"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!

"Change is inevitable..

progression is choice"

The blossom this Spring was again spectacular as the cherry trees at the back of the garden and the other smaller fruit trees lit up the garden with fantastic flowers.

The emergence of the blossom brought with it the bees who feasted on the pollen.  Many early species were noted including Andrena clarkella, Andrena fulva and Andrena cineraria.  The garden group have recently purchased three more apple tress to plant in the orchard area.  This should be done within the next week or so.

Other spring flowers which brought colour and interest to the garden were;

In the pond the Marsh Marigolds continue to expand on the bankside. Unfortunately the flowers do not last long

Marsh Marigold

The ornamental banana plant which has spent the winter indoors in the shelter of the HQ shed has been put back out.  Within two weeks it had grown two new leaves.  It continues to be a focal point in the garden

In the nest box the Blue Tits again moved in and initially laid ten eggs but only six hatched.  The female is a bird which had been ringed in the garden the previous winter.

The eggs are often covered when the bird is away from the nest

The Great Tits nested in one of the bat boxes in the Jurassic Garden.  Last weekend the young birds could be heard calling for food from around the garden.

The cycad plant has been moved to a sunnier and warmer position.  It was showing signs of stress so has been moved a short distance away.

The replanted cycad 

 

The tree ferns have had their old fronds removed and are being watered regularly to promote new growth.  These magnificent ferns are unusual in that the trunk of the 'tree' is actually the roots.  They are slow growing- about an inch a year.

Below them the chain ferns are now growing well after two years and are looking healthy.  They also like their roots damp.

The group have been busy the past couple of weeks constructing a mud kitchen for the pupils to use. The frame of this project has been recycled pallets.  The sink has been recycled from a nearby scrap metal merchant and the pots and pans given by kind donation.  The work is almost done with the sink being fitted last weekend.

Stage one of the construction

The sink in position

The mud kitchen work site

Finally the best has been saved till last.  After nurturing the bird of paradise plant for a couple of years the garden group were rewarded a week or so ago by the most magnificent flower.  Over the past week it has continued to open.  One young lad at the school likened to a crazy hair cut!

The force ten gale which blasted the school garden this week did a little damage but it is hoped to tidy this up and make good this next weekend.

The garden group always welcome new helpers with an interest in gardening.  Why not join us?

"Real knowledge is to know the extent

of one's ignorance"

Confucius

The fine weather over the weekend meant that a lot of outstanding jobs in the garden could be executed.  One of the jobs was the rebuilding of the raised bed in the church funded area of the garden.  The old wooden retaining posts had come to the end of their days and need replacing urgently before the bed collapsed. This area is the only place in the garden where we record the Lesser Stag Beetle.

The old rotten posts are removed for recycling

Half way through the renovation

The finished raised bed with new posts

The bee and butterfly beds also received a lot of attention.  Tidying up, weeding and replanting all took place over the weekend

Over the weekend several species of bee were recorded- buff-tailed, white-tailed and red-tailed bumble bees, andrena clarkella and the handsome Tawny Mining -bee Andrena fulva.  A couple of early wasps were also noted and Peacock and Small Tortoishell butterflies.

Andrena clarkella

Red-tailed Bumble bee

White-tailed Bumble bee

Work started on the willow classroom which has an annual haircut at this time of year to help regain the original shape.   Many of the smaller whips were bundled and put in a bucket to root as infill when the repair work starts in earnest next month.  Larger lengths of willow will be sourced from nearby Abbotsbury Swannery.

Th willow cuttings

Cutting back to shape

At least three pairs of Robins have territories which abut in the garden.  One pair is nesting behind the sheds just over the wall.  They are all very confiding and are always keen to spot garden volunteers as they know that there will be a good chance of an easy meal

One of our friendly Robins

With Spring now well underway the Blue Tits and Great Tits are sorting out who moves into which nest box.  The Blue tits have staked their original claim.  They have nested in here for four years now.  The Great tits have settled for the box by the sheds.

The female Blue tit checking things out!

 In the tropical bed the Melianthus is flowering.  This magnificent lush plant enjoys the sunny position here and is covered with pendulous purple flowers

Melianthus major

The banana plants are making strong growth after the winter months

Many of the early spring flowers are now going over.  This year we have had stunning displays of daffodils and crocus.  The small iris reticulata were the best for several years but alas they do not last long!

Crocus and daffodils

A crocus ring

iris reticulata

Minature tete-a-tetes

The Rheum palmatum is growing well.

 As Sunday drew to a close white whisps of cloud appeared to end what had been a very constructive and busy weekend.