Sunshine and Dawn

This week at Heale the sun shone and made everything come alive. I spent my two days with Gardener, Dawn, who gave me lots of advice and crucially allowed me to follow her around all day! In addition, she too was once a WRAG and so she was very aware of what I should be learning and also what experience she could give me. Sadly, Dawn is leaving to pastures new but it was a pleasure to meet her and discuss her role for the past year.

We started with weeding the terrace borders at the back which took a while and leaf blowing to make it all very tidy. Main weeds are the usual suspects, Shepherd's Purse (seems to be everywhere and going mad), Chickweed, Dandelion... Hoeing the soil, you realise how compacted it has become over the Winter and you pretty much take the top layer with you when you weed.

We continued in the Veg plots, again much to do and very satisfying once you get to look back a the soil. As strange as it sounds, I do love a good weed!

We sowed some seed one day and Dawn took me through her process of preparing the compost mix, John Innes 2, with Vermiculite and General Purpose all sieved and ready to go, we managed Nicotiana, Fennel, Dill. We spent some time caring for the Greenhouse plants and planted out some herbs within the cut flower patch, Mint, Parsley, Coriander, Oregano, Rocket and Sorrel, looking good.

We also watered and cared for whole a Greenhouse full of Pelargoniums, lots in flower, gorgeous things and very happy ticking along.

It is amazing how much you can learn in a couple of days but so much knowledge is taken for granted when you are immersed in the garden every day and I am soaking it up.

Wishing Dawn all the best, it is a shame our paths crossed for such a short time!

Windswept and veg

A glorious second day at Heale, windy and quite moody weather brewing up in between shining sun. Really perfect for gardening.

We worked mainly in the Vegetable garden today, tidying soil and raking down a huge mound which has been in a big Willow planter. We were careful not to destroy the Peonies, just coming up next to the Box edging whilst we worked.

We also did some weeding in one of the borders and edged the grass, it looks so much neater. I used a nifty small hand rake which was great at getting up moss from the soil. Lots of different plants to come up, lots of Irises, Geraniums, Euphorbias.

The Apple tunnels look superb running through the centre of the veg plot, looking forward to seeing them in their full glory.

Heale is so pretty everywhere you look, I think I'm going to find it hard to put my camera down!

First day at Heale Gardens

Heale Gardens in the Woodford Valley is my new placement and boy is it a lovely spot. I have certainly missed being in a large garden and it has been 7 weeks to the day since I left Houghton. I was very happy to be back, learning and I have the HG Michael Maltby with a wealth of knowledge to give. I also met one of the volunteers, another lovely Michael who comes once a week and the resident Peacock, Papadum, I believe, oh and the dogs and the Moles and the Pheasants and Ducks, a lot going on.

The garden has the river running through it and a Japanese garden with tea house to boot. A Veg garden and borders galore and a croquet lawn and ponds and it goes on. It will take me time to absorb it all and get to grips with each space.

Today we transplanted 2 Buxus from one place to another and pruned a Wisteria Sinensis which is very old and just about hanging in there, ready to flower and burst into life.

I found the wonderful Skunk Cabbage radiating yellow along the rivers edge and also the pretty flower head of Golden Palm.

It is such a beautiful place to spend time let alone learn as well, I am really looking forward to it. Another day tomorrow.