Sunday 28 October 2018

OCTOBER!

Well I did not realise that we'd ignored the garden blog for so long! It could be to do with the fact we now have two puppy's ! Having added a second Golden Retriever to the family most of the head gardener's time's been spent on their training !

Our second retriever Rufus seems to delight in pulling up plants and digging enormous holes in the grass! A walk through a flower border is another of his joys!

Casper on the left and Rufus on the right.


Last Monday I took a couple of photos down by the folly, the sun was coming in from the corner of the garden.


The bird bath that we use for a centre piece here is getting that lovely moss covered worn look.


The red banana plant, was enjoying it's last bit of sun ,before being put away to wait out the winter.


the folly still needing a few more bricks before it's truly finished but this will now have to wait until the spring.


The circle up in the far corner is quite sheltered, so the Dahlia still continues to flower.

Almost one week on and the weather's turned very cold but flowers are still cheering up parts of the garden.





This Spirit of Freedom rose is looking gorgeous.


The Tropical area is still full although the banana's will need covering up soon.


up in the circle the Dahlia still flowers despite the drop in temperature.


Even this Fuchsia is in full flower!


The Dahlia.

in four days it will be November and so next weekend will be covering up and putting away everything that needs protecting to see it through the coming months of cold and icy weather.


The Acer earlier this month in full autumn colour.


The Abutalon which will need protection to survive the winter.


Such a pretty plant it would be a shame to lose it.


 another of the Acers.


This Nasturtium is going great .. in the compost bin!



And lastly a photo taken today of the grass complete with holes dug by Rufus with a tiny bit of help from Casper! 

In the coming months we'll be training Rufus in the art of the garden.. no digging without the right equipment and most importantly .. permission!       and the transferring of plants from one place to another is only allowed if the head gardener agrees!!  





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Monday 25 June 2018

OPEN FOR VISITORS

So the day dawned bright and beautiful and the people came to share the garden for the afternoon.


the Patio


Neptune and his many pots.

 into the garden


redesigned flower bed at side of new log cabin


some old plants and some new helping to fill this bed.


Through the gate into the flower garden.


New Iris bed.


the seating and the beds.


 other side


other side


The Cloisters


End of Cloisters


View to side of Cloisters


round to the left of the Cloisters, going towards the back gate and greenhouse.


the greenhouse area was out of bounds due to the raised bed boarding on the right needing replacing.

This Pineapple lily was placed to stop entry.


Then you are at the folly and the centre of a choice of ways to go.


Carry on round to the back right hand side of garden and this spot to sit and dream or


Or turn back towards the lychgate and into the formal box garden.


The formal box garden , the box needs cutting but no time before open day.


The view from the bench in the box garden looking towards the Lychgate.


the statue of David's head is adorned with a flower from the weed , bell vine.


Then from the side of the box garden back onto the cloisters to head back to house.


The bed in the house garden


The pots and hanging baskets by the log cabin.


On the left the rockery , then back onto patio.

The tour ends .



Everyone was very complementary, asking about design, folly and plants etc. So had a lovely day with a few hundred visitors.


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Monday 18 June 2018

GETTING READY

So it was work all weekend to starting counting down towards the open day.


I've cleared the path to the seating area at the back of the garden, trimming back some plants and sweeping the path.


The little potting shed is looking tidy.


A new view from the little stone circle at the very back of garden.


Still need to clear this area of the winters earth and leaves and weeds.


We decided that box square was now too big for the new design.


So it had to go! Looks much nicer in there now with the space from the box square.


Last week Paul built a small section of wall on this side which we've put a climbing rose called Gertrude Jeykel up against.


Paul's added some more bricks to the wall, he still needs to add some linking the arch to the wall but needs to cut the bricks to suit, so that's on hold for a while.


The old wooden edging is now rotting and falling apart, so I removed this section, what was left of it and placed these large stones along the edge to help keep the earth back.

So this week it's the big clear up with maybe a little more folly building if time allows.


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