Six Muscovy Cross Bred Ducks

Whilst we wait for arrival of the cygnets there are already new arrivals on the lake. Over the weekend six new ducks, 3-4 months old, have been introduced to the lake. The new arrivals, kindly donated to the college, are Muscovy cross bred ducks. Larger than the Mallards and the Indian Runners, they are easily identifiable and a lovely new addition to the lakes duck community.
  

Still No Cygnets

Just a quick update on the nesting swans. The four eggs have not hatched yet but, apart from very brief breaks to get up and stretch her legs or to eat bread being thrown into the lake, she has been sitting on them constantly.

McMurtry Radio Control Slope Mower Demonstration

Richard and Ben from McMurtry Ltd came to the college this morning to give the team a demonstration of their MAS RC-01 remote control slope mower, for all the specification details clink on the highlighted link.

Mowing the banks currently involves two of the team guiding a Flymo on robes and one using a Honda mower to cut the lowest part, see blog entry 8th March 2010 'Four Men And A Lady' for a video of the Flymo in action.

Always on the look out for alternative ways of mowing the banks, the team enjoyed seeing the MAS RC-01 doing the job of the Flymo without the use of ropes, quickly learning how to use the remote control and guiding the mower themselves.

Once the demonstration had finished on the banks the mower was taken to the bulb area on the Nuffield Lawn to see how well it coped with long grass. A fun and enjoyable, less physical way to cut grass, a remote control mower. Thank you to Ben and Richard for taking the time to come in and demonstrate your mower to us.

MAS RC-01

Empty Pots And An Empty Greenhouse

The planting out of all the displays in the borders and pots is complete and all that is left is a few unused plants, hundreds of dirty flower pots, that need to be washed, and an empty greenhouse, that is in need of a deep clean. The washing up liquid and Jeyes Fluid, for the pots and greenhouse respectively, will come out in early July before the whole process starts again with the sowing of the seeds for the winter bedding display in late July.

Soaker Hose Watering System

Always hoping for a warm summer this year, a watering system has been put in place on the nursery beds to save time should the warm weather ever arrive. The first piece of black soaker hose was put down when the sweet peas were planted, see blog entry 12th June 'Sweet Pea 'Albutt Blue', 'Blue Danube' and 'Mars'.

This hose has now been extended to a length that will now water the newly planted bulbs and plants that will provide the cut flowers this summer. A second soaker hose has been added to the heeling in bed where a number of stock and large ornamental plants, used for the winter displays, are kept. The third hose has been placed on one of the two vegetable patches. The gardeners can now water the three beds and be elsewhere in the gardens whilst the water gets precisely where it is needed, now all that is needed is that elusive warm summer. 

The Wild Garden

At the beginning of February last year the team spent three days working in the back garden of Worcester Cottage, clearing it in preparation for landscaping, see blog entry 1st February 2012 'Clearance'.

As can be seen by these photographs, the landscaping project has yet to begin and the wilderness has returned, which isn't a bad thing as the wild flowers have been very beneficial for the insects, bees and butterflies. However, an area to entertain is needed so, beneath the canopy of the Holm Oak, a smaller area has been cleared and a decorative wood chip added to give a more natural finish in keeping with the surroundings.

Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus)

The last blooms of the Sweet William, Dianthus barbatus, have been cut today and the plants dug up. The space the two dozen plants have occupied since October last year is needed for the later flowering summer plants, Antirrhinum, Gladiolus and Panicum elegans 'Frosted Explosion'. This year was the first time the gardeners had grown Sweet William and, as a cut flower, it has been a wonderful success, providing lots of beautiful, long lasting blooms for the team and the college. For further reference to the cut flower bed, see blog entries 23rd April 2013 'Cut Flowers' and 9th October 2012 'Cut Flower Bed'.