3rd May 2026

Welcome

On the week internationally celebrating the Dawn Chorus (which marks the peak of Spring Birdsong) here’s a few that you might hear when visiting today- Willow Warbler, Green Woodpecker, Buzzard, Grey lag Goose, Mallards, Wagtails, Robins and various Tits. If you hear any others please let us know.

The Vegetable Garden is very busy with new plantings. The fleece has come off the potatoes and they are being earthed up. We are picking Asparagus, Rhubarb, Spinach and Chard.

The Greenhouse is filling up with seedlings grown inside until large enough to survive the elements and animals.

The Iris bed is a mass of beautifully scented white Iris. They are always the first to flower for us but already a clump of smaller very scented aubergine Iris have started to flower.

As you enter the gate of the Daffodil area, on your left is the beautiful Dipelta Yunnanensis natïve to Tibet and south central china. With its arching branches of pale brown bark with small clusters of funnel -shaped white scented flowers, tinged dark pink and marked orange at the throat.  The Bees go right inside the trumpet flowers to get their nectar.

The bright yellow Laburnum is in flower but be aware that all parts of this tree are poisonous.

Rosa banksiae Lutea is the rose trained along wires at the front of the Hall. This is a rambling rose and the great gardener Rosemary Alexander said it was the first time she has seen it grown this way.

On the side wall of the Hall is Actinidia Kolomikta native to the Eastern Asiatic Region. It has random patches of pink variegated leaves and is grown for its foliage rather than its inconspicuous flowers. The leaves always remind me of an artist’s palette.

The West Lawn is still recovering from last summers drought despite having had a lot of attention. We shall have to consider a watering programme if the forecasted rain doesn’t amount to much.

Please take care when walking on the gravel at the bottom of the West lawn. It has a lot of self -seeded plants and some are just appearing above the gravel. The plants are seeding everywhere in the gravel whereas in the beds there are areas where it looks as if nothing is growing. The danger at this time of year is putting in a fork only to discover you have driven through a plant yet to emerge. Patience is a virtue in the garden!!

Do take care where you tread on the East lawn where several small holes have been dug by the squirrels.

The orchard is worth a visit – it has the tulip White Triumphater and blue Camassia growing through the long grass and the apple trees are in flower. The blue flowering climbing plant on the old water pump is a Plumbago-native to South Africa.

The Hebridean sheep continue to contentedly graze the Water Meadow and Fishponds- 30 lambs this year!!

Stay healthy and good gardening

Lynda Tucker

Look for the Bee!!!