It Seems Like Only Yesterday

27th August 2015

It's all change in the corner border, it seems like only yesterday that the team were removing the wallflowers and tulips from the last winter's display, see blog entry 4th June 'Three Rusty Iron Crates'.

Removing The Rusty Crates

Removing The Annual Planting

The three rusty iron crates were lifted out of the border and taken away for storage, perhaps to be used elsewhere in the college next year. The annuals were then dug up and taken to the compost heap, the soil was then forked through to loosen compaction and to remove weeds and debris. The area was then levelled, spreading the soil around to fill in the gaps left by the removed root balls. A layer of leaf mould was spread over the top and then the area was given the 'treading' treatment. This 'treading', also known as 'heeling', is an old fashioned method of squeezing the air pockets out of the soil that have arisen from the removing of the plants and the forking. Walking, or shuffling across the soil, your weight is pushed down through the heel, half a foot step at a time, until the entire border has been done.(Also known as 'doing the penguin', if you have seen a penguin walking you will know why). Working from the back to the front of the border the soil is then levelled again to remove the heavy indents created by the foot prints. The border was now ready for planting. 

Ready For Planting

The trays of Wallflower 'Sunset White' were brought over to the border from the cold frames and placed out on the soil, their planting position.

435 Wallflowers 'Sunset White'

By the end of the day 435 wallflowers had been planted, after which 200 tulips were then planted amongst them. Tulip 'Spring Green', which will also flower April to May, will give an elegant show of ivory petals with a green stripe through the clean white petals of the wallflowers.

Planting Tulip 'Spring Green'

15th October 2015