Garden Diary

Vegetables are growing well. The penultimate row of beans at the top of this path are Mummies peas and are being allowed to go to seed for our next year’s crop.

Wild life in the grounds today- Azure, Common Blue, Blue tailed, Red eyed, small red eyed DAMSEL FLIES have been spotted as well Emperor, Common Darted and Ruddy Darter DRAGON FLY. The grey Heron is a permanent fixture and there is a Spotted Fly Catcher’s nest above the WC and the young have hatched. A Kestrel and its young have a nest in the Yew Tree at the bottom of the Wild garden. The Cygnets are getting quite large now and soon will be leaving.

The blanket weed on the Moat is dying back and should have cleared in a few weeks.

In the Bog garden the large leafed plant is a Thalia Dealbata and we also have deep red Lobelia Cardinalis in flower.

The Hostas and Hemerocallis along the path are being dead headed and the spiky red flowers en masse in the bank in the Water Garden are Persicaria.

The white waxy flowered plant up against the front of the Hall is Magnolia Grandiflora and the pink spikes are Crinium.

In the West Lawn the white poppy-like flowers at the bottom of the West Lawn are Romneya and we have the lovely white Agapanthus in flower as well as two shades of the blue.

The Californian poppies (Eschscholzia) are still performing well in the gravel and have been flowering for many weeks.

The four large pots have Oleander in them and these are overwintered in the Coffee Shop but are happy outside in the

Summer months.

Stay healthy and good gardening

Lynda Tucker

Vegetables are growing beautifully- there should be surplus of beans and courgettes for sale today.

Watch out for wild life in the grounds today- Azure, Common Blue, Blue tailed, Red eyed, small red eyed DAMSEL FLY have been spotted as well Emperor, Common Darted and Ruddy Darter DRAGON FLY. The grey Heron is a permanent fixture and there is a Spotted Fly Catchers nest above the WC and the young have hatched. A Kestrel and its young have a nest in the Yew Tree at the bottom of the Wild garden.

The spiky red flowers en masse in the bank in the Water Garden are Persicaria

The white waxy flowered plant up against the front of the Hall is Magnolia Grandiflora and the yellow trumpet flowers in the courtyard at the side of the house is a Datura- amazing scent.

The white poppy-like flowers at the bottom of the West Lawn are Romneya.

The gravel has had the blue Larkspur removed- but they will have seeded for next year and some of the Verbena Bonariensis has been pulled up or we couldn’t walk there. Californian poppies (Eschscholzia) are still performing well in the gravel and have been flowering for many weeks.

The four large pots have Oleander in them and these are overwintered in the Coffee Shop but are happy outside in the

Summer months

Stay healthy and good gardening

Lynda Tucker

The Senneccio in front of the Greenhouse has got very leggy and been given a hard prune after it finished flowering. We shall bulk up the plants with some grown from cuttings and the intention is to cover the bank and eliminate daylight to thwart any weeds.

The blue flowers growing on the bank above the Iris bed are Cichorium Pumilu a member of the Chicory family.

Past the Bog garden and towards the Autumn border you will see some yellow fruits on the ground, these are Mirabelle- a member of the Bullace plum family. We use them to make a lovely jam similar to marmalade. Be careful of wasps but you are welcome to pick one off the ground.

Beside the Porch at the front of the Hall is a Magnolia Grandiflora with its large wax like flowers and beneath it and in the corners are pink Criniums.

The rose on the side wall is Leverkusen- it hasn’t been dead headed as it’s difficult to reach but look at all those repeat flowers!!!  What more could you ask?

In the West Lawn the white poppy like flower by the Urn is a Romneya and the Passion flower on the back wall was grown from a single seed.

Above the WC is the nest of a Spotted Flycatcher- it sits on the wall and catches the insects coming to feed off the Honeysuckle.

There is a Raptor with young in a nest in the Yew Tree at the bottom of the Wild Garden- possibly a Sparrow Hawk- if you know different please tell us.

Stay healthy and good gardening

Lynda Tucker

In the Vegetable Garden the first crop of Broad Beans has finished, removed and replanted with winter brassica. The peas (penultimate row in first bed) have yielded 6 kgs and are still producing. These are the “Mummies Peas’ you will have seen described in the video on our Home page. We are also harvesting beetroot, chard, courgette (never letting them grow to more than 5” to keep cropping), French beans and salad crops.  The sweet corn has been underplanted with squash. All currants and gooseberries have been picked. The strawberry bed has done 4 years and been removed and the Autumn raspberries will be our next soft fruit crop

Walking through the Daffodil area– if you look up you will see the white flowers at the top of the Catalpa tree-at the end of the shrubbery

The path leading to the Bog Garden is lined with pretty Dierma, (sometimes called Angels Fishing rod)- all grown from seed

Don’t miss the Liriodendron Tulipifera (tulip tree) which still has some of its yellow/green flowers- south east from the Huge Copper Beech on the main drive and quite unusual.

The very large white flowers by the Porch are Magnolia Grandiflora and the pretty pink flowers against the house are Crinium

At the bottom of the West Lawn the white flowers are Romneya underplanted with the dome headed Allium Sphaerocephalon

Amongst the bright red Crocosmia Lucifer are the self -seeded Larkspur

Above the WC at the back of the house spotted fly catchers have a nest. They sit on the wall catching insects feeding on the honeysuckle

Stay healthy and good gardening

Lynda Tucker

 In the Vegetable Garden the first crop of Broad Beans has finished, removed and replanted with winter brassica. The peas (penultimate row in first bed) have yielded 4 kgs and are still producing. These are the “Mummies Peas’ you will have seen described in the video on our Home page. We are also harvesting beetroot, courgette (never letting them grow to more than 5” to keep cropping), French beans and salad crops. We have currants and gooseberries in abundance.

The strawberry bed has done 4 years and been removed and will be re planted later and we have had to spray for beetle in the Asparagus bed but hope to have caught it in time.

The 2 large trees outside the Greenhouse are Ginkgo- the first ones are known to have existed 270 million years ago but these are a mere 30yrs old.

The path leading to the Bog Garden is lined with Dierma- all grown from seed and the Water Iris have finished flowering and been divided and replanted.

The Stream Garden is flourishing and it makes an enjoyable meander in the cool shade

Don’t miss the Liriodendron Tulipifera (tulip tree) which still has some of its yellow/green flowers- next to the Huge Beech on the drive and quite unusual.

Clematis are taking over from the roses throughout the garden and the large white flowers at the bottom of the West Lawn are Romneya underplanted with the dome headed Allium Sphaerocephalon

Stay healthy and good gardening

Lynda Tucker

The Vegetable Garden is in full swing and we are picking Peas, French beans, beetroot and courgettes. We have had very good cherries this year (from inside the fruit cage) as well as blackcurrants and gooseberries.

The Iris bed has had its day but the Catmint we cut to the ground 2 weeks ago, is recovering with lots of new growth. The Delphiniums in that bed are cut to the ground after flowering in the hopes of a second flush.

Walking into the Bog Garden you will have to push through the lovely Dierma ( Angels Fishing rods) lining that path but pause to look at the lovely Zantedeschia – both green and the usual white on the edge of the bog.

The Autumn Border is gearing up and the Persicaria that line the bank beyond are flowering.

Another place you will have to push your way through is the stream path where the Hosta and Hermerocallis (Day Lilly) hang over the path.

We are dead heading the roses furiously but the Standard rose at the front of the Hall (Awakening) flowers a little later and is now in full bloom

The lovely dark green plant at the side of the Hall is a Magnolia Grandiflora and full of  huge white flowers.

The gravel along the bottom of the West Lawn is packed with Shasta daisy, Verbena bonariensis, Larkspur, Geranium psilostemon and Californian Poppies

Don’t miss the Wild Garden, it is full of wild blue and white Geranium and where they have cross fertilised some amazing blue and white mixed flowers have resulted

Stay healthy and Good Gardening

Lynda Tucker

Sweet peas need picking every 3 days and are going strong with a lovely scent filling the Vegetable Garden. We are harvesting Beetroot, Courgettes, Broad Beans and our wonderful Mummies Peas (ask about them!) The strawberries are coming to an end and we have removed one bed from the fruit cage but raspberries red currants and black currants are taking their place.

The yellow rose climbing through the Ginkgo tree by the Greenhouse is Mermaid.

The Daffodil area has at last had its first cut.

The Dierma (or Angels fishing rod) leading to the bog Garden are flowering and I think this variety is called Blackbird

The water iris are finished flowering and we are lifting, dividing and spreading them. The tall yellow Himalayan cowslip in the Bog Garden is Primula Florindae

Hemerocallis and Hosta lining the path by the stream are in flower. Hemorocallis flowers last just one day (another name for them is Daylily) so do dead head as you walk up the path.

The roses on the house have finished their June display and need constant dead heading in the hopes that some of them will have a second flush but the clematis are coming into their role now and taking over on the posts and walls.

Oleander are the 4 shrubs in flower in pots at the bottom of the West Lawn and they have loved this summer.

Stay healthy and good gardening

Lynda Tucker

The herbs in the centre of the Vegetable Garden are going well and the 4 standard gooseberries are ripening. We are continuing to pick the globe artichokes and also strawberries, salad crops courgettes and broad beans. We have put squash plants underneath the sweet corn and have space for our winter brassicas, which have just been sown in the greenhouse.

In the Bog Garden the large leaves coming out of the water are from a Thalia dealbata which will produce long spires of purple flowers later in the year. On the path leading to the bog garden the Dierama ( Angels fishing rods ) are about to flower.

The rose over the metal arch is Alchemist.

The lovely little daisy covering the brick bridge in the water garden is an erigeron karvinsianusis which self -seeds along the stream.

As you approach the large stone bridge across the moat on the right next to the large copper beach tree is a Liriodendron tulipiferea -commonly known as the tulip tree. This is in flower at the moment and unless you go close you will miss the green/yellow flowers. Look also for the unusual lobed shaped leaves. It produces large quantities of nectar and is the state tree of Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee.

In the West Lawn the white rose growing through a tree -the other side of the Moat, is Wedding day which shows up beautifully particularly in the evenings, whilst the rose still giving such pleasure practically covering the bay tree is Pauls Himalayan Musk.

Stay healthy and good gardening

Lynda Tucker

Everything is coming to life in the vegetable garden. We are picking courgettes, spinach, beetroot, strawberries and salad crops. Horseradish is the plant with strap like leaves on the right as you enter the Vegetable Garden.

We have started cutting down the Catmint along the Iris bed. Despite being called Walkers Low it is about 3ft high. By cutting it now we will get a second flush of blooms this year.

The Daffodil area has a little longer to wait before we can cut it down but look left at the shrubbery where the plants are aubergine or yellow and almost covering the space.

The two silvery leaved plants marking the path to the bog garden are the weeping pear (Pyrus Salicisolia Pendula) The bog garden is a mass of colour and the three water Iris are in bloom- I. Laevagata Variegate, I. Gamecock and I. Pseudacorus Variegata. The long stemmed buttercup yellow flowers are Trollus Europus. The white Zantedeschia is flowering but look for the green flowered variety next to it.

The rose covering the arch is Alchemist.

The Hostas and Hemoracallis lining the path are coming in to flower.

Crossing the bridge the most beautiful Eden rose on the fourth post to the right, has suffered from last weeks rain and when dead heading it is possible to squeeze the water out like a sponge. But there are still enough coming into flower for you to be able to appreciate their beauty.

In the West Lawn look across the Moat to the Daffodil shrubbery where you will not only see the aubergine and yellow shrubs but look up and see the rose Wedding Day clambering through the tree.

The Californian poppies, Shasta daisies and Geranium growing in the gravel at the bottom of the West Lawn are a riot of colour.

The Wild Garden is a mass of white daisies and we are waiting for them to die down before that area gets its one and only cut of the Year.

Stay healthy and good gardening,
Lynda Tucker.

We are picking salad crops, potatoes, spinach and artichokes and our first strawberries and courgettes in the Vegetable Garden. With more than enough Sweet Peas and Flowers for the Hall from the Cutting Bed.

Elsewhere, the daffodils still have not completely died down and we have to wait a little longer to mow those areas.

In the Del a huge chestnut blew over in March and because of the Corona we are only now able to get people to cut it up and clear it away. But look at that massive space it has left- I think it’s what’s called a “Challenge” or “opportunity” according to your outlook!!

The water Iris are still looking good in the Bog Garden but the swans have abandoned their nest amongst them and moved with their cygnets to the Fish ponds. Possibly they think it safer there but fortunately for us it will be a while yet before the cygnets are big enough to fly away with them.

June and roses are synonymous and ours are looking so good this year benefitting from all that lovely sunshine. R. Albertine on the walls of the Hall does not repeat, but whilst it is here, it is spectacular. The lovely fragrance as you cross the bridge comes from a bed of rose de rescht but an even headier smell comes from the white jasmine on the corner of the Hall. Brutally cut down two years ago it has responded with a spectacular flourish this year.

In the Wild Garden we are very pleased to find 3 Bees Orchid (marked by bamboo canes) just beyond the Dog kennel. They are not pretty and you probably wouldn’t take much notice of them but they are orchids and they are wild so do take a look.

Stay healthy and good gardening,
Lynda Tucker.