High Winds and Hedge Trimming

A very neat Beech hedge!

Marjoram prior to trimming back

Time for more hedge trimming! This time the other side of the beech hedge that runs along one side of the drive. Clearing up the leaves in high winds was a pain! 

Chris also did the perimeter hedges. His policy is little and often so less disturbance and clearing up. Wise policy! While he was hedge trimming, Head Gardener was on her hands and knees removing dead Forget-me-nots filling the biggest wheelbarrow 3 times and bulking up the compost heap. I also trimmed the 3 Genever Box cones. Chris also strimmed all his edges and we both cut back the Golden Marjoram beneath the roses so that it will clump up again instead of flopping and falling apart. The funny thing is, more visitors enquire about that plant than any other in the garden. It does make useful underplanting for roses. 

Both colour & perfume on a dull day!

Talking of which; they have NOT enjoyed all these high winds! Poor things have really taken a battering. Even the old Albertine over the window which doesn't have any mildew this year (yet... and for the first time for AGES) and is looking at its best is in the teeth of the gale right now! These photos look so calm despite the fact that petals are being strewn throughout the entire county right now!

Head Gardener takes a morning off!!

The Head Gardener took a few hours off this morning to visit a really lovely sculpture garden at Showborough House, Twyning. 

It was just fabulous and so unspoilt and quirky.  We spent a couple of hours not thinking about our own garden jobs and just enjoyed wandering around before having tea and cake on the verandah overlooking the croquet lawn. Bliss!

Absolutely worth looking at these photos!

After lunch by the river, it was time to head home for mowing and watering!

Time to smell the roses!

There's been so much happening in the garden of late, there's been absolutely NO time left to write any posts.  Avenues of Verbena bonariensis have replaced the old Michaelmas daisies, Magnolias and silver birch trees have been pruned, hedges have been trimmed, grass has been mowed, edged, strimmed, snipped & trimmed countless numbers of times!

The pond has been a complete pain since we had our influx of goldfish and the filter has blocked numerous times. Cleaning out all the silt is a fairly major and lengthy operation made worse when vital pipes have been broken and requiring immediate replacement improvisation!

Meanwhile in the quite lengthy sunny spell, the garden is looking really pretty with the roses at their best right now. The hardy geraniums are all in full bloom and the scent from the Honeysuckle and Philadelphus is filling the garden. In fact, the weather has been so cooperative, we've even been able to dine al fresco and enjoy the scents and sounds! The greenhouse has been very busy with seedlings being grown, pricked out, potted up, hardened off and planted out - conveyor belt style!

The vegetable plot has had its trickiest season ever. Germination rate with peas, beans and carrots was appalling - the worst ever. Three sowings later we do have something at least something to show for our trouble but, compared with usual years, it's been a poor lot!

Compensating for the vegetables is Chris's Paul's Himalyan Musk rambler which is not only in full bloom but has scrambled to the top of its old wooden ladder and is up in the Leylandii!!

PTC Garden in June Photos

NGS Open Garden Afternoon

A perfect summer's day helped to attract 90 visitors to our NGS Open Gardens afternoon. Why do gardens look SO much better in sunshine? We raised a massive £686.00 and our total so far this year is already £1,127.00!  Our team did an absolutely wonderful job waitressing, washing up and clearing up at the end of the afternoon.  We were so lucky to have so many wonderful bakers who made and delivered really outstanding cakes which were much enjoyed by our visitors. 

Thanks to Chris, the garden looked as neat as a new pin with perfectly trimmed hedges. He even made an emergency delivery of cushions and distributed them all round the garden ensuring that every seat had its own cushion - even the secret stump seats! He even took the photos.