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

Translate

23 November 2020

Autumn Smugness!

The Lower Border

 

A sunny warm weekend!!  Time to tidy The Lower Border (such a Ted & Ralph name!!) and cut down dying vegetation on perennials.  Yes!  I know all the frosty pics of hoar on poppy heads look amazing! However the stark reality in a wet and mild season is brown mush with no redeeming features whatsoever.  In this garden birds couldn't be better fed and as for hibernating insects, they have the rest of the garden and outbuildings in which to take shelter! We began by removing all the metal plant supports and Chris strimmed everything off which was then raked up and placed in the compost heap.  He then got to work with the hedge cutter on the various evergreen shrubs and  I weeded through.  Hey ho!  The border is now immaculate and ready to be mulched with compost. It goes to show how a few evergreen shrubs add winter interest!  Without them, it would look bare and empty for the entire season and until the herbaceous plants to re-emerge in spring.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)