A stairway to heaven?

If it were possible could there be a better way to climb up into the skies on one of the echiums which are now almost at their best in the school garden.  Adorned with bright blue flowers and covered in bees

This bee could be a species of Cuckoo-bee as there are no visible pollen pouches on the hind legs. A little more investigation is required. 

The flowering Bird Cherry trees are at their best now

Goldfinchs on the Nyjer seed

Work was done in the fern bed and a lot of the green algae was removed from the pond. Hopefully over a few days most of this dreadful stuff will be cleared.  A fine male Broad-bodied chaser was spotted defending the pond as he darted around at speed resting briefly on the bamboo canes placed especially for photographic purposes

Broad-bodied Chaser

Azure Damselfly recently hatched and resting on pond vegetation

Red Mason Bee excavation in the potato patch

In the World war 2 garden Red Mason Bees have moved in!  The earthed up ridges on the potato plants have provided an artificial nesting face for these bees.  You can just make out the small excavation hole in the photograph.

With young Robins and recently fledged Great Tits about the garden was noisy with young birds clamouring for food. In the nest box though things were a little quieter as the young are a long way from leaving yet. We hope that the weather will be a little kinder this week to give the parents a chance to find food

Robin looking down from the pergola for food

You can just spot two very small chicks!

Plenty of red tape.......

On Sunday the priority job for the Garden Group was to clear the way along the wall at the side of the garden ready for the contractors to come in over the half term when it is hoped that  the water and electricity will be installed.  A lot of scrap timber and other bits and pieces were taken to the recycling centre and now the mini- digger will have good access right along the wall to the intended location of the water/electrical control box which will be situated close to the compost bin area.

Before lunch we set about planting Mrs Davidsons' fig tree. It has been planted at the back against the wall which will give it optimum growing conditions.  The hole having been dug was lined with old paving slabs to restrict root growth.

 

Then the tree was duly planted and firmed in. Hopefully in this sunny position it should produce plenty of fruit.

The afternoon was spent by making a start to take the Jurassic Garden from the original plan and actually marking out the main sections.  We started putting in wooden pegs

By the end of the afternoon and with the help of some red tape we had started to get a visual idea of how the garden would look like and more important, the sort  of dimensions we were looking at

In between all this time was found for a little wildlife spotting.  The highlight being the discovery of a Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) dragonfly as it emerged from the nymph stage and slowly developed into a dragonfly. Apologies for the many pictures but this has to be one of the greatest feats of natural history that there is.  After spending two years under water the nymph climbs out and from it bursts a magnificent dragonfly. it does not get much better than that!

The dragonfly has climbed out the nymph stage and pumping out the body and wings

The sunshine and warmth has worked wonders to the strawberry bed and we shall have to cover them soon as the blackbirds will find the fruit before we do!

In the World War 2 garden things are looking good with the broad beans and the potatoes both growing well now

Elsewhere the Jerusalem Artichokes are growing well in the Garden Club bed

With the School and Garden Open Day looming closer and closer hopefully the class beds will soon be planted up.  This year there is no 'theme' so anything goes be it flowers or vegetables

April in the School Garden

Results from our weather station have now been sorted and shown below.  It is pleasant to watch as the daily temperature slowly rises leaving Winter behind.  Again very little rain fell in April on the school garden

Day	Midday Temp C	Highest Temp C	Max Wind Gust m/s	Wind Direction	Pressure
1	4.3	6.3	3.4	Cyclonic	1005
2	9.1	11.3	2.7	Cyclonic	1007
3	6.0	9.3	4.1	N/NE	1007
4	5.0	5.2	4.8	N/NE	1004
5	7.0	10.1	4.8	N/NE	1007
6	9.2	11.2	2.7	N/NE	1018
7	7.9	8.9	4.8	S/SE	1008
8	7.5	7.7	2.4	S/SE	994
9	6.3	6.9	3.1	Cyclonic	986
10	7.8	8.6	2.7	S/SE	995
11	10.2	12.7	3.1	S/SW	990
12	9.3	12.1	3.4	SW	996
13	8.8	9.2	5.4	SE	1000
14	11.0	13.6	5.8	SE	1003
15	10.4	13.3	3.1	Cyclonic	1011
16	10.5	11.5	3.4	S/SW	1010
17	10.7	13.2	4.8	S/SE	1004
18	11.2	13.1	5.8	Cyclonic	1009
19	13.9	15.7	3.1	N/NW	1020
20	9.5	11.8	3.3	S/SE	1023
21	8.9	11.3	3.1	S/SW	1014
22	11.2	12.2	3.4	S/SW	1010
23	13.9	15.4	3.1	Cyclonic	1015
24	10.2	10.8	3.1	S/SW	1018
25	10.1	13.2	2.4	Cyclonic	1013
26	12.4	13.0	3.7	N/NW	1009
27	9.7	13.2	5.4	N/NW	1008
28	8.5	9.2	2.7	S/SW	1010
29	12.4	13.6	4.8	Cyclonic	1014
30	14.1	18.6	2.7	N/NE	1018