Ten Years Of The Worcester College Gardener's Blog, 2009-2018

The front quad 2018

As another year draws to an end and the college closes its doors for the customary Christmas break, it is also time to bring the Worcester College Gardener's blog to an end.

It began in February 2009, and for ten years through almost 1,500 posts, it has covered the activities of the gardening team and the lives of some of the wildlife that inhabit the gardens. 

As custodians of the gardens the team has a responsibility to both preserve and improve the historic gardens that so many have done before them, as well as providing a beautiful picturesque and tranquil environment for the staff, fellows, alumni and the visitors of today. Hopefully the blog has given a small insight into the work of the team and their achievements.

The team would like to thank you all for the support you have given them over the last decade through the reading of the blog, for the questions you have asked, for the generosity of your many comments and for taking the time to visit the gardens.  

As this is the last entry, and Christmas is only a few days away, they would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. 

 

The Herbaceous Border 2018

Three Champion Trees In The Gardens

Champion Tree, November 2018, Catalpa speciosa

The Catalpa speciosa was planted in 1913, first flowered in 1922 and was first measured in 2011 by Oxford City Tree Officer, Chris Leyland. Its measurements were 22m tall x 3.58m girth, measured at 1.5m above ground, and it was these measurements that gave it its 'Champion Tree' status as 'The tallest and the largest of its species in Britain and Ireland'.
Prior to 2011 the previous champion was at Radnor Gardens in Twickenham but this tree was felled in 2005, two other trees held the champion status over the next six years until 2011 when the Worcester College tree took the title.
Last month the tree was remeasured and, having continued to grow, its new measurements are 22.8m tall x 3.76m girth, measured at 1.5m above ground, this reconfirms its continued status as 'The tallest and the largest of its species to be found anywhere in Britain and Ireland', a true Champion!

Catalpa speciosa in leaf and flower, July 2018

Catalpa flowers

Two other trees found in the gardens have now joined the Catalpa as a 'Champion Tree' with the Tree Register, a Metasequoia glyptostroboides, measured at 27m x 3.19m at 1.5m above ground, and a Firmiana simplex, measured st 7.6m x 0.48m at 1.5m above ground. These two trees have been awarded the 'County Champion Tree' status rather than 'Britain and Ireland', the Metasequoia is the tallest in Oxfordshire and the Firmiana is the best specimen in Oxfordshire (the 3rd largest and the 2nd tallest in Britain and Ireland).

Mistletoe In The Orchard

Mistletoe (L) in the orchard

There are now four good sized clumps of mistletoe growing on the apple trees in the bottom section of the orchard, but this has not always been the case. Before 2007 there wasn't any mistletoe in the college grounds so the decision was made to try and introduce it into the orchard.

The very first mistletoe to grow in the orchard

In February-March 2007 the first attempt was made by making a small, thin slice in the bark to create a flap in many of the apple trees and a hundred mistletoe berries were inserted under the numerous flaps. A year later a second method was used which didn't involve cutting the trees but, instead, by hanging mistletoe from the trees in the hope that the birds would feed on the berries and, perhaps, wipe their beaks on to the bark. After three to four years the team had just about given up hope of ever seeing mistletoe in the orchard when the first set of leaves were seen on one of the apple trees. These leaves have now developed in to a good sized clump and have now been joined by three others with the beginning of a fifth one having recently been discovered. Success, but was it the first or the second method that worked?

Mistletoe berries

Creating A Cascading Rose

Unruly, vigorous annual growth

The climbing rose that grows in the garden above the herbaceous border, affectionately known as the Secret Garden due to its hidden position behind a wall, has been causing the gardening team a bit of a headache when dealing with it's unruly, vigorous growth that it produces every year. Two years ago the way it was pruned was changed and, to make use of the long stems, wires were added to the wall for support. 

Last year's long, vigorous stems tied to the wires.

Planted against a small wall, waiting to be pruned

Planted in the garden, up against a wall of only four foot in height, the rose's vigorous stems are between 10 to 15 foot long, far too tall for the wall, hence the problem, a very messy looking rose producing very few flowers. By adding horizontal wires to the other side of the wall, the very tall side, the long stems could be bent over the top, down the wall and tied on to the wires. 

Last year's flowering stems

When the rose is pruned each winter the previous year's stems are removed to clear the wall and the strongest, new stems are bent down on to the wires to replace them. The remaining, unwanted stems are cut off and a few old, woody stems are cut out to encourage new growth for future years. 

Last year's stems cleared from the wall

Stems bent over the top of the wall

New stems bent down on to the wires

Pruning the rose today, a dozen stems, no longer flapping about in the breeze as in the past, now cascade over the top of the wall. The pressure from the bending of the stems over and down the wall will cause the many buds to burst into life and produce the flowering stems for next years flowers.

Stem tied to the wire with a bud waiting to burst

New stems tied to the wires

Pruned rose, Secret Garden side