Walled Garden Volunteers' Blog March 2023
/‘Gardeners report dead plants after 2022 Winter’!
Caroline, Volunteer Gardener, spotted the headline in this month’s ‘Gardens Illustrated’ and sent to us all – it’s Not Just Us!
We are assessing the damage to the Garden - waiting and seeing which plants will recover. Here’s Geoff rescuing plants from the pond which was badly affected by the cold weather and has sprung a serious leak:
Meanwhile, there’s still winter jobs to be done! We have just finished mulching all the flower borders….
...hard work, but you don’t feel the cold!
The middle compost bay is full and will be sealed and left to ‘cook’. Now it’s time to sieve the ‘ready’ bay. The compost there is dark and fine – it’s perfect once any debris is removed and will be used in the Garden – our own, organic, home-produced compost.
Buzz Club with Peter and Pat returned on a sunny Sunday at the end of February. The news is that our bees died in the extreme cold and Peter is considering whether to provide more insulation for the hive.
Peter and Pat brought in the hive to show the store of honey. Buzz Club members and visitors that day were treated to a taste of the sweet, light honey made by our bees, fed by the walled garden flowers.
We are hoping for a new colony in May.
Now, our new water butts are installed and are full; the hedgehogs have a neater ‘escape ramp’ at the old stone steps, should they get stuck there; the broad beans, garlic and the shallots are sprouting …there are signs of Spring.
Hope to see you soon in the Walled Garden!
PS. Garden Talks on 23rd March Seasonal Flowering Perennials’ - Talk with Rosy Hardy and 15th April 'Too Many Plants, Too Little Space' - Talk with Bob Brown of Cotswold Garden Flowers.
