Stavs Orchard, spring 2020

The inclement weather of recent weeks has meant it has not been ideal to cultivate the borders around the College sites due to potentially damaging the soil structure by walking on it!  However, there is still plenty to do in the gardens including finishing pruning the Wisteria in the Quads.  Also, it allowed the opportunity to carry out a large project of renovating the garden of 114 Woodstock Road part of the site at Stavertonia, the team carried out scrub and Ivy clearance as well as pruning trees and shrubs to a more manageable size, a hired in chipper has been in use for the team both at Staverton and at the Sportsground, clearing fallen branches from the winter storms. The lawns were scarified to remove moss and thatch from them.

Stavs Orchard, autumn 2019

The Apple and Pear trees in the orchard at Stavertonia were pruned to encourage good flowering and consequently (hopefully!!) a good crop of fruit.

There have been several new plantings within the sites with the ambition of becoming more ecologically friendly especially within the Fellows Garden and Wildlife Garden.  New nest boxes have been put up for birds and the pond in the wildlife garden is in the process of improvement.

Tasks to carry out over the next few weeks

• Plant summer flowering bulbs
• Lift and divide overgrown clumps of perennials,
• Prune bush and climbing roses.
• Stems of coloured stemmed Dogwood can be cut down almost to ground level
• On dry days the lawn can be given a very light trim (on a high mower setting).

Bruce Taylor, Head Gardener

Published: 26 February 2021

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