Latest news with #NorfolkSchoolofGardening
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Norfolk gardening school celebrates student graduation
If you have children or grandchildren in their early twenties you won't have failed to notice that it has been graduation week for many across the country. And our diploma students may not be quite as young, but they – and we – are just as proud of their achievements. We celebrated in style this week, with an end of year show of their amazing work and a graduation ceremony, attended by their family and friends as well as graduates from previous years. They have worked so hard and come so far. This time last year they were nervous hopefuls, planning to change their careers and life paths from a RAF officer, jewellery designer, maintenance gardeners, marketing managers, and software sales representatives to garden designer - and now they have done it! Diploma in Garden Design graduation 2025 Pete Forrest (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) Two of them have won a gold medal at Hampton Court and several of them have already had their first commission to create gardens for clients. Now they are all launched on their new career. It was wonderful to celebrate this milestone with them. One of the best things about the school is that students, alumni and graduates become part of our family network. They stay in touch with each other and with us and there is a growing band of garden lovers and professionals across the region and beyond, which has roots running deep and wide. Diploma in Garden Design graduation 2025 (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) As well as preparing for the graduation ceremony we have been busy in the garden. There has been a little less watering to do of plants already in the ground, but we still have countless pots which dry out in this weather - even with the bit of rain we have had. It is rare for rainfall alone to be enough for plants in any size pot. And of course the plants in the greenhouses are still just as thirsty. The recent Hampton Court garden was dug up a couple of weeks ago, and the plan was always to relocate the plants to the school's garden. We've not been involved in a show garden before, so we didn't appreciate that in order to create a stunning display you need to have at least three times (yes really) the number of plants you will actually use. So it's safe to say that we were a little astonished at the dozens and dozens of plants which arrived here. Hampton Court arrives at Bixley (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) We have been very busy getting them into the ground and watered! These are some of the first courses next term which have spaces available. Let us know if you'd like to join us: · Introduction to Garden Design – September 11 · Certificate in Practical Horticulture – September 12 · Advanced Practical Gardening – September 17 · Plants for Free – September 24 · Border Renovation – October 1 echinacea purpurea (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) PLANT OF THE WEEK Echinacea purpurea, also known as purple coneflower, has pink flowers and a large, orange-brown cone in the centre. It's perfect for growing in drifts towards the middle or back of a cottage-style or herbaceous border, or among grasses and rudbeckias in a prairie-style planting scheme. It is easy to grow - resistant to adverse weather, doesn't need staking and will come back, year after year. Echinacea purpurea flowers for months on end and the flowers are long-lived, excellent for cutting and extremely attractive to pollinators. Grow in well-drained soil in full sun. Deadhead the flowers as they fade to encourage more to form, but in autumn leave the seedheads for the birds. Cut them back the following spring, when the new foliage emerges. There are many cultivars available, ranging in height, flower colour and size of cone. For more information, contact us via or follow us on Instagram or Facebook.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
The sunshine has been such a treat (but we could do with some rain!)
On and on and on it goes! The sunshine has been such a treat, even if it hasn't been very warm. It seems ridiculous to complain, but the only problem with all this glorious weather is that we have had next to no rain for the past few weeks. March was an incredibly dry month and we are busy watering everything in pots outside as well as in the greenhouses. Diploma students at Barcham Trees (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) Trees we planted last year are also getting a regular drink, as are perennials and shrubs we have moved in the past month. The sun has brought out lots of blossom and the first tulips are now in flower as well as narcissi and hyacinths. Many trees are greening up as the first leaves appear and spring is well and truly here. The Diploma students had a study trip to Barcham Trees near Ely this week. Barcham is a fantastic tree nursery which supplies the trade as well as individuals and they gave the students a great insight into how they work with designers. We want the students to graduate with a relationship with lots of local suppliers so this is just one of their nursery visits. After Barcham they had a private tour of the wonderful Fullers' Mill garden in West Stow, Suffolk. Sam Outing (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) It is a beautifully maintained garden with many interesting plants and design features, so was another really useful visit. The garden is about to open for the season to the public, so do go if you get the chance. We have had some great news about one of our first Diploma graduates, Sam Outing, a garden designer based in north Norfolk. Sam has been invited by the RHS to design and project manage their branded planting at this year's Chelsea Flower Show. His scheme mirrors the ethos of the RHS and the Chelsea Flower Show - a celebration of the wonderful world of horticulture and garden design, whilst being seasonal, sustainable and environmentally positive. The focus is on pollinator-friendly, high-impact plants which are at their peak in late May, providing pockets of interest and inspiration for visitors. If you are going to Chelsea do look out for Sam's work around the RHS hub and in the beds in Ranelagh Gardens. If you, like us, want to grow the best dahlias you can this year you won't want to miss the Dahlia Workshop on 8th April which shows you how to propagate and grow these gorgeous flowers which last for so many weeks in late summer, giving so much pleasure. These are a few of the other upcoming courses which have some spaces available. Let us know if you'd like to join us: · Dahlia Workshop – 8th April · Advanced Practical Gardening – 9th April · Sustainable Cutting Garden – 10th April · Certificate in Practical Horticulture – 25th April · Advanced Pruning & Training – 30th April · Basic Bricklaying – 1st May · Gardening Under Glass – 14th April fritillaria meleagris (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) Plant of the Week Fritillaria meleagris or snake's head fritillary, always attracts attention. No other members of the Fritillaria genus can match this native wildflower for the bizarre and unmistakable colouring of its bell-shaped flowers. These come in various shades of purple and occasionally white, always with a pronounced checked pattern all over. They are extremely hardy and trouble-free, and are ideal for growing in a variety of situations including containers, sunny spring borders and in wildflower meadows or areas of long grass. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM). Grow in free-draining soil in light shade. Allow foliage to die down completely after flowering. Contact us via or follow us on Instagram or Facebook.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Gardening school announces courses and celebrates graduates
It has been such a lovely week to be in the garden. There was a chilly wind at the beginning of the week, but we put on an extra layer and were able to get on with lots of jobs. Having noted last week that the magnolias and cherries were flowering later than a year ago, they have burst into flower this week and are looking stunning. There isn't any frost forecast so we are hoping they will carry on for at least the next couple of weeks. John Little teaching the diploma students (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) We have also spotted the first snake's head fritillary in the garden and so far the lily beetles haven't found it. The statuesque imperial fritillary are yet to flower, and although they have some slug or snail damage to their leaves, again the lily beetles have left them alone. We shall be on the look out for the little red creatures this week! The Certificate in Practical Horticulture students had a sunny day for their assessment and the day went really well. We look forward to celebrating their success at their graduation picnic in early May. In the meantime, some of them will already have launched their new gardening businesses and others will be more confidently gardening their own patch. Frog in wildlife pond (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) It's a great course for anyone interested in gardening and we just have one space left on the next course starting in late April. We've had a visit from one of our fantastic guest tutors on the Diploma in Garden Design. John Little is absolutely passionate about biodiversity in gardens and a huge proponent of creating green space on brown field sites. His ecological approach to garden design is both challenging and really inspiring and we were thrilled to have him back in the classroom. March is the perfect time to start growing your own vegetables, so it wasn't surprising to have a sell-out Your Veg Patch course this week, with lots of people keen to learn more about setting up their veg garden or allotment. Certificate in Practical Horticulture assessment (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) We showed them how to check their soil type, how to sow large and tiny seeds, how to create a fleece tunnel to protect brassicas from pigeons and butterflies, which varieties of veg we rate for ease of growing and taste and so much more. We do run the course again later in the year so you could join us then. This is the busiest time in the garden, and to help you we have lots of one day courses covering most of what you need to know right now. These are a few of the upcoming courses which have some spaces available. Let us know if you'd like to join us: · Dahlia Workshop – 8th April · Advanced Practical Gardening – 9th April · Sustainable Cutting Garden – 10th April · Certificate in Practical Horticulture – 25th April · Advanced Pruning & Training – 30th April · Basic Bricklaying – 1st May · Advanced Practical Gardening - 7th April · Gardening Under Glass – 14th April Chaemoneles speciosa 'moerloosei' (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) Plant of the Week Chaenomeles speciosa 'moerloosei' is an ornamental quince which is later flowering than other varieties and has cup-shaped, white flowers tinged with shades of pink, from March to May followed by aromatic, greenish-yellow fruit. It brings a welcome flush of colour to the garden in spring, when the bare twigs are smothered in flowers before the glossy, dark green leaves appear. This vigorous, deciduous quince makes an attractive informal hedge for a sunny or partly shady site with moderately fertile, well-drained soil, and looks stunning trained against a wall or fence. It is looking wonderful right now. The fruit can be eaten when cooked. Contact us via or follow us on Instagram or Facebook.
