The Gardens of Fanshawe College

Summer Blog

Blayne D. 

May 2-6, 2016

Monday

Spring has officially arrived with cool winds and a warm sun. Plants are starting to bud up and bloom while the student gardeners are gearing up for a great summer on campus! The crew set out to tackle the front of T Building where there was a big need for weeding, cut backs and some edging. Since we all have been trained on equipment operations, the crew put to use their skills in taking up the RTV and trailer to use for compost and tools. In the afternoon, they set out to bring life back into the entrance on Fanshawe Blvd by cutting Sedum and weeding. 

Tuesday

While I was working all morning in the greenhouse, the others were then trained on the hedge trimmers and then set to work on cleaning up and cutting back grasses by the entrance they were working on Monday. Scott set out to do some interior plant care and hit up T building, the Registrar’s Office, around Oasis and near the book store. In the afternoon I was then trained more on the tractor and trailer for our upcoming employee training test. 

Wednesday

We all arrived at the Cuddy Gardens for more training on bigger and smaller equipment such as back pack blowers, line trimmers, head shears, mowers, rototillers and aerators.  By going through all the power equipment, this assured that we all understand the safe operations. We started off the afternoon by weeding by the main entrance then we moved onto transplanting by the hoop houses. Transplanting perennials was done in the most efficient way in order to complete as much we could. We set up an assembly line where a few people would be filling pots with soil, then brought to others who were potting up these plants, they were then labelled and put on a cart to then be wheeled into the hoop house to get watered.  They will be sold or used in the annual Cuddy Open Gardens which is the first weekend of June.

Thursday

Scotty was in the greenhouse pinching back petunias for our customer orders, watering and other duties. Everyone else was at Z building working on weeding and cut backs on some Hydrangeas.  After lunch we went up on the green roof. This is the first time the summer students and I have been up on the green roof and we were given a general overview and the future tasks we will be doing on a rotation. The main reasons for installing green roofs is for storm water management, air pollution reduction, energy use reduction and aesthetics. Below is a bird’s eye view of Fanshawe’s Z Building with the live roof present. Sedums and Allium and other drought resistance perennials are some of the plants grown on the roof. While on the green roof we came across a mother goose and her young. We all stopped to enjoy the view for a moment and take a few pictures. We went to continue our work at Z then headed back to the college at 3 pm to unload and help out in the greenhouse before a truck load of mulch came our way. 

Friday

We all finished up doing cut backs from Thursday and completed a bed of weeds all morning. While finishing off the areas around Z we came across a couple beautifully flowering daffodils and tulips. In the afternoon some were still up at Z and a few also working around campus. As a second year I’m excited to be back working at the college with my new coworkers. Overall, the beginning of our summer employment has been a blast! With the promise of great weather to come and a new crew to create lasting memories and experiences, I know this will be a summer to remember.