Work Experience

SL Garden Services
During my time working with a sole trader I carried out maintenance tasks in domestic gardens. Here I learnt pruning techniques, the process of double digging, how to measure up and prepare a site for planting. I found that this particular experience was particularly useful as it helped to improve my plant knowledge by seeing the same plant in various gardens establish week after week.

Double Digging

 Other tasks included:

• General border maintenance; such as, path clearance, grass edge cutting, weeding and dead heading.
• Dividing plants, such as Primulas, Pulmonaria officinalis and Aquilegia.

I completed a total of 67 hours working at S L Services between June-September 2014.

Shipley Country Park
During my placement at Shipley Country Park I was based in the wildlife garden, maintaining the borders, shrubs and clearing weeds from the path using a trowel and hand fork to make the garden look tidier and more inviting. I also learnt about wildlife conservation within the garden. I also had to do some pond clearance.

Before

After

 Other tasks included:

• Removing Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) as it is poisonous to horses that use the parks bridle ways. It is also harmful to the cattle in neighbouring fields if the seeds are dispersed.
• Pruned a Berberis that was hanging over the path, as it could be potentially dangerous to the public due to the thorns.



The cleared paved area

• I also had to clear out half the plant material from the pond, so that it easier for the visitors to see the pond life. The plant material that was removed was left on the side of the pond until the next day, to allow any pond life to crawl back into the pond.
 

Before

          During

After

I completed a total of 45 hours working at Shipley Country Park between July-September 2014.

Bridge Farm Small Holding- WWOOF UK

Also during the summer I volunteered on a small holding in Clay Cross. I had to do a lot of land clearance, which included the removal of established seedlings of Ash trees and digging over areas that were going to be used as a new fruit/veg plot. Below are some of the new skills that I learnt during my time at the farm. I also learnt about Permaculture and how to be self sufficient from a friend of the families; this included only eating fruit and vegetables that were in season.

Land clearance for the new fruit/veg plot.

 Cutting down and digging out Ash trees.

 Other tasks included:

• Whilst I was at Bridge Farm I was shown how to do some willow weaving using a willow tepee and living willow hedge. The new stems that had grown out of the structure had to be weaved back in by pushing them to the inside. To add to the structure you place hardwood willow cuttings into the ground and they should hopefully establish in order to more leafy growth to the tepee. 

Willow Weaving

• From the areas that had been cleared, we used some the branches to do some creative upcycling in order to create a dead hedge. The branches were weaved into a wire frame and fence posts.

Weaving branches into the dead hedge structure.

• I also did some plum picking using an A-frame ladder, which proved to be quite challenging as the tree had been allowed to grow quite tall and it was hard to get the ladder level on the ground. 

During my time at Bridge Farm I completed 65 hours during August 2014. Throughout the whole summer altogether I did 177 placement hours.