7th May 2023

Welcome,

The Vegetable Garden is producing Asparagus, Spinach, Sprouting Broccoli and Rhubarb. Potatoes are being earthed up and Peas and Beans planted. The Espalier blossom seems to have escaped the frosts but the soil is still cold and unwelcoming.

The Delphiniums in the Iris bed are flourishing and some Iris in flower. Last year the Iris were lifted and divided and this year we hope to identify colours and rearrange as necessary

The Dell is now full of bluebells- although there are some pink and white bells as well

The Daffodil area has some lovely Cowslips and we encourage the tall white Cow Parsley to disguise the hundreds of dying Daffodils.

The Bog Garden is a mass of Caltha Palustris or Marsh Marigold and the Weeping Pears either side of the path are in flower.

On the front of the Hall the Wisteria is in flower but it seems to be a delicacy to the pigeons feasting on it.

The pretty yellow rose also on the front of the Hall is Banksia Lutea, not usually grown along wires but it works for us.

Looking across the Moat and back towards the Daffodil area, the yellow rose is Canary bird. This is usually the first rose to flower and the colour is picked up by the low growing Euphorbia happily spreading in the West Lawn flower beds. The blue flower is Camassia and this is also used in the Orchard in the long grass with white Tulip Triumphator and Alliums.

There is a Spotted Fly Catchers nest at the back of the house, the Swans are nesting in the Fishponds having been chased off the Moat by the army of Grey Lag Geese, the dawn chorus is not to be missed and the Sheep with their lambs are happily munching the Fishponds grass for us. Whilst we might be transitioning from Elizabethans to Caroleans nature is oblivious.

Stay Healthy and Good Gardening

Lynda Tucker