Winter sets in but we keep busy in the garden.

In the last month we have had both frosty cold, windy wet and mild weather.

We cut back the tomato plants then...

...the nasturtiums got frosted during several very cold days where it stayed around freezing so we have now cleared the raised bed completely...

...and started mixing in fresh topsoil.

Jakub, Joy, Coinneach and Keira work hard with the heavy topsoil.  We've mixed some gravel in to help drainage.

An extra little helper rakes it over!

We have also emptied our RIDAN maturation bins.  This compost has been made from sawdust mixed with school canteen food waste.

We used it to cover the Crocus bulbs which are already starting to push shoots through it!

It is also being spread in the bottom of new raised beds before the topsoil and grit mix goes in.  This should make a fertile basis for spring planting.

We have built an "herbaceous border" raised bed.  This has been filled with rotting grass and is being topped up with the soil/grit mix.

Thanks also goes to our team of boys for shifting barrows of gravel, soil, grass, slabs etc!

Mrs Russell takes a beak from raking!

Meanwhile, we have been shopping!  A local garden centre has been selling off stock so we now have enough fruit plants to equip our new fruit cage seen below at the far end of the garden.

You can also see the new raised beds and rough paths which still need to be levelled into place.

Thanks to our hardworking volunteer Liz for all the technical woodwork!

Netting is ready to attach to the fruit cage when time permits.

Another delivery of gravel arrives...

...and we put up a bird feeding station.  It needed a good anchor into the ground.

It has a variety of seed trays, fat balls, nuts and...

a water dish which we shall refresh regularly.

In other news, we have started laying a patio area...

...for the RIDAN to stand on since it has been moved from the skip compound.

Once the RIDAN is up and running again, we will be topping up this "hot bed" in the poly-tunnel in order to help keep it frost free and grow winter salads during the coldest months - watch this space!

Also, thanks to pupils who have been working behind the scenes on various projects.  For example, restoring this garden seating - being tested here by Miss Swallow and Alice the little Elf!