Windlesham’s Walled Garden

 

September 2011

• The garden, which is an acre in size, dates from the 1870s and has not been used for the last 50 years.  Over the last few months, the whole area has been sensitively and caringly cleared of accumulated debris, overgrown grass, etc. and restored by professional gardeners.  Approximately 75% of the garden has been grass seeded and 25% will be cultivated immediately.  The grassed areas will be brought into cultivation on a phased basis.

• Where possible, old fruit trees have been preserved and the old Apple Store attached to the garden is to be used as a rustic classroom as the children become more and more involved.

• The old greenhouses were destroyed in the great storm of 1987.  Where possible, wood frames, metal works and original glass have been preserved and may be used to rebuild one greenhouse.

• An experienced gardener, Andrew Norman, has been recruited to take charge of the Walled Garden and is to be congratulated on what he has achieved already in just one month.  Andy’s role is twofold.
  • Firstly, he will be working with the Andy Nuttall – Head of Science, not only as part of the science syllabus but also as an extra-mural activity, encouraging and supporting Windlesham children to develop an interest and love for gardening.
  • Secondly, to provide the school’s kitchen with home-grown market garden produce; any surplus will be sold to parents and in local outlets.

Much of the restoration process of the Walled Garden has been videoed and we will continue to keep a record of its development.  We shall be arranging an official opening later in the year.

 

Richard Foster, Headmaster

Listen to: Walled Garden BBC Sussex27.9.11

 

 

 

 

 

The Garden Club with Andy Norman

The Garden Club had their first meeting on Wednesday 28th September and was a great success.  Pupils and staff enjoyed the lovely sunshine and the children were put to the task of putting some wonderful well rotted manure around the pear trees by the east wall.

They also planted four plots of Caliente mustard seed, a mixture of lettuce seeds and a ring of bulbs around the base of the Wisteria tree.

We are all looking forward to the clubs second meeting next week.

Andy Norman

I thought it was time I did another update on how the garden is progressing, this month October we have been busy planting Hyacinths, tulips and a selection of bulbs that were dug up from where the caliente mustard was sown. The mustard as you can see from the photograph has come on in leaps and bounds, this after three weeks!

The other day when I was digging in my nice peaceful garden, there was suddenly a crescendo of noise so loud that I couldn’t hear myself think, the birds were shouting, screaming, squawking and generally making a very loud din, I noticed some very large black clouds approaching from the east, not sure whether this was the cause or something else upsetting them. While we are on the subject of birds, Mel Clark brought over some bird feeders which has been a great success with the small birds; lots of pheasants seem to have made the garden their dining room at the moment queuing up for their breakfast of caliente mustard in the morning. It’s like being in a scene from ‘Danny The Champion of the World’. The fruit trees seem to want to keep hanging on to their leaves what with all this warm weather, so no pruning just yet.

November

The weather has been kind to us so I  have been busy digging over and preparing the vegetable patches.  The fruit trees have arrived and have been planted and the fruit bushes and canes will be arriving any day now. The pear trees along the west facing wall have been pruned as have the apple trees along the east facing wall. The hyacinths have started to shoot and have been transferred from a cool dark place to a  warm light place to try and bring them into flower for Christmas. At last it’s starting to look like a proper garden!

December

December has been a very busy month. We have managed to get all the fruit planted, staked and tied. The rhubarb is in and already growing. More digging and on wet days clearing the ivy and elder from down the left hand side wall, where we have uncovered a large Nectarine tree which we hope to be able to save and nurture. The children took home their planted hyacinths (not sure if any flowered for Christmas) but if not, they will soon. I have also been getting cold frames ready for use in the Spring and potato, vegetable and flower seeds are ordered and set to arrive in January..

January

Another busy month with nearly all the digging finished for this Winter. Due to the warmer weather this January, some of the under planted tulips and alliums have already come through the surface so we have had to protect them with compost.

February

The trees along the arbour have been pruned with just a few large cuts to each tree.  This is to try and encourage some growth lower down and to gradually replace the older wood. All the vegetable seeds have arrived, potatoes are chitting nicely, brassica seeds have been sown in the greenhouse along with sweet peas and some cleome’s. I’ve almost finished tidying up the outside of the left hand wall, just the far end to go now. Next update end of February when the garden club should have resumed (weather permitting).