Improvements to planting areas.

 Two of our volunteers, Dave and Sian Turner, decided to tackle a shrub area on the left as you enter the Rose Garden from the Storeton Road entrance.  Underneath a mature holly tree, which already contained a few old fuchsia shrubs and mostly wild dogwoods, which had taken over, they took on the mammoth task of clearing it.  The dogwoods were hard to dig out as they were well established.  The plan was to plant some prettier dogwoods, Cornus Alba Sibirica, which has beautiful red stems which stand out in the Winter.

 The work was carried out over a month or so, digging out all the weeds and unwanted roots.  It was also a little shady, so Dave cut back some of the lower branches of the holly tree to allow more light and rainwater to reach the bed. Money had been generously donated to purchase the azaleas, which would add beautiful colour and scent in the Spring.  Altogether six azaleas were bought for the new planting area.  Due to the dry Summer we had experienced, it was decided to delay planting them until the soil had been improved with ericaceous compost and it had rained significantly.

The azaleas were finally planted and then stakes and mesh barriers placed around each one to protect them until they were more established.  The following images are the varieties used, apart from one, which was bought in a sale from Premier Plants of Ledsham, and was unlabelled.

 

 

As you can see from this photograph, the other side of this bed has also been replanted with  some red stemmed dogwoods ( Cornus Alba Sibirica ), a Viburnum Plicatum Maresii and some yellow stemmed willow, which were donated by Steve Ferguson. These shrubs are most pretty in Winter and Spring, when the Viburnum produces lovely white lace-cap type flowers on tiered branches.  

There is also a twisted hazel (Corylus Contorta) which was donated by Sian's brother.

 

The final planting was the low growing perennials dotted around the shrubs and near to the front edge of the border. Dave and Sian chose Alchemilla Mollis. Phlomis Russeliana, Sisyrinchium and Stachys Byzantina, which are mostly evergreen and will spread to suppress weeds.

 

All their hard work has made a real difference to improve the areas you see on your left as you walk along the path from Storeton Road entrance towards the rose beds.  Over time, this excellent selection of shrubs and under-planting will enhance the rose garden even more.  We hope you like the new look. Roll on next spring!