A Year Has Passed

A year ago the team, plus three student volunteers, spent time enlarging the area of snowdrops on the Nuffield Lawn, see blog entry 'Snowdrop Day', 25th February.
A year has now passed and we are reaping the reward of our hard work with a stunning display of white underneath the Beech, Yew and Hornbeam, couldn't be happier with our efforts a year ago.

Year Three - Fruit Tree Pruning

Back in 2009 we decided to put into action a three to five year programme to rejuvenate and reduce the height of the apple and pear trees within the orchard. Now at the start of the third year, the height of the trees have been steadily reduced and our rejuvenated trees are producing more fruit than ever before. For the next week you will find us climbing up ladders and amongst the branches as we continue with our programme.

Fruit Tree Pruning

Chris from Waterperry Gardens came back to see us today, his purpose to refresh our memory on the principles and techniques used when pruning apple and pear trees. He has now been assisting us with our ongoing project to rejuvenate the orchard for three years and, once again, he was very pleased with our progress. Unlike the last two years when the sun shone on us, the weather was wet and windy, so with waterproofs on and umbrellas up we listened attentively to every word he said, grateful for his wealth of knowledge and experience.

Wires & Climbers

Between the Ruskin Building and the orchard is an old wall which separates the two areas. Having removed the mishaped, diseased peach trees last year, the team spent the day removing ivy from the wall and fixing new wires to it.

Once the wires were fixed in place climbers were planted and tied in at the base and, once established, should begin to cover the wall and eventualy produce a spectacular covering.

The climbers used were; Clematis armandii, an evergreen, spring flowering, fragrant, white flowered clematis; Akebia quinata, a fast growing, semi evergreen climber with fragrant cup shaped purple flowers; Vitis coignetiae 'Claret Cloak', an ornamental vine with large leaves turning red, gold and orange in the autumn; Vitis vinifera 'Purpurea', purple leaved grape vine producing small, unpalatable, purple grapes in the autumn.

Overseeding

Joss scarified the banks at the beginning of October, see blog entry 'A Wire Rake' 6th October 2010, now it is time to overseed.
This morning, a very foggy morning, Joss scattered grass seed over the banks to fill in the damaged, thinned areas, where the grass has not regrown. In a few weeks time the seed should germinate and the empty patches filled with grass again.

The Nursery Plot

Ali and Joe have spent the last two days working on the nursery plot. Having cut down all the untidy stems of the annual and perennial flowers grown for Simon's wedding, their next task is to fork over and weed. A big problem is the perennial weed, Bindweed, which is not easy to eradicate and however much we have tried, still persists, twining itself around plants in the summer and smothering them. Its roots are white in colour and very brittle, the smallest amount left in the soil will regenerate and grow again. The plot is now ready for the bamboo cane wigwams for the Sweet Peas in the summer, and we hope, a little or no Bindweed.

Two Years

Monday the 2nd February 2009 'Oh The Weather Outside Is Frightful', the first entry in the Worcester College Gardeners blog. The team spent the day spreading rock salt on the paths, clearing snow and throwing the occasional snowball.
For two years we have been keeping you informed of our activities as we go about our daily tasks in the upkeep of the gardens. We would like to thank you for your continued support and hope that you will follow us as we progress through 2011.
As can be seen by the photo, Joss has brought Dennis out of hibernation and spent the afternoon cutting the quad lawn for the first time this year, the two will be a regular sight from now on.