28th July 2024

Welcome

The garden is benefitting from the sunshine and its warmth after the long wet period. Some plants- such as the sweet peas, have benefitted and the stalks are longer than I have ever known, but others, such as the Box, missed the June cut because of the wet and we are now playing catch up. Lots of lovely green veg for you to see in the garden plus Beetroot and Tomatoes. We pick for ourselves etc and any surplus sell when the gardens are open.

It is the time of year when we are “cutting back” in the garden. Shrubs that have flowered are now dead headed so that their energy stays within the plant rather than trying to make seed. This is particularly true of the roses and geraniums where in some cases we get a second flowering.

The Iris bed has been cut down and the last Delphinium in that bed has been left for us to save the seed. Behind the bed is Blue Chicory and there are 10 roses planted in the bank which in time should be a backdrop to the Iris Bed.

Opposite, Buddleia are attracting the butterflies, and this bank has been entirely grown from cuttings- very easy to do.

The daffodil areas have now been cut down and the sun should now help to build up their bulbs. They have already had an annual feed.

We will need to wait until the gardens have closed before removing the fallen Willow in the Bog Garden. The tall plant with spear shaped leaves growing in the water is Thalia Dealbata.

The bright yellow berries on the ground have fallen from a Mirabelle plum tree- believed to have been cultivated from a wild plum tree grown in Anatolia.

Tall spikes of pink Persicaria line the path beneath the Buddleia Globosa and the shade, which was enjoyed by Primula in the Water Garden is now enjoyed by the Hydrangeas.

Crossing the bridge look down for the water lilies in flower- you might even see a Moorhen which seem to happily walk across them.

Oleander are in bud in the pots at the bottom of the West lawn and look across the Moat and you will see the white flowers on top of our Indian bean tree.

Should the sun be too strong enjoy the shade of the Nut Walk as they once did “back in the day”

We have had another lamb born today- the first one was born in February?! Looking out of my window I can see the House Martins have fledged and appear to be flying on short trial excursions. Two Herons seem to have taken up residency and there were three Cormorants on the water last week. Small shoals of fish are in the Moat but the ones we have seen are hopefully too large to be fished.

Stay healthy and good gardening

Lynda Tucker