball!)  This one wasn’t there for long – I wonder if someone took it to eat!

 Out for a walk across the common I saw this snail hanging on for its life to some bracken!  Nature is a wonderful thing and I think this selection of photos (all taken in the past 7 days) show that Herm is a good place to get close to nature!

Ex-Hermite Laura Wilson recently returned to Herm to marry Neil Collier in St. Tugual’s Church.  Laura left Herm last November after working in the accounts department for 11 years.  She moved to the UK to be nearer her fiance Neil.  The couple met on Herm in November 2008 when Neil visited Herm to be at the wedding of his friend Herm skipper, Mat Nicholls.  Friends and family from far and wide all came to Herm to help the new Mr and Mrs Collier celebrate their marriage.

On Saturday 26th June the weather was glorious and the sun shone on the happy couple all day. 

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