This page is under review.
Garden calendar:
November to March: tie in and cut back the living willow. Start when the leaves fall off and aim to finish before the buds start to get into leaf.
February/March: start of frogspawn. Newts lay for longer. Lift some only to show people and then put it back.
February-ish: scythe (or strim) meadow beds. Leave as long as you want.
February/March: look out for purple crocuses around green area and put warning signs up. Don’t mow the strips until the leaves have died back.
April/May: rhubarb starts to mature. Don’t cut for too long or it weakens the plants.
April/May: asparagus should start to spear. Cut near base for just 6 weeks. Then allow to make grass. Cut down when they start falling over or dry out.
May: no mow May?
Mid-May: usually last frosts by now. Can plant tender annuals like sunflowers, scented geraniums. Can direct-sow sunflowers too.
Summer: make sure the pond doesn’t get too low.
Summer: can usually cut the comfrey back at least once.
Midsummer: cut back/scythe meadow beds if plants are dying off and think you might get a second flush.
Autumn: cut back herbaceous perennials.
Winter: cut back cardoons and globe artichokes. Pruning of fruit trees.
Things we have completed:
3D tree for bird feeders and outdoor decorations - November 2020
Asparagus bed - plants grown from seed - September 2017. They started to crop in 2020.
Bay tree: planted a donated tree - October 2016.
Beach barrow - June 2020.
Benches - nine have been restored and arm rests installed - April 2016. Re-painted in 2018.
Bird box Boulevard - August 2016. First residents in Spring 2018. Bees in 2019. Blue tit in 2020.
Bird Cafe - January 2016. Now retired. We could do it again if we had a volunteers and donated seed.
Blue chairs - repainted August 2016. We will probably re-paint them and install them under the veranda when the paving is completed.
Blue terraced veg bed - March 2018. We will plant this with strawberries in 2021.
Box plants in new perennial bed - February 2017.
Bugopolis - re-made August 2016
Broad bean bed - December 2016. Now retired. They didn’t grow very well.
Bumblebee nest pots - February 2016 - installed to the left of the entrance gate. They need a sort out.
Bunting - 50 m of seasonal bunting installed - December 2020. As part of a project to decorate the garden over Winter 2020/2021.
Clinker bed - June 2021.
Cold frame - April 2016. Now moved to a local primary school.
Comfrey bed - July 2016. We made a new larger one in 2020.
Compost bins - January 2016. We will replace these in 2021.
Corner shrub bed - May 2017. Now the tail of the med monster for solitary bee nests.
Club hut interior - new shelves, hooks, blackboard, noticeboard and removing the old carpets - December 2016. More work to be done in Spring 2021.
Club hut frontage - new windows and doors and cladding in Spring 2020. Thanks to Jamie!
Club hut roof and guttering: repaired in December 2015/January 2016.
Crabapple bed - June 2016.
Crocus borders - planted up November 2016. Still going well.
Crushed ceramic narrow bed. June 2021.
Daffodil and narcissus planting - November 2016 and December 2020.
Dead hedge - Autumn 2021
Dogwood hoops on gate - July 2017. Looking a bit crunchy now.
Fig tree planted - August 2021
Fruit tree row - six cordon apples planted (January 2018).
Garden gate sign - May 2019.
Garden shelter and sign: February 2023.
Geckos and butterfly - repainted and installed August 2016.
Guild beds in horse area - dug out in July 2019 and planted.
Grass paths to club hut - January 2017.
Green-roofed veranda - June 2021.
Hardwood raised beds - December 2016. More in Autumn 2020, with waste turf from the veranda project.
Hat racks - restored - April 2016.
Hazel fence around the pond - March 2017. Being re-planted with living willow.
Hedgehog feeder - November 2016 (now turned into a hibernating zone because we were just feeding mice).
Herb raised bed - December 2016. Now planted with more cane fruit.
Hollyhock bed: new bed by the entrance ramp - planted with daffodils and hollyhocks - November 2016.
Insect bank - with the donated turf April 2021
Jerusalem artichoke bed - May 2017 and then January 2020 moved to the old rhubarb bed. But the old one is now growing better than ever!
Kiwi berry bed - March 2019. It died!
Leaf bin - January 2016 - and second one in February and then two more over the summer.
Living willow around the pond - February 2019. Starting to train some of it to the fence - Spring 2020.
Log circle - April 2016. And another one as a clockface/compass points in Spring 2020.
Low bench - repainted August 2016.
Meadow bench - September 2018.
Mini-beast mansion - May 2016. Renewed with fence next to it: August 2022.
Mini pond - May 2017.
Mint bed - February 2017.
Mown paths - June 2016.
Mud monster - September 2020.
Mushroom/blackcurrant bed - September 2019. Cropped in Summer 2020.
Narrow beds - all hand-prepared by March 2016 - and four extra ones in April 2016. Edged April 2017.
Native hedge - January 2015.
Passionflower wigwam - July 2017. Fell down in winter 2019/2020. Moved June 2021.
Playhouse - April 2022.
Paving by club hut - May 2017.
Perennial beds - May 2019.
Perennial sown meadow - sown from February 2017 to May 2019.
Perennial sweet pea wigwam - November 2017. Fell down in 2019 - will probably just let them scramble - I hear they are very good for biodiversity.
Plant Plaza - stand for plants (or marrows!) - March 2016.
Plum and greengage trees - planted Autumn 2020.
Polytunnel: September 2020.
Pond and decked area - designed and created by Guy Belcher, The Gaskin Brothers and garden volunteers. November 2016.
Pond-dipping benches - two made by April 2017.
Potato bed - October 2018.
Raised beds - oak ones made in October 2016 by Guy and Julian. Tanalised wood ones made in February 2019.
Redcurrant bed - October 2017.
Rhubarb row - February 2016. Now moved.
Rosie the horse - July 2018.
Runner bean A frame and climbing French bean wigwams - May 2017. In Autumn 2019, we deepened the beds and are using them for rhubarb now. Beans need too much watering.
Scented bed around Lorna's bench. June 2017. Re-planted in Autumn 2020.
Shady bed (by the water tower) - October 2017.
Sleeper bench - November 2017.
Spud planters - April 2017. Have cropped each Summer since.
Standard apple tree (start of a mini orchard) - January 2018. And another one the next winter.
Stepping stones - cast in concrete, with seashells and ammonites - November 2016. Now mostly moved to Queen Edith’s primary school.
Stinky plant food urn (for plants): May 2017. Didn’t survive vandals in 2019.
Straw bale raised beds - April 2018 and May 2018. Planted with pumpkins, squash and sunflowers in Summer 2018. Now replaced with edged raised beds.
Sunflower bed - May 2016, April 2019 and 2020.
Sweetcorn bed - February 2017. Now has fennel growing.
Sweet pea wigwam - April 2016, re-located in 2017.
Sweet pea supports: four woven red dogwood balls - May 2017.
Table tops - two made - April 2016.
Tool shed - September/October 2018.
Trellis trees - November 2020
Trestles - four made - for use for a workbench or table (April 2016).
Under-tree bench - funded by three families, partly in remembrance of a relative. August 2021
Veg ditch 2 - July 2016. Can’t remember where this was!
Waterbutt stand: January 2016 and six waterbutts - March 2016. And another lot by the tool shed in 2018.
Willow circle - December 2017.
Winter-flowering cherry - planted March 2020 in memory of a much-missed visitor to the garden.
Woodpile - April 2017.
Woodstore - October 2018.
Wormery - April 2016. Turned into a stinky plant food bin but then vandalised beyond repair.
Worm digging bed - Feb 2018. Now a mint bed.
Last updated: 11 September 2023