The New Growing Season

April showers, bring May flowers (and lots of weeds too!)

Yes, it looks set to be a decidedly soggy start to the growing season. Next week will involve preparing the ground for planting this years vegetables and flowers.

In the vegetable garden, the leeks and garlic planted over the winter are coming on nicely and the carrot and beetroot seeds sown a few weeks ago are starting to germinate. The remaining vegetable beds will need to be hoed in preparation for planting out this years' legumes and brassicas.

The fruit trees seemed to have survived the winter in good health and they are beginning to get their shiny new leaves.

The ground in the area set aside for our Olympic wildflower meadow was turned during the Easter holidays, so after the removal of the weeds and rubble it will be ready for us to start sowing. We have acquired some wildflower seeds from the RHS as part of their Britain in Bloom campaign (www.rhs.org.uk/britaininbloomlaunch). The seeds include corncockle, cornflower, corn marigold, corn poppy and corn chamomile.

Preparations are also underway for our Olympic rings flowerbed. Again, there is more weeding to be done, prior to us planting the flowers in June. The final display will include blue lobelias, green lettuce leaves, red petunias, yellow marigolds and black....well this is still to be decided! The black basil which was being grown for the display was unfortunately wiped out by the recent frosts. We are also raising some black coleus from seed, but it is touch and go as to whether they will grow big enough in time for the display. Black petunias are and option, but as black flowers are rather rare, this option would be rather pricey. If all else fails we might have to take a leaf out of James May's book and make some plasticine flowers!!!

If any parents, grandparents or guardians are interested in helping out with any of our gardening projects, you are more than welcome to come in and lend a hand.

Landscape Designers

Yesterday, as part of a training day I attended on gardening in schools, I was set a task to create a landscape in a seed tray from things I could forage in the woodlands. 

I enjoyed creating my own miniature world so much, that I couldn’t wait to share this activity with the children.

So, at lunchtime today, I set out my little landscape on the playground along with some seed trays and natural materials to get the children started.

After lunchtime, I went back to see what had been created. Aren’t they wonderful!