Tues 30 Oct Plugs into wildflower meadow, last of bulbs

Beautiful, bright cold day


Hung up the pre- planted troughs around office and then on Henchman, cleared weeds and added bulbs to troughs at height.

Met Tony Canning from London Wildlife Trust, it was meant to be a community volunteer day, but no show, so J let me help, Tony and his intern, so just four of us planted the plugs, grass too long so Tony decided not to sow seeds. We discussed wildlife in the gardens, said that the wildlife meadow most biodiverse are in garden. Toads found within the grass.

Planted up the Greenhouse planter with remaining Pinnochio bulbs and wallflowers! Dug out 3 unwanted echiums to take away.

 

Mon 29 Oct Leaf clearance on VBR

Hanging baskets are going to come down now, sadly, finally looking their best, blackbirds too

Leaf clearance all day, using rake and barrowing them away, the leaf mulch machine has a puncture, Jim busyt labelling honey jars so no fix!

before and after

Tues 23 oct - Autumn bedding and bulbs

Dank but warm day

 

 The variagated myrtle in sensory garden, in full flower in October!

Planted winter bedding and bulbs in sensory garden (Bellis, Myosotis, Primula? White and Yellow bulbs) and then the diamond bed (Bellis, Myosotis, Primula, Wallflowers. White bulbs in a diamond shape and Yellow bulbs scattered through). Diamond bed in community area...no community present but weather going to change and get colder so some urgency.

Attended my first team meeting (usually held on a Thurs) to start the pest control interrupted meeting, then later once started, on item 2 of agenda  tempers frayed, very stressful. Prefer not to attend..could have planted the Wow bed in time it took and still no clearer...

A new jubilee bed planned, asked for ideas but, meeting on Thursday. Disappointing lack of interest or discussion of ideas and no time!

After work went to RHS Autumn show

 

Salvia

Grosvener estate

Mon 22 Oct Cleared wOw bed and potted up, planted church planters

 Foggy and warm

Cleared wOw bed of the remaining plants (Verbena, Sanguisorba, ?) and then potted them up in greenhouse area, no plans for them at present.

Planted church planters with autumn bedding and bulbs. 

Wed 17 Oct Wildflower plugs

Wildflower plugs delivered, in boxes. I spend am cleaning up plugs, lots of liverwort, indicates they have been in situ for some time.

Found Rust in evidence on the leaves of the Tussilago farfara (Coltsfoot), so I isolate the plugs and put in a separate pot. Possible powdery mildew on leaves of cats ear, remove leaves. Stand them in rainwater until all damp then tip away. Jim advises not to waterlog..

Collect and repot the unwanted plant from resident, J & L not too enthusiastic about plant luciana
Pm spent dead heading and edging in Wildlife garden

Mon 15 Oct - Mowing

Damp but not raining, spend day mowing with pedestrian mower, grass long.

Leaf full makes Vaux Brige road more of a leaf collection than mow of lawn. I decide that the shaded, sloping 'lawns' would be better expanded into flower, shrub borders!

Tues 9 Oct Prune and tie in Wisteria

Return to Sensory garden to finish pruning and tying in the Wisteria and Climbing Rose on pergola

 I pruned and tied in left side last week, right side to do today

 wisteria

 

Wisteria  complete, rose still to be tied in

Wisteria grows in clockwise fashion, which makes it a japanese wisteria

Mon 8 Oct Compost bins and tool sharpening

Rain, more rain, heavier rain

Collecting the compost bin elements with Jim

 Erecting a new compost bin under trees on Vaux Br Rd, which means part emptying another bin, which is full and has dry waste.

A mix of dry and rotted compost was added to new bins

Ended day with a useful tool sharpening demo from Jim.