
07 Oct Oaks woodland themed garden display
As the growing season draws to an end, and things are quietening down, the Oaks team have been busy designing and creating a new woodland edge garden as part of their themed garden displays, in readiness for the spring season ahead.
The project team are working tirelessly to continue developing and improving the site and they have had great support from ‘Ranger Dave’ from the Cardiff Parks who kindly sourced some old logs to feature in the display and even rolled his sleeves up to help with the display. Once established, the team will use the area to inspire customers with what to do with shady areas in their gardens by planting shade loving plants such as wood anemones, violets, primroses, lily of the valley, wild garlic, hostas, ferns, bluebells etc.
The project is a hive of activity. As well as the themed gardens, trainees are busily engaged in sprucing the place up by repairing and paining staging and poly-tunnel doors as the student training focus shifts more strongly towards their Agored credit based learning. There is never a dull moment at the Oaks.
The trainees were also keen to show me the new soil steriliser which is already being put to good use. The unit was bought with a grant from Environment Wales and will now enable the project to produce its own sterilised soil for potting up plants, rather than paying for commercially bought in sacks, which will represent a huge cost saving for the project.