During this 3-month placement in the Victorian Walled Garden of Kylemore Abbey I had to manage several working projects.

At the beginning all new trainees were introduced to the garden routines, before we had to work on our own. After one week I was already used to most of the processes in the garden and able to fulfil the tasks by myself. Each morning we followed various procedures: all gates had to be opened for the visitors, toilets had to be checked, plants had to be watered. During the day certain tasks had to be fulfilled regularly, for example the trainees had to check the plants placed in coldframes or to measure the quantity of last day’s rain.

Apart from that I had a various duties: I spent the majority of the day during the summer weeding the numerous flower beds and watering the seedlings. As well my tasks contained planting, potting, preparing cuttings, sowing and cutting. If it started to rain, we continued our work inside the glasshouse or cleaned the staff rooms.

Formal Flower Garden		Glasshouse

At the end of summer we had to do more and more planting. With the help of plant designs, given by our boss, we started and finished spring bedding nearly on our own. Kylemore is a formal victorian Garden, that's why we had to reshape every bed to its former looks before planting, because every bed has a drainage around it which is always filled by soil when it rains. Afterwards the plants had to be put in very straight and with similar distances between each of it. Every bulb we planted had to be put on layer of grit to improve the drainage.

Besides we have been responsible for harvesting vegetables and herbs in the vegetable garden. The crop was sold to visitors and staff in so called Vegetable Bags.

Beds with drainage system		Vegetable Bags

During the last month, besides clearing and replanting beds, I had to cut those plants, which are left outside for the winter. Althought annuals have been typical for victorian planting, more and more are replaced by easy-care perennials. Most of the annuals had to be replaced with others more than once during the year. Kylmores most important demand is to show an attractive garden all year round.

The Teahouse		Inside the glasshouse

My placement in Ireland was worth it in different ways: the experience to start something new in a completely foreign country, to meet new people and habits, to find new friends, to improve my knowledge of plants and landscaping and most of all my English because of the contact to foreign trainees and Irish people. This time made me more self-confident and strengthened the faith in my own abilities.