33 Box Balls

Box, Buxus sempervirens, is traditionally clipped on Derby day, the day of the Epsom Derby, during the first week in June. As can be seen by today's date, 23rd July, we are slightly late. Ali was given the task of clipping the 33 box balls located in the Ruskin Building courtyard, 30 in the Serpentine Border and 3 on the neighbouring Black & White Border. Starting after tea break she managed to clip 13 of the box balls with the hand shears, and with a stiff back and sore arms, she will be back again tomorrow to finish.  

New Warning Signs

Joss spent the day cutting the tallest hedge in the college. As can be seen in the photograph, he had placed one of our new signs to warn passers by of his hedge cutting. The new foldable, easy to carry, lightweight 'Road Works' sign comes with three supplementary plates; 'Hedge Cutting', 'Grass Cutting' and 'Tree Cutting', so we shall be warning people when doing these activities in future.

No Swan Count

The pair of swans arrived on the college lake back in March and stayed for three months until the end of June. During this time the swans managed to crash land in the Fellow's Garden and on the front quad lawn, having to be captured and returned to the lake.
Where our swans have gone we don't know, but hopefully they will return next year. If they flew onto the River Thames between London and Abingdon they would have been counted as part of the annual census of the swan population, the historic ceremony of Swan Upping, but for the first time in 900 years it has been cancelled due to the flooding in parts of the river. The Crown retains the right to ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water, but The Queen only exercises her ownership on certain stretches of the Thames and its surrounding tributaries.

Slugs and Snails

With all the wet weather this year the slug and snail population has exploded, in fact they can be found all over the garden, getting larger and fatter after every meal. Feeding on the college garden plants there is a constant battle between the gardeners and the ever hungry mollusc.

Juggling The Waterproofs

Waterproofs on, waterproofs off, on, off, a day of heavy scattered showers meant the team were continually trying to stay dry and then trying not to overheat. In between all the juggling with clothes they managed to do some work.

Starting at the end of the Broadwalk they worked their way down the lakeside border cutting back all the overgrown shrubs, hoeing off the weeds, cutting overhanging tree branches and raking the path to finish.

Britain In Bloom

Today our gardens were visited by the judges from Britain in Bloom as part of Oxford's entry to this years competition. Oxford last entered the Royal Horticultural Society contest in 2007, winning the small City category back in 2002.

We now have to wait until September to see if we have helped the City of Oxford triumph again.

Eucomis vandermerwei

Eucomis vandermerwei

This lovely little plant is not outside but in a small, terracotta pot in the main greenhouse so I thought I would share it with you. From South Africa, Eucomis vandermerwei, is a tiny, speckled leaved, dwarf Eucomis with pineapple shaped, burgandy flowers, just 6 inches tall.