The website’s Gallery software has been updated to the latest version today. There is no change to the appearance or functioning of the Gallery. This maintenance was required as the previous version was quite old and would soon have been incompatible with other software on the web server.

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Weather report for Thursday 15 June:

A sunny, warm, breezy day, 23.5C.

Tea break:

More than 20 volunteers and Friends of the Harris Garden gathered during tea break for refreshments in front of the shed. We were especially pleased to welcome David Betts, whose wife Jill was a keen supported of the Harris Garden.

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Weather report for Thursday 1st June 2017:

17C at the start of a busy morning, a warm, sunny day such that some of the 16 volunteers were seeking out shade.

Tasks for the morning:

Terry was fully occupied cutting back the lower branches of tree canopies to let light onto shrubs and herbaceous plantings below. Eunice and Trudi were working in the Meteor Garden, tending a glorious display of white flowers. Arne was staking asters in the Autumn Border. Chris and others were weeding by the stream. Jill was roaming over large areas of the garden, hunting that elusive weed, Impatiens parviflora, or small balsam, now in flower and so pretty, but ready to spring its seeds at the slightest touch.

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Weather report for Thursday 18th May 2017

Mostly sunny, 17C and a light breeze, just right for the annual volunteers’ lunch.

An excellent lunch for hard-working volunteers…

18 gathered in front of Pete’s shed to enjoy an informal buffet lunch of salads, cold meats, smoked salmon, cheeses, quiches, baguette, and delicious cakes. As you can see from the photographs, the weed-weary volunteers were intent on enjoying this special occasion and focused on their laden plates, determined to balance it all and enjoy every flavour.

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Weather report for Thursday 27 April 2017:

frost on lawns and cars at dawn. Turning cloudy later, a cold northerly wind. Temperature 9.5C by mid-afternoon.

Today’s tasks:

The Spring tidy up continues with weeding in many areas. Chris was well occupied with dead-heading an extensive planting of hellebores to prevent seeding.

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Thursday 20th April 2017 Weather report for 9 a.m.

9C, overcast, SW wind 8 mph.

Tasks undertaken today:

Jill, Rosemary, Chris and Eunice weeded the Fern Border. Trudi cleared some Crocosmia from the circular bed in the Winter Garden. Dick weeded and edged part of the Cherry Bowl, Sue removed brambles and ivy and Terry cut back a Sycamore tree in preparation for a new shrub border not far from the Walled Garden. Ania worked in the Autumn Border, transplanting Ajuga, digging and weeding a patch of ground and transplanting Sedum ‘Brilliant’, Arne watered recently planted shrubs and perennials, and Catherine planted Kniphofia ‘Brimstone’. Yesterday Don was working in the garden, tidying the Yellow Border.

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Thursday 13th April 2017 weather report:

11C this morning and a cool north-westerly wind, mostly cloudy.

Tasks for today:

Fourteen volunteers arrived to help with spring maintenance and tidying of the flower borders. It was time to remove last year’s wizened leaves from the gunnera by the pond, to weed the fern border, to mow some of the grass, to trim the edges of the red borders, and to clear brambles from near the fence.

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Finally got around to a much overdue “technical” update for the website!

There is absolutely no change to the content, but all parts of the website have been updated to bring the underlying technical aspects up to more modern standards.  The general styling of the site is also unchanged, although a few things may look slightly different due to the new software that runs behind the scenes.

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This autumn and winter the weather was generally mild and dry until just before Christmas. In the Autumn we have the routine of cutting and cleaning which has gratifying results. The scrub around many trees has gone, replaced by meticulous bark circles, courtesy of Lynda and Dick. Clearance in the Jungle, its extended pathway and many areas formerly overrun with brambles has been carried out mainly by Terry and Sue.

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