'Spring Green' Not 'Spring Pink'

A year ago 50 Tulips, Spring Green in colour, were planted in the Serpentine Border but when they flowered in May they were all pink, see blog entry 13th May 'The Wrong Tulips'. The replacements have arrived, double the amount, but before they can be planted the perennial planting has to be cut down, although the grasses will be left until March. Hopefully when the 100 tulips flower next year they will be 'Spring Green' and not 'Spring Pink'!

Beautiful Beech

This photograph was taken in the Provost's Garden on Tuesday, the sun was setting and its fading light shone on beech tree as the day ended.

A Very Leafy Week

With the drop in temperatures, and overnight frosts, the leaves have been falling at an increased rate, testing the leaf clearing skills of the team. The ride-on-mowers, rakes, blowers, leaf pickers and even a Billy Goat have been used. 

The Billy Goat, not the animal, but a leaf vacuum, is used on the hard surface of the netball court at the far end of the sports field.

The leaves that fall into the lake are left in the water, providing some rest bite from picking up all the fallen leaves, no boat required, thankfully.

1000 Scilla siberica

Simon, Graham and Ali spent a few hours today planting 1000 Scilla siberica bulbs under trees on the Nuffield lawn. Over the last five years thousands of snowdrops have been planted in the same area so, with the addition of these new bulbs, the white flowers, in February-March, will now be replaced by blue flowers in March-April.

These Scilla bulbs are perfect for naturalising and will spread beneath the trees, as well as being added to over the next three to four years, 1000 at a time.

It's Happening Again!

It happened last week on the herbaceous border, again on Monday in the Goldfish Bowl, yesterday in front of the cottages and now it's happening in the Provost's Rose Garden! Using the hedge trimmer, shears and secateurs, the team have been working their way through the borders containing herbaceous perennials and cutting them down. Two borders are now left, The Serpentine in the Ruskin Building courtyard and the Gravel Garden in front of the Earl Building/Gloucester House building. 

A Cold And Windy Spot

As the title of this blog entry suggests, the day for cutting down the herbaceous plants in front of the cottages was once again 'cold and windy'. Rarely warm, apart from 2011, Ali and Graham braved the bitterly cold wind, cutting down the Geranium 'Sue Crug', Anemone x hybrida and Alchemilla mollis leaving the Skimmia x confusa 'Kew Green' to provide the winter display.

A Permanent Support For The Christmas Tree

A Christmas tree was placed in the Pump Quad last year for the first time and, following the many positive comments received, another tree has been ordered for this year, see blog entries 26th November 2012 'Christmas Is Coming' and 13th December 2012 'Santa's Little Helpers'.  Preparations were made today for a more permanent method of support, rather than placing it in a pot. Ady dug a hole in the centre of the quad, put a wide pipe in the middle and cemented it in, hiding this by covering it up with a slab. Until the tree arrives, the display pot that usually occupies the centre of the quad, will remain in place and then moved when the new support is required.