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Orchard Training Garden Club - Return to the garden 2024

Welcome back to the Orchard Training Garden Club! Before our summer break, we decided that in case of extremely hot weather, we would utilize the water butts to irrigate the garden. However, once the water ran out, the garden had to rely on its own resilience. We have been selecting plants known for their ability to withstand drought, and we refrained from replacing plants that couldn't survive the previous heatwaves. So, how did we fare this summer? There were instances when the water butts actually overflowed due to the amount of rainwater we received.

 

Due to the abundant rain, the garden appears lush and green. We have begun the task of weeding gradually, and to our surprise, we have discovered numerous small trees. These trees have sprouted from acorns, walnuts, and even cobnuts that squirrels have planted in the garden. While we have been weeding, a fearless robin has accompanied us, searching for tasty treats. Whenever the robin approaches closely, we pause and carefully take a photograph, moving slowly and quietly. The robin has ventured as close as 20cm to one of the observers.



We've begun harvesting the apples and pears from the orchard trees and conducting taste tests. The Fiesta apple emerged as the winner in terms of both taste and appearance, and it also showed the least amount of insect damage.



The raspberries and blackberries are ripening in very small batches. They haven't gotten into the full swing of things yet, so we are just eating them when we meet up.


Two girls expressed their desire for a pink flower section in the garden last year. We plan to meet with them to explore their preferences for perennials, bulbs, and annuals, as well as discuss potential fundraising ideas for this project.

 

In the upcoming weeks, we will be focusing on the habitats of our pollinators. Last year, we did a great job documenting the flowers that attract pollinators to our garden. This year, we are shifting our attention to promoting hedgehogs. This aligns with our participation in the RHS School Gardening Campaign, which is currently centered around "making friends with molluscs." While we are still uncertain about this theme, we are actively educating ourselves about slugs and snails. Although we are concerned about these pests damaging our plants, we hope that by attracting hedgehogs to our garden, they will help control the slug and snail population. That's the plan!

 

 

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