5th May2024

Welcome

The weather has encouraged the plants to grow and the soil has now warmed up and we can sow directly into it..

Asparagus is producing well and we still have some flowering broccoli-albeit a little tough. Rhubarb is growing well but we are not picking from the new Rhubarb bed by the gate as this will be left this year to establish.

Potatoes are continually being earthed up and we are keeping on top of any weeds that appear in that bed which last year was the Raspberry cage.

The Iris bed has become a carpet of white and now that I am able to see the colours we are trying to get the Iris back into bands of colour. Despite, carefully, I thought, tying coloured wool onto the stems last year to help when replanting, the colours have somehow got mixed. The white are beautifully scented and possibly there’s a case for an all white bed somewhere- watch this space.

In the Daffodil area we are leaving the daffodils to die back and Cow Parsley and Cowslips are adding to the wild appearance. Look out for the beautiful Paulownia (or Foxglove tree) which is in full bloom with its lilac scented flowers. Also in full flower is the bright yellow Laburnum whose seeds are poisonous but flowers eye catching.

The Bog Garden has benefitted from the amount of rainfall and the plants are looking very happy. We had a huge display of Caltha Palustris (marsh Marigold) and now that has finished the Water Iris take centre stage. Iris Pseudacorus Variegata with its striped leaves and yellow flowers, Iris Laevigata Variegata with its ivory striped leaves are both in flower and the deep purple flowers of Iris Black Gamecock are in bud. Primula Pulverulenta with its magenta heads formed in tiers up its stem have established themselves here and the bright yellow Trollius Europaeus is in flower.

Hosta line the path beside the stream and with water on one side and gravel the other we don’t suffer too much from slugs. Hemerocallis are on the other side of the path.

The yellow rose along the front of the Hall is Banksiae Lutea and the West facing wall has Actinidia with leaves that look like an artist’s palette. Wisteria is along another wall and that will be followed by Rose Rambling Rector.

We are gradually removing plants from the Greenhouse, and these will harden off before filling the pots and urns on the West lawn. I always think it a mistake to put a spade in the ground before the plants have appeared -and we have lost many plants by overzealous gardening, but everything is now coming through, and it is time to spot that place for the plant you want to add.

Gray lag Geese have monopolised the Moat and even chased off the Heron. We haven’t yet seen the return of the House Martins but a few evenings ago Swallows were swooping over the water in the Fishponds. Rabbits, Muntjac, Moles and Squirrel are still in evidence, and we have Blue Tits nests and Grey Wagtails, Pied wagtails and possibly a Yellow Wagtail have been seen.

Stay healthy and good gardening.

Lynda Tucker