3rd February 2023

Well what a January we have had!!

Temperatures below freezing and the ground crunching under the feet- beautiful, but with consistent low temperatures most plants took the decision to stay underground and we were looking for jobs in the Greenhouse/ Coffee Shop or Potting shed.

The Vegetable Garden was frozen solid and lifting Parsnips and Carrots meant digging up large clumps of soil and separating the vegetables by hand. The kale stood up well to the cold-we grow Nero di’Toscana.  The Asparagus had been cut to the ground after the foliage turned brown and we have started a new bed. Gjnlim surprisingly arrived for planting in the Autumn from the RHS- despite their best practice suggesting Spring planting? We shall see, obviously not to be picked this year but we shall feed along with the other bed this month.

The inner Greenhouse has been covered in bubble wrap held up by tintacks. The Greenhouse is not heated and this extra protection in the winter keeps the temperature manageable.

The orchid plants for the Hall are left outside during the summer then stored in the Greenhouse and once we see a flowering stalk brought back to the house – 2 pots so far this year.

It is already the beginning of February and I have only now started sowing seeds. The Sweet Peas have all been sown and do look at our Facebook/Instagram pages to see how we recycle loo rolls which then get planted along with the seedlings. Beetroot and onion sets are now in the inner greenhouse but it is still cold and I am waiting for the weather to improve before sowing the other seeds.

We have delayed pruning shrubs and roses as stems were so frozen that they were splitting as they were being cut. We still have the last few roses to do before moving on to the Pleached Hornbeam but the Weeping Pear, Viburnum and Wisteria have all been pruned

Leaves need to be raked before Christmas from the Nut Walk before the aconite heads appear- worth getting the timing right! Then the first two weeks in January are spent tying in and shaping the hazelnuts to achieve the desired shape-again photos on social media.

The weather is warming and we are busy replacing edges to paths, replenishing the ornamental bark on the daffodil shrubbery, putting down more gravel and preparing for our opening for NGS on 25^th February.  An opportunity for visitors to see the “bones of the garden” without the distraction of flowers. The Aconites, Cyclamen, Hellebore and Snowdrops are even more appreciated rising from this bare winter landscape.

The Swans have returned and are aggressive to the Geese but not yet building their nest, Woodpeckers have been heard and Jays and Egyptian Geese. Kites are circling overhead. We have mole hills amongst the daffodils and squirrels and rabbits have been attacking my crocus- Spring is on its way!!

Stay healthy and good gardening

Lynda Tucker