6th October 2024

Welcome to our last garden opening for 2024

It has been a difficult year with far too much rain. However, the vegetables have loved it- except for the Courgettes who are missing the sun. We are still harvesting Kale, Chard, Carrots, Beetroot, Squash and Parsnips. Onions are drying off in the Greenhouse and the Potatoes have been harvested. We have planted a very late row of dwarf Beans and some Winter Cabbage to accompany the Sprouting Broccoli in the Fruit Cage. The Tomatoes have had a fantastic year – both outdoor and indoor, and Apples and Pears are cropping well.

The timing for cutting the Box hedges has been difficult this year- either too wet or they got scorched on the fine day that we started, but this must be the last week to finish off the job before the danger of frosts, but again we must work with the weather.

The Cyclamen in the Dell are adding a bright splash of colour at the base of the trees and the daffodil area has had its last cut before the bulbs start emerging.

It is the time of year for cutting back and we started with the shrubbery in the Daffodil area. We discovered some of the shrubs had been pruned already by Muntjac (?) and that we need to do some remedial work on the Moat edges where the timber supports have been washed away.

The Asters in the Autumn Border are coming into flower and the shady water garden has bright splashes of colour from the Schizostylis

The pink Nerines along the wall at the front of the Hall are in flower and the Colchicums in the East lawn

Tall Ginger plants are flowering with the Passionflower at the back of the West Lawn and there is lots of colour from the Asters, Dahlias and Kniphofia. The Bay Tree has been severely pruned along with the rose Paula Himalayan Musk which completely covered it. Don’t miss the lovely pink sprays of the Lespendeza beside the Dahlia Bishop of Llandaff- it never ceases to delight. The Oleander in pots will soon go into the Greenhouse for winter protection and we are planting our daffodil and crocus bulbs and preparing the pots for next Springs display of tulips-

The Heron is a constant visitor and sits on the Vegetable Garden wall watching the Moat where some very large Carp and Eels are swimming – usually they can be seen under the new bridge. Cormorants appear in groups to fish and someone has been pruning the shrubs- perhaps a muntjac. There seem to be a lot of Squirrels and Rabbits, and we need to protect our bulbs when planting or they will dig them up. The House Martins have left for warmer climes, but we have enjoyed their antics and look forward to their return next year.

We open again on March 18^th and meanwhile, if you want to see what is happening in our garden you can follow us on the monthly Garden diary on our website

Stay healthy and good gardening

Lynda Tucker