After seven weeks holiday this year, we are now back! It is wonderful to have had a team of "Volunteer DiGGers" from the Community to look after the garden for us and "you have done a wonderful job! Thank you so much!"
Without their help, the garden would have been dry, lots of plants would have died and the weeds would have taken over...
...as it is - you can see how lovely our hanging baskets are looking!
The wild flower bed is packed with flowers to attract insects.
Lots of poppies, lupins and foxgloves were potted on and are now fine young plants.
The herbaceous border was planted out and it settling in well.
Potatoes are coming on nicely...
...as are onions and garlic...
chard...
pumpkins...
and corgettes.
Runner beans are climbing up Connorhan and Bartek's frame,
and our "comfry stew" is now pretty pongy!!! Ready to feed the plants with.
Meanwhile, on holiday travels, Miss Swallow purchased a few new plants for the garden. Some interesting herbs including "banana mint" and a curry plant along with a tree with interesting cork-like bark that sit like wings on the stems (above). It's called a "Euonymous alatus".
Round the front of the school, the new sensory beds have filled out nicely (the new herbs will be going in there too)...
and the trees have settled in. We need to get busy this autumn to plant the rest!
We had a visitor on Tuesday from the RHS "It's Your Neighbourhood" scheme. Mr Stott came to learn about how the garden has developed and what everyone has been doing.
On Thursday, Danielle and Mr Macfarlane decided to tackle the willow seat to give it a hair cut! So we have a before...
...and an after picture (watch those loppers Danielle!)
Meanwhile Simona, Vicki and two new members raked up grass cuttings for the compost.
To finish this week, here are a few photos of some "alpine plants" - ones that grow at high altitude and have adapted to cope with intense radiation from the sun! On my left above, is a tiny blue flower known as "King of the Alps" growing at a height of 2400 metres.
It is a bright blue flower which is a member of the "forget-me-not" family. It's latin name is "
Eritrichium nanum"
Also here, the small white flower in the foreground is the famous Edelweis - growing in the French Alps (just north of Grenoble)
It has quite furry leaves and almost woolly looking white flowers!
During my trip, I also met "Pascal" who runs a fabulous Alpine Garden at "Col du Lauteret" in the Ecrins National Park. It is part of the University of Grenoble with many interesting displays and research projects.
Perhaps in future, we could have a Horticultural school trip there to see the wild flowers in the mountainous environment! The alpine meadows were extremely floriferous! A real sight to see.
I think it would also be an excellent idea for us to create an alpine garden display in Dingwall Academy - our sloping side would be ideal!
