It was with a glad heart that I made my way to Skipton this morning, throwing off several days of snowbound boredom. We knew we were to practise rose pruning but were pleased to find out this was not to be within the confines of Craven college but out in the community working on the diamond jubilee memorial garden constructed by the college students last year. The piece of ground chosen had been a neglected green space surrounded by sheltered housing, how pleased the residents must have been to have that boring space enhanced and were probably entertained by all the comings and goings. The beds were themed to the Olympic colours and many appropriate roses chosen along with herbaceous perennials, bulbs and trees for all season interest. Besides being a boon to the people living there it is also of great benefit to the college students who so rarely have the opportunity to get hands on tuition in all aspects of the job from general maintenance to hard landscaping and stone walling.
It was the usual bun fight of course as there are rather a lot of us but we are enthusiastic if nothing else and a bunch of gardeners working together cannot fail to have fun. I wonder if Harrogate council would let a bunch of amateurs take over one of its green spaces, somehow I suspect not, which is a shame when their own workmen often produce unimaginative municipal plantings!
"A community is like a ship, everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm"
Henrik Ibsen
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