5th April 2026

Welcome,

The nights are still very cold and the wind can be cutting but the warmth of the sunshine has lifted our Easter spirits and I hope yours too.

In the Vegetable Garden the Sprouting Broccoli is going strong but we are coming to the end of the Leeks. Rhubarb is magnificent and we have seen the first Asparagus shoots appearing. Charlotte Potatoes are tucked up snuggly under the fleece.

Broad Beans and Onion sets have been grown in the Greenhouse, hardened off and now planted outside. We will “companion” plant the Onions with Beetroot and Spinach.

The Iris bed is interplanted with Delphinium to give continuity after the Iris have flowered. Catmint is planted at the front of this bed and this will cover a multitude of plants dying back.

The Dell, which once was a mass of white Snowdrops, now has Bluebells pushing up and ready to take over. Look for the delicate little white Anemone Nemorosa in the central island bed.

We have been clearing the reeds from the Fishponds and the soil was dumped on the banks. This will now be raked through to remove any reeds and sown with grass. We mow a path through the Fishponds otherwise it is left to the Hebridean sheep to keep the grass down.

The yellow Daffodils have largely finished but there are still lots of interesting varieties to see.

Water Iris are pushing up in the Bog Garden (we have 3 varieties) and the yellow Caltha Palustris is in flower.

The Clematis Armandii is just finishing flowering on the front of the Hall. The shrub in the gravel Infront is Spirea Bridal Wreath. This was here when we arrived in 1993 and I believe must have been in an old flower bed. This makes it 33+ years old!!

You will have followed the saga of the Grey lag Geese and the Tulip Urns on Facebook/Instagram but it does explain the presence of the bamboo canes.

The Wild Garden is well worth a visit. The Giant snowflake ( Leucojum Gravetye Giant)) are in flower along the Moat edge . It get its name from Gravetye Manor in Sussex and loves being planted near water. Fritillaria, Primula, Anemone Blanda and Caen are all in flower.

We have 28+ Hebidean lambs. Muntjac are regular night time visitors and Grey Lag Geese are bossing the Moat. Birdsong has picked up and we are seeing Wagtails and many of the Tit family. Magpies as well as many Raptors fly overhead and Robins appear whenever a fork is put into the ground.

Stay healthy and good gardening

Lynda Tucker