Parks apprentices complete North Lodge project

A small bed at North Lodge entrance has been taken over and filled with a combination of exciting and colourful summer bedding plants, including sweet peas growing over large hazel tripods, bright Tithonia rotundifolia-Mexican sunflowers and Eschscholzia californica-California poppies. This has been planned and designed by the Parks apprentices in combination with their in-house trainer Alan Thewlis.

The apprentices have undertaken all the work themselves including:

  • Propagating the plants from seed, growing these on in the greenhouse and then picking them out when large enough.
  • Building the hazel structures and fencing, from hazel they coppiced from within the Parks.
  • Weeding and preparing the bed before planting it out
  • The ongoing aftercare including watering, weeding, staking and replacing any failing plants

They have learnt lots from undertaking this project and the bed is currently looking spectacular, so if you haven't popped into the Park recently – come and take a look!

Contact us


+44 (0) 1865 2 82040

university.parks@admin.ox.ac.uk