MARC BOLAN'S ROCK SHRINE :: 15th DECEMBER, 2011
THE BULB PLANTING
Photos by Kevin and Fee Warner (c) 2011
Originally the bulb planting should have taken place on the 8th December, 2011. However, Kev was ill, so it was delayed by a week until Kev was well enough to do what was a hard, physical day's work!

RIGHT: Firstly, many tanx to Maria for coming to help.
Once the Bulb-Bed had been prepared with new compost and slow release fertiliser the bulb trenches could be dug for the Spring Flowering Bulbs to be laid out ready for the area to be filled in. The heavy rain prior to the planting made the ground ideal and the rain afterwards watered the area so that this was the perfect day for Bulb Planting. Of course this means that our bulbs at home remain unplanted as this 'perfect day' was given over to TAG.

LEFT: Bulbs in situ, ready for the bulb bed compost to be filled in over them. Note the candle wax, here at the base of the bronze bust. This had to be scrapped off as did the other patches on other parts of the steps and in between the cobbles around the Memorial Base. If you are going to use candles please make sure that you use containers which do not allow way to spill. Please no not leave glass candle holders as these get smashed and risk injury to other visitors and local pets and other animals. Please also do not leave the site with candles burning when you leave. Ideally please take the candles with you, so that teenagers don't light them and then leave. I say this as TAG Chairman because one one patch of wax contained the burned and melted remains of plastic. This may have been the plastic candle holder, or possibly some laminate-coated picture. Whatever it was it was allowed to burn unattended and could have caused more serious damage than to simply become an eye-sore. Athe bottom of the thumb nails you can see some of the candle wax being cleared away as well as cleaning the soil out from between the PRS Memorial Cobble Base. You can also see that having to scrape the candle wax off the steps also pulls off the timber treatment on the steps themselves too.

LEFT: Kevin Warner doing the hard task of laying out the bulbs without standing on the dug-over and prepared bulb bed so that the soil, compost, slow release nutrients of the bulb bed remained light and airy ready for the bulbs and not compressed due to the weight of feet. PLEASE NOTE: The Ivy here has not been removed, but has carefully been moved, without breaking the stems and roots so that bulbs can be planted. The Ivy was then moved back. Fresh rotted Ivy plants were planted in between the bulbs so that the area can fill in over time, to replace the Ivy ripped out in February 2010. Because this is an artificial embankment it drains very quickly so that plants do not grow well and can dry in periods of limited rainfall. Therefore it is a fine balancing act to keep the soil covered to reduce water evaporation, while thinning out the Ivy so that it does not look 'over whelmed'. The aim is to encourage the Ivy to return to the bare patch created on the 14th February, 2010, so that the new bulbs can 'pop-out' of this Ivy. As the bulbs establish and naturalise they will fill in the area with flowers and their own greenery.

RIGHT: Blue Grape Hyacinth bulbs laid in place by Maria who came along to help Fee & Kevin Warner with the bulb planting. You can see the signage explaining that the area has been planted and requesting that people do not walk on the soil, but keep to the steps.

LEFT: Topping up the bark chippings. As well as cutting back the ivy from the edge of the shrine/Gipsy Lane and from behind the PRS Memorial where it was long and growing across the Memorial Base, the Bark Chippings (Play Bark) was also topped up on the Viewing Platform and Steps. As you can see it is late afternoon, and the light is starting to go as doing work of this nature is both hard physical work, it is time consuming. Especially given the three hour return travelling which has to be added to the time spent actually working on the site itself. Spreading out the Bark Chippings. On the left and right of the sides of the viewing platform you can see new signs which have been put up explaining that the areas have been planted and requesting that people only use the steps to go up and down between the Tree and the Memorial.

You can also see the new Ivy plants to the right of the steps added at the same time as the bulbs, to replace the Ivy ripped out without our consultation in February 2010. The aim is for this to fill in the area with a covering of Ivy to retain moisture in the soil. We still have Lily of the Valley to plant at the site. This will be placed to the left and right of the steps towards the top. Lily of the Valley was slected as it is scented. This is currently being grown in pots in our green house and when they have established they can be transplanted in clumps to give them the best chance of establishing. We also have some perenials which are being grown in the green house for the site. When these will be planted will depend on the weather.

The work not quite finished. Time now to take photos and do some videoing of the site before the light goes. Once again, you can also see the new Ivy plants to the right of the steps added at the same time as the bulbs, to replace the Ivy ripped out without our consultation in February 2010. The aim is for this to fill in the area to retain moisture in the soil.

You can see the log-roll installed by TAG in 2000. Unfortunately this and the dead tree trunk covered with Ivy and the Honeysuckle we planted were both damaged. The most likely reason is that a car, while turning round at the side reversed into the log roll with enough force to tear it out of the ground and topple the tree trunk to a degree where we had no option but to remove it. We do plan to add a post a little further back than the original trunk and replant new Honeysuckle in the Spring. This part of the log-roll will also need replacing. The work for TAG members at the Shrine is an endless task, simply to keep things looking as they always have!

VIEW THE SELECTION OF BULBS PLANTED HERE




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