this month's flower
Edgworth and District Horticultural Society
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H
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   The Barlow Flower Bed

see Planting list and planting plan

Early in 2013 the Society offered to redesign the bed at the front of The Barlow which had previously been looked after by Blackburn Council who adopted a 'municipal planting' style with annuals planted in rows around a small (and very weedy) lawn. The Society allocated a budget of £1,000 for the project and aimed to provide an informal style of planting, with herbaceous planting and shrubs. A prime consideration was that the planting should be low maintenance as the plants become established.

The Committee of The Barlow accepted our offer and The Society then began to plan how to make the bed a thing of beauty.

The bed itself presented a couple challenges:

  • the Cherry tree (planted some 40 years ago by two local members of the Women's Institute) has an extensive root system across the whole of the bed and will always take most of the available nutrients, light and water;
  • there are 3 signs in the bed itself and a flagpole.


The two factors above mean the west-facing bed is quite shady, dry and has shallow soil for planting. 

The Barlow itself is built of a darkish red brick, so it was decided that the flowering elements of the planting would be primarily white, to lighten the look of the bed. Added colours are blues, ruby hues (to chime in with the Society's 40th Anniversary in 2013) and the odd splash of pink. The Aquilegia 'Nora Barlow' has been used too, specifically to link in with the Barlow family. Even the Hostas used have a white edge to their leaves. Nestling right up to the trunk of the Cherry are Cyclamen, Anemones and ferns which we hope will be happy in the conditions there. As the planting gets further away from the tree trunk, the soil is a little deeper and it has been possible to plant some more traditional herbaceous plants.

Old roses and other shrubs were the first to go


Work on the bed began in September 2013 when 7 Society members (and 1 person who was not) began to lift the weedy lawn and clear the bed of its old planting.  As the bed was cleared and weeded, the planned maintenance path was gradually installed, masterminded by the Society's Treasurer, Phil Broughton.

After adding topsoil, the planting began. Perennials were supplemented by spring corms and bulbs, including anemones, cyclamen, narcissus (2 types, both white), snowdrops and crocus. 

The back of the bed, against the red brick walls of The Barlow, was planted with Crinodendron 'Ada Hoffman' and Daphne bholua 'Jacqueline Postill', which are evergreen and have different flowering times. Needless to say, at the time of planting they looked very small but, over the years, they should give the bed a beautiful and fragrant background.  After underplanting the shrubs with some of the bulbs listed above, a covering of composted bark finished the area off.

Volunteers start to clear the bed



On 7th November the final perennials were planted (all white, of course), and the bed given a light weeding. We noticed some of the bulbs planted a few weeks previously were developing roots (whoops!), so we're hopeful that there are signs of growth for the spring of 2014.

People who did the hard work are:

   Sue Brohi
   Phil Broughton (path)
   Nicky Crayfourd
   Carole Frudd
   Sue Jeffries
   Susan Parsons
   David Mason
   Amanda Mason

We also have to thank Nicky Crayfourd's horse, Kes, who provided the fertiliser!

The flower bed
                  after a further 45 plants had been received from the
                  nursery

Planting complete - roll on Spring 2014

 

Diary charting the progress of The Barlow flower bed

Planting list and planting plan

Gallery - The Barlow flower bed (September/October 2013)

Gallery - The Barlow flower bed (Spring/Summer 2014) 

 

We hope our members and the local community enjoy the re-planted bed as it matures during 2014.

If you are admiring the bed and not a member of the Horticultural Society, why not come and join us. The current programme of events can be found by following this link.