"Wise men speak because they have something to say..

whereas fools speak because they have to say something"

Plato

Garden group members continued over the weekend to tidy up and make good ready for the forthcoming NGS open days.  Monies taken by gardens open to the NGS helps change lives with large amounts of money going to cancer charities, carers trusts and hospices.

The daisies are doing well since the clump was split earlier this year.  The flowers are larger and a Rose Chafer was found resting on one of them

The Rose Chafer

Clematis putting on a dazzling splash of colour

 The hanging baskets are also doing well. Again the begonia corms were lifted and split earlier this year and re-used for a second time.  The plants are bigger with larger flowers.

The Globe Artichokes are starting to flower.  They can be picked and eaten at an earlier stage but the group prefer to see the flowers which the bees often dive into head first

In the triangle bed the cannas, ornamental banana and  dahlia's are all thriving showing a wonderful mix and match of colour and shape

The bee beds continue to attract many insects including bees, wasps, hover flies and butterflies. Seven species of butterflies were recorded in the garden last Sunday afternoon

The few remaining exquisite birds crafted by the pupils have been relocated to keep them in a safer environment.  They look stunning hanging from the trees into the school garden

Frame for the Den building area

A well used mud kitchen- very popular with the children!

The table and chairs have been spruced up with teak oil

A freshly emerged Southern Hawker dragonfly was spotted resting near the pond

Finally our friendly Robin continues to follow us around the garden on the ever lookout for something to eat.  It is very tame and will stand close to the trowel or fork.  The bird is beginning to moult now as the breeding season is over and is looking a little scruffy!

The school garden is open this coming weekend.  Saturday July 22nd and Sunday July 23rd from 13.00 to 17.00. Teas and refreshments are to be served next door by our good friends at Gracewell.  The garden group look forward to seeing you and showing you around the garden.

"Respect for ourselves guides our morals....

while respect for others guides our manners"

Laurence Sterne (1713-68)
Irish novelist and clergyman

The garden group have been working hard over the past week to get the garden ready for the NGS weekend which is creeping up on us fast!  The grass has been cut and edges trimmed but of course some wild areas of grass have been left for invertebrates.

The Aeolian wind pipes have had a make over

Around the Jurassic garden the plants are doing well.  The tree ferns are needing regular watering in this hot weather and the chain ferns below  benefit from this

Tree ferns and giant Chain ferns

Our Tetrapanax is growing well

The banana plants enjoying the warmer weather

This Salvia is flowering earlier

The Ginko tree now two years old is also growing well

In the World War 2 garden the potato patch and the broad beans are thriving although there is a little blackfly appearing on the broad beans.

The WW2 vegetable garden

The honeysuckle on the fence is a mass of colour and scent

Mrs Legg's flower bed has had a makeover and the plants trimmed and cut back and a couple of new small fuchsias have been planted

Mrs Legg's flower bed

The pond has been overtaken by duckweed and it is very hard to get on top of it.  A little looks fine but we do not want it carpeting the pond!

The pond and established flower bank

The purple loosestrife is looking good at the moment and the water figwort.  A water avens is also in flower and looks a little like a large buttercup.  This plant needs watching though or else it might take over!

Both Emperor and Migrant Hawker dragonflies have been seen lately, a Comma butterfly on the verbena and a humming bird hawk moth on the geums.

Hummingbird Hawk-moth

Migrant Hawker

Comma

The garden is open to the public July 22nd and July 23rd.  It will be well sign posted. In 2016 proceeds from NGS gardens which opened right across the country raised some £2.7 million pounds for various charities. Opening times from 13.00 to 17.00 on both days.  Refreshments available.  We look forward to seeing you all there!