12th April 2026

Welcome

The recent warm spell has woken up the gardens. We are picking Asparagus but the Purple Sprouting Broccoli is coming to an end. We have fleece covering the potatoes (Charlotte) and supports are up for the beans. The onions have been planted and the spaces will be inter planted with beetroot and spinach.

The Greenhouse is full of seedlings starting life under protection before planting out.

Cheals Weeping Cherry is in flower by the Iris bed but needs support to prevent it falling over.

The Dell is changing from white (snowdrops ) to blue (Bluebells). Not entirely blue as we also have pink and white but all are welcome.

The Fishponds had machinery digging out the reeds which were blocking the ponds. The spoil had been placed on the banks and this is now an ongoing job to tidy up and sow some grass seed. Presumably in medieval times the fish kept the reeds under control?  Nowadays any fish in the ponds made their own way there and their numbers would not be high.

The Daffodils are coming to an end but there are still quite a few different ones to see. Paulownia is the name of the large tree beside the path in the Daffodil area – well worth a visit when it is in flower.

The Water Iris in the Bog Garden are budding up as are the Hosta and Hemerocallis lining the path beside the stream.

On the front of the Hall the Wisteria is coming into flower and the recently planted tulips along the wall are doing well.

Amanagowa is the name of the flowering Cherry on the West lawn and the tulips in the Urns are Princess Irene. The bamboo canes are an attempt to prevent further damage from the

Grey lag Geese when they smashed the tulips down to make a nest in the urn. They have successfully relocated to a spot more acceptable to our planting where they sit on 7 eggs.

The courtyard at the back of the hall is sheltered and the Paeonia are well advanced and the tulip, Ballade, is in flower. This bed has pink Lilly of the Valley.

There are lots of birds living in the gardens. The Green Woodpecker is particularly loud but there are Tits and Wagtails, Grey Lag Geese and the haunting night call of the Owl.

Stay heathy and good gardening

Lynda Tucker