New Year New Challenges

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  We returned from our Christmas break to experience very high wind.  The tree branches overhanging the poly-tunnels are something of a worry as they could fall and crush the structures!  We are thrilled that Duncan Wight of Trees R Us came to look at them and is happy to come in when they are next in the area to clear them for us!  

THANK YOU so much!  This is something we could not do ourselves and it will make the garden a safer place.  The S4 class hope to see them action so watch this space for more!

Talking of high wind, this is the small shed that B&Q donated to us :(  We need to landscape between the poly-tunnels so we can put it up and treat it.

In the meantime we have now stacked it more securely off the ground so it won't get blown around again.

We've only been back a week, but have been busy!  Here, Ryan and Ross are cutting plants that have died back for the winter.

Weeding too provides material for the compost heap :)

 

Some stems make good hardwood cuttings - wild rose here - so we can get plants for free next year.

They will sprout new roots and start to bud in spring.

The S2 class has almost put the last of the 2000 or so crocus bulbs into pots! 

Many are already showing shoots in pots outside

We are still retrieving seeds from their dried pods to keep for sowing in spring.  These are runner beans...

...and french climbing beans.

Before the holidays we also got two sacks of spring bulbs into the wildlife area.  This will provide colour in spring.

We took delivery of a consignment of trees and hedging plants - some for the Memorial Garden project.  We healed them in and put netting over to stop rabbits nibbling them.  (An ongoing job is laying rabbit wire on the bank in the woodland on the outside of our fence to stop them burrowing under our own fencing).