7th April 2024

Welcome,

The wind has been ferocious and so far we seem to have escaped serious damage.

We are picking our first asparagus in the Vegetable Garden. It is the end of the Sprouting broccoli but Rhubarb is still going strong. The blossom is out on the apples, cherries and pears and we are hoping to miss any frosts!! Broad Beans have been sown outside but the other vegetables are in the Greenhouse where they are first planted.

The Greenhouse is now gradually losing all its overwintering plants and their place taken by the newly sown seeds.

Don’t miss the lovely Cheals Weeping Cherry with its rose pink blossom; it is in flower at the moment beside the long Iris bed.

The Dell is now a carpet of bluebells. We do seem to have white and pink bells as well and Celandine are taking up the space between.

The Daffodils this year have been a disappointment- as I explained in last weeks diary, but the Narcissus with their lovely scent are doing well and Cow slips seem to be flourishing in the wet weather.

The small white trees in flower in the Daffodil Shrubbery are Amelanchier, or as I like to call it Snowy Mespilus. Its foliage has pretty bronze tinged foliage turning orange and red in the autumn.

Lots of Primula and Spring bulbs appearing in the Water garden and the path is now lined by the newly emerged Hosta and Hemerocallis.

The bed in front of the Hall is planted with Rose de Rescht and popping up in it this year are some tulips. About 3 years ago squirrels dug up the 100 tulip bulbs that had been planted in this bed and for the first time we have seen the emergence of some of their descendants.

From the West Lawn look across the Moat to the lovely yellow rose. It’s name is Canary Bird and it’s always our first rose to flower.

The Wild garden has benefitted from the wet conditions and as the Wild daffodil are dying back, Snakes Head Fritillaria, Anemone Blanda, Primroses and even Anemone De Caen are in flower.

The lovely Tulips with the purple Honesty in the Courtyard are Tulip Ballade

Don’t miss the walk back along the drive where the Primroses are flowering so well this year

Stay healthy and good gardening

Lynda Tucker