21st June 2020

The herbs in the centre of the Vegetable Garden are going well and the 4 standard gooseberries are ripening. We are continuing to pick the globe artichokes and also strawberries, salad crops courgettes and broad beans. We have put squash plants underneath the sweet corn and have space for our winter brassicas, which have just been sown in the greenhouse.

In the Bog Garden the large leaves coming out of the water are from a Thalia dealbata which will produce long spires of purple flowers later in the year. On the path leading to the bog garden the Dierama ( Angels fishing rods ) are about to flower.

The rose over the metal arch is Alchemist.

The lovely little daisy covering the brick bridge in the water garden is an erigeron karvinsianusis which self -seeds along the stream.

As you approach the large stone bridge across the moat on the right next to the large copper beach tree is a Liriodendron tulipiferea -commonly known as the tulip tree. This is in flower at the moment and unless you go close you will miss the green/yellow flowers. Look also for the unusual lobed shaped leaves. It produces large quantities of nectar and is the state tree of Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee.

In the West Lawn the white rose growing through a tree -the other side of the Moat, is Wedding day which shows up beautifully particularly in the evenings, whilst the rose still giving such pleasure practically covering the bay tree is Pauls Himalayan Musk.

Stay healthy and good gardening

Lynda Tucker