24th September 2023

Welcome to our last week of garden openings for 2023.

We have had a mixed weather gardening year with planting times being of extra importance. Beetroot have done badly and Tomatoes are very late, however, we have had excellent crops from Beans, Peas, Sweet corn, Courgettes, Asparagus and Broccoli.

We are now removing the supports for peas and beans and digging over the beds before adding a layer of compost. The Asparagus will be left to turn brown before cutting down and in the Greenhouse the lower leaves of the tomatoes removed so that any sun can reach the tomatoes to ripen them.

Our attention is now on fruits- Raspberries are going well and we have had a second crop of Strawberries, Plums and Blackberries have mostly been picked and we are harvesting our Apples and Pears. The Apples are either stored or juiced and frozen.

Outside the Greenhouse the Buddlea on the bank are being dead headed to stop the winds rocking them in the winter, and they will be hard pruned in the Spring.

The Cyclamen are providing a bold splash of colour in the Dell and the Camomile is gradually spreading in the space between the Jaquemontii Birch. This is the area where the Snowdrops and Bluebells dominate in the Spring as well as Cyclamen Coum.

In the Autumn Border we are waiting for the sun to open the Aster flowers- there are 8 different colours and along with the Dahlias make a colourful display when flowering.

Asters are more advanced in the West lawn- where they do get more sun, but look out for the lovely pink flowered Lespendeza near the orange Cosmos and red Dahlia Bishop of Llanduff. Along the wall the tall yellow spikes are Ginger (hedychrium Gardnerianum) and lining the Pergola path with orange flowers is Zauschneria ‘Ed Carman”

Thank you for your support and look forward to seeing you when we reopen for the Daffodils at the end of March 2024.

Stay healthy and good gardening

Lynda Tucker