Seasonal Produce

Autumn Kings & Lady Christl's

Potatoes continue to crop well.  We've eaten all the peas and more broad beans are fattening up. The runner beans are really late but flowering well and the carrots are perfection!  The onions are looking good and the pumpkin is sprawling across the empty potato rows.  The outside sink has been a boon as it's so much better being able to wash fresh vegetables before they come into the house.  With the recent heatwave, it's been used for full preparation!

Home made cherry brandy

Meanwhile the home made cherry brandy is infusing on the kitchen window sill - reminding us to shake them daily.  How could I turn down the chance to pick some of Maureen's delicious cherry crop? For anyone wanting to make some: fill a bottle one third full with pricked cherries. (Be warned - pricking fruit is the world's stickiest job!) Pour in 1" of sugar (which can be brown) and top up with brandy then shake until Christmas!  We went to Lidl's for brandy as I didn't see the point in using expensive brands. Roll on Christmas - hic!!

Table laid ready..

This is exactly what Monty was demonstrating on this week's edition of Gardeners' World.  

Sempervivems laid for one!

It's just that his didn't look nearly as interesting...........or so I thought!

Leaning chimneys & Foxgloves

Writing about working in a garden should really be done in the garden.  It's so much easier to describe the scent of damp earth and the heady fragrance of the late Wisteria blooms and Lavender at the same time one's senses are being evoked.  This is such a peaceful and tranquil garden in which to work. The only sounds here are provided by the the buzzing of bees and the occasional hum of a distant tractor and birdsong if it's early morning or evening.  Occasionally one can hear a distant church bell drifting over.  The gentle clucking of young blackbirds as they scavenge the very last berries on the Daphne and a gentle breeze in the trees above.  As dusk falls, Mr. & Mrs. Hooty begin to call to each other and bats swoop low scooping up moths.  The moon rises low in the sky and the stars start to appear.

The old leaning chimney & foxgloves - hopefully seeding everywhere.

 I don't even find the sound of a lawnmower offensive and I love the smell of green wood smoke drifting up from the bonfire.  They're all sounds and smells of the various seasons.  At this time of year, it's so hard to remember accurately the silence that a snowfall brings or the smell of damp leaves on an Autumn morning. 

But then perhaps we're being a tad sentimental on a very showery July day!  I'll break this spell of rural perfection and describe the swatting of Dun flies - attempting to get them before they actually bite.  How exactly DO they land without us feeling them?  By the time I feel one and squash it, I squash my blood out of its body and then there's the infernal itching that goes on and on...! And where's a Dock leaf when you really need one?  Back to reality!

Tricky work in the rain

Chris working flat out!!

Gardening jobs began with  Chris pruning the Pyracantha by the old chimney. Now there's never a good time to do this because you either lose berries or flowers. This one needed a hard prune at the top to try to get it back into shape as it was heavier and wider at the top than the bottom.  It was so vicious, we didn't even try to drag it down to the bonfire and instead Chris bagged it up in a builders bag and took it away for burning.  That was an absolute first but there was so much of it and the thorns were just SO awful to deal with.   Having done the pruning, we decide to lift its 'skirts' and reveal the base and that was when we found all the rubbish - brick ends, broken slabs and chunks of mortar  We - well, mainly Chris began to remove all the rubble and lowering the level of soil in order to replace it with gravel.  That was when Al came home and asked if we were going to edge the York stone flags which surround it with some old Victorian edgers.  

A very wet Chris

A very wet me!

The finished job!

Now it's not easy working beneath the world's most vicious Pyracantha and half way through setting in the edgers, the much needed rain started to fall heavily - typical!!  Despite a distinct lack of waterproofing; work carried on.  I was in a wax jacket with no wax left and Chris was in a cotton jacket.  Both our jackets were soaked through in minutes and Chris took his off.  His T shirt was so wet, he took that off too.  To finish off and have blow round, he put on body warmer.  Due to the arrival of the rain, this was all we managed to complete all afternoon.  Annoyingly, I forgot to give the poor old Pyracantha a good few handfuls of slow release fertiliser prior to its top dressing of gravel.  Hopefully, I can water some in.  After such a severe haircut, it deserves a bit of a kick start!  What I'd like to know is why so much concrete and rubble had been hidden on its roots and why.................!

Another day - another garden

This time it was another visit to Stockton Bury.  It's just one of those gardens that one always has to back to.  It's so reassuringly permanent and yet never exactly the same!  Timeless beauty really does describe it just as it says on their website (http://www.stocktonbury.co.uk/)

Very busy bees!

Anyway, it was lunch on the lawn outside the tithe barn before a stroll around.  I know I've been banging on about the HUGE numbers of bees this summer despite all one reads in news papers BUT like PTC, Stockton Bury too was home to unusually large numbers of bees.  On the Eryngiums, there were plague proportions - as many as 4 to a bloom.  It was almost impossible to photograph flowers without snapping a bee.  I had never seen so many bees.  It's been just the same at PTC - zillions of bees everywhere!  For more Stockton Bury photos (and their bees!) look at: 

https://picasaweb.google.com/100788191989823327785/AnotherDayAtStocktonBury2672013

View from Des's Res!

The Grotto

Haymaking at Stockton Bury

Summerhouse gets another makeover

After a bit of a disaster trying to paint the summerhouse in time for open gardens in the pouring rain, Brian came back on Friday and with some new paint and warm sunshine - a complete transformation!!  Also Chris Genever called round on Saturday and very kindly sanded and chiselled away at the door frame enabling us to close the doors again. It was very lucky as; not only was I able to stain the bare wood but, the doors were firmly closed minutes before all the heavy rain arrived. I should perhaps point out that work on the summerhouse wasn't exactly the reason he called round but his visit did allow an opportunity for him to inspect his Dahlias and tomatoes - somehow there always seems so much to catch up on!

Before..........

...and after!

Martley Horticultural Society Visit PTC

Time for another tidy up for this evening's visit and cut back all Shirl's Osteospermums which, as the photo shows, had got a little out of hand and which had mostly finished blooming.  More hardy Geraniums and Alchemila Mollis were cut back and I finished mowing, edging and clipping back the Beech hedge by the Hen Pen as well as the verges and the orchard.  It was all a big rush to finish by 6.45pm.  Judith brought wine, glasses and nibbles earlier and I still wasn't quite ready somehow!   That might have something to do with the stop for a Pimms when she arrived! Anyway, it wasn't as scary as I thought and they seemed a pretty friendly bunch. There were a couple of familiar faces and I also met Dave Cropp, the author of a book on Martley's most famous gardener: T.W. Sanders who was awarded a medal by the King of Sweden was recognised by the Linnaean Society but gained no recognition in the UK despite having had a hand in the design of the gardens at the Palace of Versailles.  Anyway, despite the prediction of gathering storms the evening remained warm and sunny with yet another biblical sunset and they seemed to enjoy themselves and, more importantly, £104.00 was raised for St. Richard's Hospice.

These stragglers have now been clipped.

Prettiest Garden in Worcester!

Last night, PTC's gardeners took the evening off to visit Jacki and Sneaky Pete's really beautiful garden which opened for the evening for the NGS.  It was a lovely evening and...........WOW, it all looked so inviting and tranquil!  The planting is breathtaking and it's so secretive and shady.  I've always loved it to pieces.  In some ways, it was a bit of a reunion as there were both AOS and NGS friends and colleagues visiting so lots of chatting and catching up...........and delicious wine!!

Taking photos was a tad tricky as it was full of people and the evening light was low.  Their (not so) new folly is AMAZING and we loved the oak frame and the herringbone brickwork.  This garden is WELL worth a visit.  More photos (none of which do it any justice whatsoever) can be seen at:

https://picasaweb.google.com/100788191989823327785/JackiSneakyPeteSBeautifulGarden2472013

Invader in the Woodland Border

The mystery invasion!

Thank goodness for cooler cloudier weather which enabled work to commence in the Woodland Border.  My favourite border has been invaded by a mystery weed. I say mystery - thankfully it has now been identified by Steve (who gets a gold star award for weed identification) as Enchanters Nightshade (Circaea lutetiana) - a spreading and native woodland plant.  We don't mind native but spreading?  That's an understatement if ever I read one!  Thankfully its roots are fairly shallow and it it's not unattractive.  The trouble is with a garden group due to visit on Thursday evening, I can hardly remove the lot leaving a bare border!  Accordingly, we confined our work to the back of the border, brashing the Birches to emphasise their stature, removing dead Elderflower, Elms and brambles from the back and re-siting Chris's mushrooms.  There are thoughts that a seat beneath the Birches with a small winding path leading in might be a possibility - watch this space!  

As usual - it looks as if the photographer is skiving!

Having sorted out this border, and while the Under Gardener was having a bonfire; we then moved on to the Aspen Grove and brashed (isn't that a lovely word?) the Aspens ensuring their main trunks don't have lateral branches too low down.  It's something I've always done without knowing that there was a 'forestry' verb for if.  We cut down the avenue of Alchemilla Mollis leading to Pugh's Pew, strimmed and mowed the dead Mood Daisies and then planted out the home grown Cosmos - having cut down the hardy geraniums beneath the roses and given their border a general tidy up.  6:40pm and time for a quick blow round, clear up, put the tools away and .....................................

 

The view for the sundowners!

 

  

  ..........................  that much deserved sundowner!

Our very own fire breathing dragon

Another day of relentless hot sun is followed by another pretty sunset

Scorchio!

....and some people complain about seagulls!

We have a pigeon in the garden.  Not any pigeon.  This pigeon.  It is the fattest, most stupid, cheeky, brazen and lazy bird in the entire universe!  It took me ages to scare it enough into flying for this weird shot and then it just landed again nearby - glaring at me with serious attitude.  It spends every day eating and copulating (mostly in the Wisteria) - noisily!

Making hay whilst ..............

The sunny weather is not all bad news.  Our hay dried perfectly and is now all gathered in and stored.  I tidied up our mini meadow with my new (baby) John Deere and am very pleased with it.  I don't think I confessed the world's most expensive mistake on this blog.  Last year I bought a Stiga ride-on with a front cutting deck.  Yes!  Of course I tested it.  I cut a whole orchard using a friend's machine in Sweden.  The 2 machines were identical in every way.  How on earth was I to know that it couldn't travel uphill on our gradient??? A 4 wheel drive version would have been another £1000.00 - gulp! Anyway to cut a long (and expensive) story short; Jake at Power Equipment Services in Kidderminster (http://www.powerequip-ltd.co.uk/) came up trumps again and sold it (eventually) and JD is it's replacement.  This is the (very tidy) result:

'All is safely gathered in'

Meanwhile..................

Another scorching day and the grass is getting browner and browner and............well, look! 

One very brown lawn!

 Is this what a brown field site looks like?  I have wondered.  Luckily, we set up water collection points from various rooves.  It's collected from the greenhouse roof and fills the galvanised tank inside and a (nasty looking) plastic one outside.  We also collect it off the barn roof and store it in a (nice looking!) old oak barrel.  When it comes to a quick dip with a watering can, these systems are pretty handy.  A strategically placed oscillating sprinkler on the veg patch means that excess water lands on the greenhouse roof and is recycled immediately!  Water from the well is used for topping up the pond as the evaporation rate speeds up in this weather.  The grass has to fend for itself and, as grass always does, will recover in time.  Watering is reserved for vegetables, pots and deserving plants and shrubs.

Life is a bowl of...............

CHERRIES!!  Slurp!

PTC cherries - variety unknown

This year we decided that the blackbirds have had more than their fair share of cherries and so decided to net our little tree of dessert cherries. The blackbirds beat us to it last year and scoffed the lot. They have had to content themselves feasting on the wild cherries in Mrs Carwood's tree which was absolutely laden this year.  Notice I said 'was'.  They have stripped it bare and wolfed every single one and there were thousands!  They are now eating the berries on the Daphne Mezereum.  Amazing how their systems can cope with something that toxic!  Anyway, it was our turn to have our very own fruit feast.  They were deliciously sweet and juicy with the tangiest cherry flavour.  Why can't I remember what variety they are? It was a tree Al brought home home from Costco and was planted 3 years ago.  

Turn down the heat!

Another day of relentless hot sun is followed by another pretty sunset

Scorchio

Phew! It ain't 'arf 'ot 'ere!!!

The soaring temperatures for the past few days mean that it's not exactly conducive to gardening and keeping all the containers watered is taking ages!  It's 97F in the greenhouse and that's with every window and door wide open!  The grass is looking quite brown and growth has slowed right down.  Less mowing but more watering!

We have been enjoying some interesting cloud formations and fab sunsets but the photos give no impressions of the very high temperatures. All in all, this weather is better suited to a few beers or, better still: Pimms (hic!)

Big cloud but no rain!

Sun setting over Martley Hillside

Birthday Surprise

Chris with his birthday cake and firework!

This Saturday little garden work was done owing to the fact that a certain 'Chief Gardener' had a surprise birthday lunch.  Conspirators got their heads together and, despite the odd crisis, a number of Chris's other garden clients appeared for Pimms and a cold salmon lunch on the terrace.  A certain builder nearly missed lunch altogether as one of his own clients had managed to drive his car into his own newly built garage wall causing major structural damage.  He not only missed pudding(s) but also birthday cake!  Super delicious cakes and deserts were kindly made by Judith and Yvonne so it was indeed, a BIG miss! 

We were a little short on garden furniture owing to the fact that Chris had taken his own (matching!) table and chairs home and I could hardly ask to hang on to it an extra week!  They had been sitting in our garden for a month during which time poor Chris called round to find us dining at his table! How very embarrassing!! Luckily, Judith came to the rescue with another set and a much needed big umbrella.  I made the usual oversight. This time it was the soda bread AND I was up at 6:30am to ensure there was enough time  to make it!  GRR!  Serving lunch couldn't have been easier. With 2 expert waiters on hand in the form of Frankie and Alwyn; it was a breeze! Hopefully, home grown new potatoes - this year's are Lady Christl (I know it looks like a spelling mistake but it isn't!) compensated for the absence of home baking.

More photos can be seen at:

https://picasaweb.google.com/100788191989823327785/ChrisSBirthdaySurprise

(I also omitted to appoint an official photographer for the occasion. Sadly, not all guests appear in the album.)  After the guests departed, the hay was gathered in and then it was time to sit down and watch another beautiful sunset with a few more beers (see next post!)  Quite an easy Saturday by PTC standards!  

Making hay in the sunshine

A spell of hot sunny weather could only mean one thing: time to cut the meadow grass and make hay.  This means hiring a power scythe to cut it into swathes and the massive expense of £92.00 for  a day's hire which took all of 15 minutes - GULP!  I'm still grumbling about the lack of equipment available to the average gardener when growing meadows in gardens has never been more popular!  Ordinary mowers can't cope and strimmers chew up the grass and throw it everywhere rendering it unusable.  Anyway, it's now cut and the scent is quite delicious as it's drys in the sun.  I still use the hay for the hens' nest boxes and also for making garden kneelers.  I stuff old compost bags with it and just tie the end.

No smoke without....................

.........a bonfire!!  The shafts of sunlight in the smoke looked worth a photo so I went to see what/who was making all the smoke and, there was the culprit!!

Add caption

Summer at PTC means...........

Taking 5 minutes!

...........that it's almost too hot to work and so I took a few minutes off and sat in the shade in a wheelbarrow.   Well, an upturned wheelbarrow makes a perfect seat!  Now it was my turn to be on the receiving end of much flack as Chris sculpted the box hedge around the well.  He had a rather clever idea of making it into a giant sundial with the pump as the centre and cutting Roman numerals into the box hedge.  Pretty good idea I thought!  Having measured out and placed canes to guide the sculptor, I sat down to watch the master at work!  The hedge was trimmed all over except for areas on the top which will be allowed to grow up into numerals.  All it needs now is time (sorry!!)

Slaving in the relentless heat!

New Garden Toy Arrives

Today, I took delivery of my replacement mower so once the long meadow grass has been cut, this is what will keep it looking respectable!!  It's not everyday one has such a shiny new toy.  I bet Zach & Elissa would love this so; this photo is just for them!!

Garden Club Visit

PTC's resident thrush in full voice

Last night, PTC garden was the venue for a visit by members of The Shelsley Garden club.  After a dull and unpromising start to the day - when it was inclined to spit with rain as I was mowing and edging; the sun came out for their arrival (and for Murray's win!!!)  Lindy so kindly came over and helped serve them with teas, coffees and cake and another £80.00 went into the weekend's kitty which pushed our total to £645.59.  They appeared to enjoy their visit and although it was a touch too bright for the full effects DSM's lighting, they were able to get the idea.  The depths of the illuminated well however were 'well' (sorry!) appreciated!  By the time Alan and Martin arrived, it was much darker and Dave's new lights looked really pretty. We have one more garden club visit on the 25th and then I might feel as if the pressure's off!

Another fab sunset from PTC garden

Meanwhile, down in the Henclosure............over the past couple of weeks, the new girls, have contended with several hundred admiring strangers interrupting their usual tranquil lifestyle - not to mention the silly lady who touched their electric fence!  Despite these distractions, egg production has been eggsellent (sorry!) and output for June reached 72!

Wichenford Open Gardens 2013

Day 2

Visitors queuing at the gate

After a 5am start to finish watering, dead heading, general garden tidying and most importantly the critical: cushion placement (on every seat and bench in the garden including the Yew sofa!) The helpers arrived before I had even changed out of garden scruffs!  Today's Tea Team consisted of Colin, Val, Lindy, Maureen, Lyn, Eve, Di, Dave and Paul.  Chris was our photographer and general eye in the garden whilst Dave was the shuttle bus operator.  Paul helped on the gate and Al was in charge of dinner preparations and garden tours.  Denise was OIC Garage Gallery.  We were SO lucky with the weather as it was fine and sunny with a cool breeze (which did get a bit too cool by evening!)  We had about 457 visitors over the 2 days and our takings were:

• Gate: £113.10
• Teas: £420.64
• Donations: £86.20
• Gallery sales @ 5%: £25.65
• Total : £645.59!

Visitors in the garden

That is an increase of 25% from the last event in 2011. We won't know what the final total will be until Tuesday when Denise works out the 5% from garage sales. A big pat on the back and an enormous vote of thanks is needed for the entire team who baked wonderful cakes, served teas, washed up and left everything perfectly spick and span after 2 hectic days!  11 stayed for Al's BBQ supper and we moved the outside table into the conservatory as we would have just been too cold to dine al fresco.

Visitors queuing for teas

Now here's a funny thing.  Usually, it's me working alone in the garden with just the birds for company and a Chris on a Saturday.  Suddenly when it's filled with throngs of enthusiastic strangers, I found that I didn't feel at all comfortable about walking around and so talked to most people on the gate.  Weird!

We had a coach party from Staffordshire and visitors from as far away as South Africa and Japan.  The Japanese lady was truly amazing as she was something of an international expert on old English roses and was naming individual varieties and even discussing their history.  Furthermore, she was travelling alone and even driving to Stratford afterwards!  I should have enjoyed talking to her for much longer.

The visitors were really friendly and enthusiastic. However, there's always one exception!  She was the lady who claimed not to have seen our large warning about the electric fence which surrounds the Hen Pen and who even queried the  need to leave it switched on during the day!  This is the actual laminated A4 sign which was pinned on the gate post less than inch away from the electrified wire!!!

Her knowledge of vulpine habits was obviously a big fat ZERO and we all agreed that it was a shame Chris hadn't been on hand with the camera when she discovered the error of her ways!  

Chris by Chris!

However, he was on hand when needed later. Following an incident the previous day when 2 certain visitors were caught trying to blag their way in for £4 instead of £5. One in particular was so terribly convincing when claiming that the advertised admission price was actually £1 less.  We felt the score had been levelled!!  

Following a degree of flack, Chris also managed to capture shots of actual visitors in the garden this time and more of his (excellent) photos can be seen at:

https://picasaweb.google.com/100788191989823327785/WOGWEDay2