29th September 2024

Welcome to the penultimate garden opening week for 2024.

The Vegetable Garden is still in full swing. The Butternut Squash has grown through the Sweetcorn and Leeks and now scrambling on to the Box. Sweet Peas are left for seed and Tomatoes, both outside and inside, are being dried or turned into sauces for the freezer. The Rhubarb is looking very healthy- these are plants split from the original plant and moved to a new bed but not harvested this year- it’s first year. Herbs are dried or frozen and Onions dried off in the Greenhouse before storing. The Greenhouse is still full of Tomatoes and Peppers and the Orchids have been brought in for winter shelter.

The Delphiniums in the Iris bed were cut to the ground but some are having a second flowering and this bed has been planted with Crocus Tomasianus Whitwell Purple. We use chilli powder when planting these bulbs to deter the squirrels.

The Dell is full of Cyclamen flowering around the base of trees which give a welcome burst of colour at this time of year.

The Autumn Border is still waiting for the sun to open its Aster and Dahlia flowers, but the Hydrangea in the Water Garden are enjoying the shade. The pretty pink and white flowers by the path are Schizostylis or Kaffir lilies and Toad lilies, with their mottled flowers, line the ditch.

On the West lawn Geraniums have been moved from the Urns but the Oleander in pots are still happy outside. The Bay tree, with the rose Pauls Himalayan Musk, has outgrown its position and has been severely cut back with a lot of dead wood from the rose removed. Unfortunately, the rose will not spectacularly cover the Bay next year but in time……. Ginger plants are flowering in front of the wall with its covering of Passionflower.

There is still a lot of colour in the sunny beds with Aster, Anemone, Lespendeza and Dahlia and in the gravel border the Geranium Psilostemon is having a second flowering. Looking across the Moat the Shrubbery with its dominant colours of red and yellow is beginning to take on its autumn mantle.

The sheep have returned to the Water Meadow, the widowed Goose is still waiting for us to find a mate, we still have House Martins and Herons. Quite large fish can be seen if you look into the water under the new bridge and 4 Cormorants were resting in the same tree overlooking the Moat. Rabbits. Squirrels, Pheasants, Pigeons and Moles are all in evidence. We have seen a lot of Large White Butterflies and some Orange Tip.

Stay healthy and good gardening

Lynda Tucker