What’s new in the square?

A new metal edging for the rosebeds.

Our gardening plans for spring include planting plenty of snowdrops and mini daffodils in Arlington Square’s rejuvenated circular beds. The perimeter beds near the northeast gate opposite the vicarage are also due to be boosted with some interesting new plants.

Above: germander will border the southern beds.

The square’s four rectangular rosebeds have recently been professionally edged with bespoke metal borders, produced and installed by the company who edged the two circular beds. The two southern beds will be edged with the evergreen hedge germander (Teucrium lucidrys) to match the northern rosebeds where it replaced the lavender that had proved too brittle for a public garden.

Teucrium is a hardy evergreen that makes an excellent low and neat flowering hedge. The plants have small, dark green leaves with reddish edges and a pleasant spicy aroma, and in summer and autumn they have dainty pink flowers. Germander was traditionally a medicinal plant planted in knot gardens and used to treat gout.

Work continues in the community garden in the southwest corner of the square, with more trimming of the hedges and new roses to be planted to climb along the fence.

Rod at work on the benches

Meanwhile, the square’s benches are getting a facelift. How many of them are there? Go on – take a guess. Would you believe there are 32? And the Arlington Association’s deputy chair Rod Austin has volunteered to renovate every one of them. Over the winter months he’ll be sanding them and painting them with a teakcoloured stain that should also be resistant to mould, moss and rot from water exposure.