Blog
14 September 2026
September has brought a welcome change of pace to Emmanuel College Gardens. After the prolonged warmth and dry conditions of recent weeks, the return to cooler temperatures has made the gardens feel refreshed, while the long-needed rainfall has brought real relief to lawns, borders, trees and shrubs. The difference is already visible: soils are beginning to regain moisture, foliage looks cleaner and brighter, and the whole garden has taken on a renewed sense of vitality.
Relief After the Dry Spell
The rain has been especially valuable for established trees and shrubs, which can continue to experience stress long after the hottest weather has passed. Although a few showers cannot fully replenish dry ground, steady rainfall is far more beneficial than a short, heavy downpour, as it has time to soak more deeply into the soil. The cooler days also reduce water loss through evaporation, allowing moisture to remain available to plant roots for longer.
Late-Summer Colour
September is a month of transition, but it is far from the end of the gardening year. Late-flowering perennials continue to provide colour and structure, while seed heads, ripening fruit and the first hints of autumn foliage add new interest throughout the grounds. The softer light at this time of year brings out the textures of ornamental grasses and foliage plants particularly well, and the gardens often look their best in the calm, clear conditions that follow rain.
September Work in the Gardens
For the garden team, this is an important month for both maintenance and preparation. We continue to deadhead where this will prolong flowering, while allowing selected plants to retain their seed heads for structure, wildlife and winter interest. Lawns are responding to the rain and will gradually recover from the dry spell, although we remain careful not to work wet ground unnecessarily. We are also assessing planting areas, lifting and dividing suitable perennials, and preparing for the bulb-planting season ahead.
Traditional Care of the New Court Parterres
One of our most recent projects has been the annual trimming of all the box-hedge parterres in New Court. We continue to carry out this task using traditional methods, working only with hand shears and string lines. Although this approach is slower than using a powered hedge trimmer, it allows the garden team to make cleaner, more precise cuts. In turn, this helps to keep the hedges healthier and less vulnerable to box tree caterpillar attacks and box blight. Once trimming is complete, we follow up with regular applications of an organic foliar feed to support strong, healthy growth. The whole process takes around a week, but the crisp finish and long-term benefits to the plants make the results well worth the effort.
Connections Through Time
I recently attended the Beth Chatto Symposium, Connections Through Time, a three-day conference held at the University of Essex, exploring some of the most important issues facing gardens and landscapes today. The programme examined sustainable gardening, the management of landscapes through increasingly challenging climatic conditions, and how we should approach tree management for the future. It was an energising and thought-provoking experience, and I returned enthused by what I had learned. The symposium also provided valuable lessons that I will apply critically and practically in my role as Head of Gardens and Landscapes here at Emmanuel College, helping us to care for the gardens responsibly while preparing them for the challenges ahead.
Looking Ahead
We recently visited Howes Nursery, a wholesale nursery, to begin planning replacement planting for specimens lost from the gardens during the drought. Being invited to view the current stock gave us an opportunity to assess both the quality of the plants and the standards under which they are grown. Selecting suppliers carefully is essential: healthy stock and good nursery hygiene give us confidence that we are purchasing from a responsible and reliable grower, while reducing the risk of introducing pests or diseases into the College gardens.
As the new academic year approaches, the cooler air and welcome rain have given the gardens a timely lift. September reminds us that a garden is always moving forward: summer displays begin to soften, autumn character starts to emerge, and the work we do now helps to shape the seasons to come. We hope that everyone passing through Emmanuel will take a moment to enjoy this refreshed and quietly changing landscape.
OTHER NEWS
The sports ground renovations have now begun, with the cricket square currently being renovated under the stewardship of our fantastic new Head Groundsman, Will Stander. Will has been at Emmanuel for only a couple of months, but he is already doing a great job, bringing energy and expertise to the role. I believe the future of the Emmanuel College Sports Ground is in very good hands.
