2nd July 2023

Welcome,

The Vegetable Garden is into gear and we are picking Spinach, broad beans, peas, cabbage, strawberries and salad crops. The Herb Garden is looking, tasting and smelling good and the sweet peas are picked every two days. The lovely rose on the supports beside the Moat is American Pillar rose.

We have cut back the Cat Mint in the Iris bed and will soon be trying to restore some colour order into the Iris after they were lifted and divided last August.

The evergreen Cistus Monspeliensis along the path has flowered and we are taking cuttings to replace the older plants. Beyond them on the banks of the Moat is the yellow Senecio with annual self- sown poppies between.

We have at last cut the grass in Daffodil areas and this will gradually improve with subsequent cuts and in the Autumn we sow blood fish and bone to feed the Daffodil bulbs. The plants along the edge of the Moat are Dierma, or Angels Fishing Rods, and what a descriptive name for these tall elegant plants.

The Bog Garden has the lovely Water Iris in flower and if you stand on the pontoon and look across to the Hall you will see by the bridge the cascading stems of Pauls Himalayan Musk next to the orange Hemerocallis.

Do wade along the path beside the Moat where both Hemerocallis and Hosta are currently in flower. This is the shady area in the garden where we are able to grow our primula and hellebore in the spring. The Hydrangea and Zantedeschia are enjoying it at the moment.

Please tread carefully on the gravel at the bottom of the West lawn – it is full of delicate little self- sown plants just emerging.

The Oleander is in flower in the large pots- taken inside for the winter but enjoying our summers outside.

Lots of visiting birds-one of the holiday cottages has swallows with 2 chicks in a nest in their porch.

Stay healthy and good gardening

Lynda Tucker