Cove Garden Gets a Trim

In a summer that has produced a steady supply of sunny weather, it's been hard to find a day that is pleasantly cool for garden chores and, August 29th, scheduled as a clean-up day for the Cove Garden, had to be one of the hottest. Nevertheless, seven hardy members of Chester Garden Club turned out to tackle the weeding, edging and pruning needed to put the garden back in shipshape condition.

As usual, Myra brought large sacks to cart away the debris and take it home for composting.

The rose bed along the top of the sea wall is looking in good shape but the cotoneasters, planted with the aim of having a low ground cover around the rosebushes, were once again victims of sea surges and had to be dug out. The Trustees are now considering replacing them with hardy vines that can grow over the stones and soften the look at the edge of the seawall.

Knee pads came in handy for many of the gardeners who found themselves getting down and dirty while weeding under the overgrown roses that border the garden on the roadside.

The application of good compost last spring had a beneficial effect on the many weeds that were lurking among the roses and azaleas. Aside from the usual culprits (sheep's sorrel, plantain and buttercup), several larger "volunteers" had to be cut out from the shrubbery.

Accumulated piles of weeds and cuttings were gathered into bags for future composting.

With only a few more feet to tidy along the edge of the path, the volunteers took a moment to admire the neat and attractive garden space that is the Cove Garden, a property owned and maintained by the Club and open to anyone who enjoys strolling through, or sitting on one of the benches while reflecting on the charm of a seaside setting.