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It is rare for a whole week to go by in this country without any discussion of the weather, especially amongst gardeners. However, I suspect we are not the only ones who have barely noticed whether the sun has been shining or the rain tipping it down. All the talk has been of Coronavirus and it has been a shocking week for many of us. Whether faced with self-isolation or a massive challenge to keep your business afloat, you have probably been talking of not much else. The good news, and there is some, is that we can all still get out into our gardens. And since the weather has in fact been rather lovely this week we really need to get out: spring is springing and plants are growing, flowers coming out, blossom doing its thing and pollinators and pests emerging from wherever they have over-wintered. It is a good moment to remember the huge benefit to our mental and physical well-being of getting outside and getting our hands dirty. Thank goodness this all started at the beginning of spring and not back in early winter. We need to get out and enjoy the new life which is getting going in the garden and beyond.
What is not yet clear for us is how much longer we will be allowed to run courses in the immediate future. For the moment everything is still going ahead and we have some wonderful courses in the coming weeks, from Pruning Shrubs & Roses to an Introduction to Garden Design and from the Dahlia Workshop with expert grower Sarah Hammond to her Easter Wreath and Spring Flower Workshops. We have reorganised ourselves to ensure everyone has the required ‘social distance’ from others, and we will be doing more of our courses outside as the weather improves. We would absolutely love to see you so do get in touch if you have any questions at all.
Out in the Walled Garden it is easy to forget all the crazy stuff which is going on around us. We have been busy creating more beds and planning a bit of a redesign. We are adding further pruning beds as well as a dedicated veg and soft fruit area. One of the key features of the garden is the unique two storey potting shed, and we are planning to move the compost bins and nursery away from this beautiful building and create a dedicated area near the polytunnel. We will certainly be very busy over the coming weeks and will keep you posted on progress!
Upcoming courses with availability:
Pruning Shrubs & Roses 24th March
Dahlia Workshop 26th March
Introduction to Veg Growing 3rd April
Easter Wreath & Spring Flower Workshop 9th April
Composting Made Simple 17th April
The Cutting Garden 21st April
Introduction to Garden Design 23rd April
Certificate in Practical Horticulture (10 week course) 29th April & 2nd May
Plant of the Week
Osmanthus x burkwoodii
Osmanthus x burkwoodi is a very hardy, bushy, evergreen shrub with leathery, dark green leaves and small, highly fragrant, tubular white flowers in spring. It grows best in well-drained soil in sun or partial shade and can be grown as a hedge, specimen shrub or even a cloud pruned small tree.
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Contact us via www.norfolkschoolofgardening.co.uk or follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
