The green and rolling countryside of Worcestershire, England, is home to the cider apple orchards which surround the gardens of Pear Tree Cottage. They enjoy a sunny south westerly aspect with sweeping views across to Martley Hillside, Woodbury and Abberley clock tower. The Teme Valley lies just over the hill and, not far away, is the Herefordshire border. Although our climate is temperate, our seasons are often uncertain and always a challenge to a gardener! This began in 2010 & follows the weekly ups and downs of garden work chronicling both successes and failures but, above all, demonstrates the fun enjoyed by three people who regularly garden in all weathers

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12 August 2013

Weekend Blitz

Under Gardener demonstrates simultaneous watering & dead heading!
Things were getting a little out of hand in the Sofa Border and around the pond so - time to blitz.  The Under Gardener was entrusted to remove peas and broad beans from the veg patch but he managed to keep up with all the burning and provide 2 meals for us all as well!!  Meanwhile, Chris and I lost count of the numbers of full wheelbarrows that kept trundling down to the bonfire,  All the Lysimachia was cut down from around the pond and a general weed and tidy up.  The holly and the Acer were both trimmed and all Dogwoods overhanging the grass.  The trees in the Sofa Border were 'brashed' and an old Cytisus removed and the Berberis had a haircut.  Late flowering shrubs had a summer prune the border had a good weed through. This has let in more light and more air and opened up a view across the border beneath the trees.
More light without the Cytisus.



It was then time to attack the Lamium in 'The Border With Nothing In It' (so named after a critical comment by Chris).  This was a real pain of a job and since it was never planted there, shouldn't have been allowed to suffocate so much of the area - and won't again! The last job was to move the old steerage hoe was moved to the Hen Pen and this morning three of the girls were all perched on first thing this morning.

Tidied pond edges

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