The First Swifts 2016

The first swifts are back! Ali has been listening out for their return and today she heard the sound that made her look up to the sky, the shrill scream of a swift, 8:52am to be exact. Having flown all the way from Africa the two swifts were putting on a graceful aerial display. For the past 60 years the swifts have been studied by the Oxford University Museum of Natural History and according to their Swift Diary, "This year the first swift was spotted around the Museum tower on Wednesday 4th May" (a short flight from Worcester College as the crow flies, sorry swift flies). Each year the swifts return to the nesting boxes in the tower's ventilation flues of the museum, for previous statistics, arrival dates, nesting activity, eggs hatched, chicks fledged and departure dates click on the link: SWIFTS IN THE TOWER

The Triumph Of This Year's Tulip Displays

Herbaceous Border

For the last month the tulips around the college garden have been putting on a fabulous display and this has resulted in many compliments from visitors and staff as they admire them. 'Amazing', 'stunning', 'wonderful', 'beautiful', 'gorgeous' are just a few of the words that have been used when trying to describe this display.
In the herbaceous border the two tulips that have been admired the most are the dark ones, Tulip 'Black Parrot' and 'Black Hero'.  

Border At The Far End Of The Quad

In the border at the far end of the quad the Tulip Lily Flowered Triump Mix provides a vibrant multi- coloured spectacle.

Corner Border

In contrast, in the corner border a far more calming display is created by the elegant ivory and green flowers that seemingly float above the wallflowers, this Tulip is 'Spring Green'

Urns

In the two urns that separate the herbaceous border the sunshine is created by vivid yellow of Tulip 'Candela'.

Lead Container Besse Building

Within the four lead containers, planted up last October see blog entry 'The Whole Is Greater Than The Sum Of Its Parts', the perfect, clean white is from Tulip 'White Marvel'.
In the Provost's garden the newly created wildflower meadow is, at present, filled with tulips, 600 to be exact. The mix is made up of six varieties, Tulip 'Sun Lover', 'Atilla', 'Menton', 'Jan Reus', 'Irene Parrot' and 'National Velvet'. 
Wherever you look the colour around the gardens has gone in to overdrive and this is all because of the triumph of this year's tulip display.

Provost's Garden Meadow

Hazel Binding The Front Of The Woodland Border

Brittle Broken Hazel Binders

It is three years since the hazel binding was replaced in front of the first section of the border on the Broadwalk, see blog entry for 22nd March 2013 'Weaving Hazel On The Broadwalk'. The hazel binders only last three to four years before they become very brittle and start to break up in to pieces.

Old Hazel Binders And Stakes

Hazel Binders

Fresh lengths of hazel, 8 to 10 foot in length, were acquired from Harcourt Arboretum and stakes made from pieces hazel and birch not used in the making of the plant supports on the herbaceous border.  

Hazel And Birch Stakes

All the old hazel binders were removed from the front of the border and then the old stakes were removed and replaced with the new ones.

The long hazel binders were then carefully woven between the stakes, in front-behind-in front-behind, creating a natural looking edge along the woodland border. This section will be replaced in three years, spring 2019!

A New Edge

Natural Edge In Front Of The Woodland Border

Ducks, The Almost Perfect Natural Pest Controllers

These three ducks, a very close-knit team, wonder up from the lake several times a day and begin to forage amongst the plants, but what are they looking for? The ducks, 2 Indian Runner and 1 Crested, are the perfect natural pest control devouring snails hiding in the foliage and once they have had their fill they waddle back down to the lake.

Only one slight drawback with having these feathered friends looking for food within the plants, as can be seen by the photograph below, they are not the most dainty of creatures, not caring what they tread on to get at their favourite delicacy, l'escargot.

Aluminium Plant Labels

Labelling Kit

When new specimen plants are planted out in the garden a plant label is usually produced to identify it. The aluminium labels, Professional Alitags, come in several different shapes and sizes, three of which are used in the gardens, Victorian Hanging (1 hole),  8" x 3/4" Label and Edwardian Stem. The label is placed in the jig, clamped in to position and using the character punches the letters are tapped in to the surface.  

Label In The Jig

One of the labels produced today was for the recently planted Japanese Alpine Cherry, Prunus nipponica 'Brilliant' which is covered in small pale pink, almost white flowers and can be found beside the large magnolia on the Nuffield Lawn. 

Victorian Hanging (1 hole) Label

Prunus nipponica 'Brilliant'

Pruning The Olive Trees

Large Sprawling Olive Tree

In front of the Gloucester House building there are three olive trees in the gravel garden that have not been pruned for several years and have become very large and sprawling in habit.

Instructions In Hand

Before pruning guidance was sort through the internet and pruning books as the olives were young, small trees when they last received any attention. With instructions in hand Simon, Kieron and Ali began the prune with lopppers, secatuers and a very sharp saw. (According to the guidance, 'Any major pruning should be undertaken in the spring').

Reducing The Canopy

In order to reach the top of the canopy a tripod ladder had to be used. The large, upright branches were removed to create a better shape and a more sensible height for future maintenance. The branches in the centre were thinned out to allow in more light and all the dead, diseased and damaged branches were also removed. All the removed wood was taken to the chipping pile.

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Thinning Out The Centre

The olive trees will receive a prune annually from now on, but will be revisited in the summer to reduce any regrowth caused by this major prune.

Pruned

Gravel Garden

Cleaning The Cricket Sight Screens

The two cricket sight screens on the sports field are in need of a clean, no longer white but a very dirty grey. 

Using a small power washer Simon spent the morning blasting off the dirt from the screens returning them to white.

The screens were towed back to the cricket pitch ready for the first match next week when they will be put in place to block out the surroundings and help the batsman to see the cricket ball as it is bowled at him.