The garden over the summer

Amazing to think that just 14 months ago we were faced with a wilderness and an unassembled show garden stacked in heaps. What a busy time we've had - I defy anyone not to be impressed.

1. We manually cleared the site
2. Got the show garden rebuilt and tended to all the plants in pots whilst building took place
3. We replanted all of the show plants and even harvested the apples.
4. We assessed the remaining space and made plans
5. We cleared and levelled an area for raised beds which we assembled and installed in time for Easter
6. We sourced local willow from Abbotsbury Swannery, made new friends and planted Dorset's first living willow classroom and furnished it with logs donated by the Forestry Commission.
7. We bid for and got £10,000 lottery money and made more plans
8. The school community raised another £10,000

9. We bought and put up a shed

10. We researched, and planned and got quotes for a pond - then we got the pond built by Goddards Landscapes Ltd who did a first class job. (See Separate blog on Pond Building)
11. We were donated £2,000 from Holy Trinity Church for a memory garden
12. We researched, and planned and got quotes for the memory corner - then we got it designed and built by Roger Lanigan of Mayfield Rustics, who prodoced a lovely, unique, quiet area for us.

Well done to everyone who contributed!

Enjoy the fruits of our labours in these photos.....

The show garden

Still a mess but getting there

January snow (rare in Weymouth)

Raised bed area under way

Marking out the willow classroom

Willow entrance tunnel

Our new shed

Raised beds ready for use

Raised beds used

Memory corner started

Pond started

Garden Open Day Sunday 17th May

We hope to have a Garden Open Day on 17th May, which is a Sunday, I can’t remember why we decided on that date back in January, it seemed like a good idea at the time. At the moment we are just past the half way mark for the Easter break and when we get back to school we will have three weeks until the opening day.

If you are visitor to this blog please come visit in person we are open from 2.00pm – 5.00pm. We will be having the lovely Nick Williams-Ellis who designed the Dorset Cereals Edible Garden visiting us to open the event and judge the entries from local schools in the scarecrow competition.

You will also be able to see the progress with the willow classroom which by then should have some of the larger branches pulled in to start forming the roof of the classroom. There will also be real Dorset cream teas and plants to buy as well as various craft stalls and activities for younger people including making and planting a paper pot and listening to story readings in the willow classroom.

Holy Trinity Environmental Garden is at Cross Road, Weymouth, Dorset.