The circular bed in the veg patch

Work in progress, day one.

Circular bed  finally dug over and looking good

Digging over this circular bed in the centre of the veg patch  was harder than it looks! Nick Martin took on the challenge. The ground was so compacted that it took a couple of days to complete the job but now it is ready to plant up with segments of herbs next spring. 
The good folk from Writtle College set out and laid the circular bed back in the summer, click here to see that work in progress and compare with the finished effect. Together with the olive tree it will be a good focal point when the garden opens to the public on April 1st next year.

Camping in the Walled Garden

Writtle College Students camping at Holkham

Hot sunny  weather for the Writtle College Students  camping out in the back of the walled garden. Can you identify the students in the photo? Leave a comment on the blog if you can and we'll post their names by the photos.

Camp Kitchen

Someone has to clean them!

All wrapped up

 

The Head Gardener, Tim Marshall is taking no chances with this plant during the winter. How snug it must be beneath all that straw, but what is it and why grow something that needs such cosseting?

This plant is actually a Washington Palm; it should be reasonably hardy but this particular specimen had been leading a pampered life of luxury inside the Orangery and is not used to the cold. It had grown so well that it had been pushing against the glass in the roof so had to be moved outside.  Moving it to its new location proved to be an interesting task, Writtle College horticultural students were roped in to dig out and drag the one and a half ton plant on to a trailer and plant it in the new home.  Has anyone got a photo of the move? It must have been quite a sight.