29th June 2025

Welcome

We are struggling with the heat- liked by some plants but not the Vegetables which do need watering.  We are picking Currants, Gooseberries, Broad Beans, Carrots, Peas and Courgettes, some salad crops, still digging Charlotte potato and Beetroot. The Sweet Peas need regular picking, the Beans encouraging to wind round the supports while the Squash and Pumpkin are crying out for water.

The Greenhouse is now full of tomatoes. We have Marmande which is a later flowering beefsteak variety. Another tomato-Tumbling Tom is planted in the chimney pots in the Herb Garden.

 In places the old moat walls have long disappeared and by the Greenhouse we have planted Phlomis and Ox eye daisy covering one bank and Senecio and Buddleia another. Both planted to bind the bank and provide ground cover to minimise weeding and disturbance to the bank.

Delphiniums (all grown from seed) have taken over in the Iris bed. The wild chicory (Cichorrum Pumilum)) is staked on the bank behind and we are trying to establish the rose Pink Bells to cover this dry steep sunny bank.

In the Dell a Cammomile lawn with 4 Jacquemontii birch have been planted where a huge old Chestnut fell over. Elsewhere it is a cool haven of shade.

The long wait is over and the daffodil area has at last been mown.

Two Weeping Pear mark the path to the Bog Garden where the water level is now very low. You will need to edge carefully through the Dierma (angels fishing rods) lining the path to reach the Water Iris.

The white flowers of Zantedschia stand out in the Water Garden. The Oak leaf Hydrangea is in flower and enjoying the cool shade- not true for the Persicaria which are struggling with the heat on the bank beneath the Buddleia globosa. Take time to smell the Honeysuckle climbing the large Holm Oak-said to have been first brought over from Italy as acorns protecting the marble statues for Holkham Hall.

Take the steps into the Laurel encircled seat where you might be able to hide away for a while?

With Hemerocallis lining one side, there are 4 different types of Hosta lining the other side of the stream path with the yellow Candelabra primula seeded along its banks.

The Crocosmia in flower in the West lawn is Lucifer and the large white Poppy like flower by the Urns is a Romneya.

Enjoy the cool shade of the Nut Walk before following the path through the Wild Garden with its waist high grass and dying Ox eye daisy; but amongst it the wild white and blue geranium, Quince and Mulberry trees.

We have been very excited to discover 3 types of Wild Orchid in the Fish Ponds.  Pyramidal, Common Spotted and Early Marsh Orchid. They are growing amongst the sedge which possibly has protected them from being eaten by the Hebridean Sheep who graze this area.

Birdsong starts about 3.30 with the Blackbird and the current list of birds seen in the garden is in the Coffee shop. Such a pity the beautiful Heron has such a horrendous squawk!  Dragon flies are back and swarms of small brown Bumblebees feeding on the plants. Squirrels, rabbits the occasional Muntjac all sharing the space. Enjoy.

Stay healthy and good gardening

Lynda Tucker