Historical Coincidence!

 I recently came across this photo:

The gentleman on the left used to live here at Pear Tree Cottage!! He was the Deputy Chief Constable of West Mercia Constabulary and signed my warrant card when I first joined up. Prior to amalgamtion, he was the Chief Constable of Worcester City Police.  He was well known for his love of green ink!! I can only boast a green finger!

Autumn is upon us!

 

Here we are in October following a pretty dark and soggy September.  I've been busy bringing tender plants into the greenhouse and propagating more Pelargoniums - always very time consuming.  Moving the lemon tree was a breeze this year since Chris Genever built a little wheeled platform.  Despite its great weight, it's comparitively easy to trundle around! All plants are in but not necessaily in their ideal spots!  On a dark and dull day, the greenhouse is quite a cosy place to work.

I've picked the last of the Helichrysums for drying leaving just brassicas in the vegetable patch.  I know have to think aout pigeon defences!

As they start to fall, major leaf clearance will soon begin.

Twilight Garden by Candlelight 2004

 A few photos of before, during and after this year's 
Twilight Garden by Candlelight

Photos

WE DID IT!!

Despite all the weather threw at us, we topped a thousand pounds.  A HUGE thank you to all our helpers and bakers.  We couldn't have done it with out you!

Twilight Garden by Candlelight 2024

 I'm not sure what happened to July but it's ben SUCH a hectic summer with lots and lots of garden visits and now, we've just finished for the season having hosted our Twilight Garden by Candlelight on a winter's day in August!  It's one that will not be forgotton as Sunday was the coldest ever day! To be wearing a ski jacket with 2 blankets and even a hot water bottle was just unbelievable even in an English summer.

Despite the glacial windy weather conditions, 135 hardy souls visited the garden leaving very lovely comments.  I think it can only have been the cakes that attracted them all!

Chris broke all records when it came to lighting this year!  He brought miles and miles of fairy lights. A single reel went up and down the drive 5 times and he brought 5 sets.  The garden looked more magical than ever before.  His Swedish log candles had never before been more welcome than on such a freezing cold evening.

We're still counting the pennies but I think we may just have tipped £1000.00. We're just waiting on final costs and online ticket purchases.

Press Coverage

 PTC Garden was featured in an article on topiary in Prima Magazine.  Whilst not entirely accurate in every detail, it did mention Chris by name and also the National Garden Scheme. Pity it didn't say that we open by arrangement or mention our Augsut opening date.

Pond Re-Arrangements!

 

Having just about recovered from open gardens, it was time to have a tidy up around the pond perimeter.  We decided the time had come to move the stone wheels where they could be seen and not leave them hidden beneath roaming Symphitum.  Our Chris lugged them around to the foot of the pond and carefully arranged them in a group of three.  Around their base, he planted some Mind-your-own-business (Soleriolia helixine).  Of course, this left a gap in the Symphitum at the head of the pond.  Enter Termite Rock!  To ensure this isn't obscured by Symphitum, we built up a volcano-like tcaldera and sat it on top!  The rock is actually bigger (and heavier!) then my photo suggests.

Today, I've just finished dividing and planting some Lobelias (Cardinalis) in the damp margins and some Quaking Grass (Briza media) where the soil is drier. Fingers crossed!