Worcester's Wisteria

The winter pruning of the wisteria took place during early January, cutting the flower spurs back to two, three or four buds and removing any unwanted long shoots that grew after the summer prune (cutting back the long, wispy growth the plant produces after flowering).

Back of the medieval cottages, 28th April 2014

The first of the wisteria to flower were those at the back of the medieval cottages, closely followed by the two on the terrace in the quad. Last to flower, and putting on another wonderful display this year, are the wisteria that cover the railings at the bottom of the quad and the lower archway entrance to the Nuffield Lawn, a favourite for visitors to stand under to have their photograph taken.

Two on the terrace, 2nd May 2014

Terrace Wisteria, 2nd May 2014

Lower Archway, 15th May 2014

Quad railings, 15th May 2014

Quad railings (view from Provost's Garden),  15th May 2014

Actinidia kolomikta

A plant that has caught visitor's attention over the last few days can be found on the sheltered, south facing wall at the far end of the herbaceous border. This striking foliage plant is Actinidia kolomikta. A vigorous climber, its twining stems are covered with heart shaped, deeply veined leaves turning white and pink, a stunning backdrop to the pink tulips flowering in front of it.

The First Wildflower ' Fairy Toadflax'

Fairy Toadflax

Last September Ali and Joss started a project to introduce a wildflower meadow to the Fellow's Garden, see blog entry 26th September, 'Wildflowers In The Fellow's Garden'. Recently Ali has been seen kneeling down at the side of the area looking into the grass checking to see if any of the wildflower seed has germinated. Well, the answer is yes, the first wildflower is flowering, Fairy Toadflax, Linaria maroccana, with many more about to join it, a successful attempt to bring wildflowers in to the Fellow's Garden.   

Unwrapping The Banana Plants

The banana plants have been under a protective wrapping of horticultural fleece since the 6th November, see blog entry 'Wrapped Up Using A Butcher's Knot'.

With the weather warming up and the risk of hard frost diminishing, the bananas have started to break free from their wrapping pushing it upwards and bursting out of the top, signaling to the gardeners that it is time to be unwrapped.

Ali spent a few hours this morning removing the fleece and releasing them from the restrictive covering, they seem to be breathing a sigh of relief as the warm air encircled their leaves and trunks.

The Curves On The Front Quad Lawn

Joss has reduced the height of the cutting deck on the quad mower from 22 millimetres down to 18 and, with every cut, the old double width lines are fading and the new curved design on the quad lawn is getting stronger and stronger, as can be seen in these photographs.  

A Day Of Maintenance

Raining for much of the day, Ady, Graham and Calum took the opportunity to catch up on some maintenance. They checked the tyre pressures and greased all the axle bearings on the wheelbarrows and trucks, filled up the machines with diesel or petrol, swept out the tool sheds, organised the tools, oiled the padlocks and even repaired a bracket on one of the shed doors, a very producive day in the rain.

Roses Grown On Rope

The rope that was tied around the ash tree beside the lake has rotted and is in need of replacing. The rope was put in place a few years ago for the vigorous, white flowered climbing rose, Rosa Cooper's Burmese, to climb up, without it the rose has collapsed.

A new rope was wound around the trunk and clipped into place. The rose and the vigorous, white flowered, Clematis montana grandiflora, planted last summer, were attached to the rope and now have a new support to climb the tree.

Across the path from the ash tree is a rope swag for another climbing rose, Rosa filipes 'Wilson's Worcester'. Planted with Clematis 'Rooguchi' with its purple, ribbed, bell shaped flowers and the purple flowered Akebia quinata, the Chocolate Vine, the old Holm Oak trunk is now covered, with the rose climbing along the swag to the neighbouring tree.