"Behaviour is the mirror

in which everyone shows their image"

Johann Wolfgang  von Goethe
17.49-1832
German writer and stateman

On the last weekend of term the school garden was opened to the public as part of the National Garden Scheme which donates monies to cancer charities each year.  With the continuing hot and dry spell the group were hopeful that there would be something to show visiting members of the public.

 Sunflowers are always appreciated by members of the public and the many insects which visit them.  This year a wide and colourful range of flowers were planted.

After flowering the ripened seeds are welcomed by both Greenfinch and adventurous squirrels

Large White butterfly on the verbena

The flower rich insect attracting beds

The sensory area in the grass garden

Tree ferns enjoying the sunshine

The Ginko tree is thriving

Tetrapanax reaching up to the sky.

A Jurassic scene!

A welcoming entrance!

The WW2 garden complete with washing and artifacts

Enjoying the moment!

During the afternoon there was a bit of excitement as the air ambulance passed over the garden twice then landed on the sports field to attend a nearby emergency.

The canna plants were late flowering this year but a couple managed to turn up trumps for the weekend.

Evidence under a fern frond of the moth Pachyrhabda steropodes. The moth is just 6mm long  and the larva activity can be seen amongst the sporangia

Larva activity under the fern frond

Hummingbird Hawk-moth feeding on the verbena

Bee enjoying the teasel head

Purple Loosetrife by the pond- a great insect pollinator

This will be the final blog entry as the school has decided to disband the garden volunteers.  They will be replaced in September by a school led initiative.  The garden group has been in existence since 2008 and has over the years turned what was once waste ground into an enjoyable place for learning.  We wish the new initiative well.

 We finish with a quote

"Your best teacher is your last mistake....... "

Ralph Nader