Wild Bullace Harvest

Straight from the tree (with Chris's help), into the pot and, when cooled; into the freezer!! For those unfamiliar with this fruit, they are a slightly larger, sweeter and rounder Damson.  They are self fertile and originated in England C. 1500

Prunus institia - more commonly known as Bullace

Bullace in spring

Autumn arrives at PTC

Yew sofa under the Acer Seiryu

Cobwed

Acer Palmatum Dissectum Atropurpureum

Acer Platanoides Crimson King

Cornus Sanquineas Midwinter Fire around the pond

The time consuming frieze!

Big mix up and I'm in trouble!

Painted slats awaiting drilling

I was in serious trouble this Saturday!  I had already painted all the slats for the frieze and all that remained for Chris Genever to do was align them all, whizz along them with the hole saw & drill the holes - another quick touch up with the green paint and then they could be be screwed into place.  What could be easier, quicker or simpler?

As it was, I got the blame for screwing up!  Somehow, drilling a few holes took ages longer than I imagined and the hole saw left lots of frazzly-untidy-sticky-out bits on both sides and the tops and bottoms of every slat which all had to be sanded off before the raw wood could be touched up! It had already been suggested that the finished individual slats should be numbered but............somehow, numbering was omitted.  By the time they were picked up, sanded off, put down, loaded into the wheelbarrow and unloaded, they were all mixed up.   How was I to know that they wouldn't fit together - not one of them???!!! The holes at the bottom didn't line up or the holes and the top wouldn't line up or the top wasn't level or the timber behind showed!! Hmmm!

We spent most of the day changing them around, rotating them - the permutations were incalculable!  In the end, we did the best we could and vowed to number them all when we finish the remaining roof end!  All in all - a highly frustrating day!!

Anyway, they don't look too bad and the shed looks more like a Great Western railway ticket office!  Since Sunday was so warm and sunny, I spent most of the day painting the interior with left over paint from the kitchen.  Another 2 coats to go on the upper half, oil the exposed pine and then we can unpack the exercise bike which has now arrived!

Sorting & screwing drilled slats!

Chris the younger, on the other hand had an extremely productive day and got masses done!  He lugged 15 barrows full of wood chip down to the chickens and to the new wooden steps, cut the beech and the laurel hedges, dug out an old grass and planted the area with narcissus (and he HATES bulb planting!) and the golden hop at the base of the arch.  He also blew all the leaves up together as they're falling thick and fast!  We even did some planting around the wooden steps by which time it was dark and..........time for a drink!

Chris planting bulbs

Pity about all the flat batteries and the forgotten mobile phone!!  Bit of a bad day at Black Rock!

Light Duties to No duties!

Protea

Chief Blogger went from being on light duties to no duties at all!  In fact she swanned off to the Isles of Scilly for a few days and re-visited a positively tropical garden  on Tresco.  

Visiting the Abbey Gardens is a bit like going to a garden in South Africa or Australia as such a large proportion of the planting is foreign to our usually frosty winter climate and here at PTC,  wouldn't stand a chance.  

All of the islands were awash with these Amaryllis Belladonna lilies known as Naked Ladies locally as they bloom before their leaves show.  Just breathtakingly beautiful. What a change from the dreaded Ragwort which abounds in Worcestershire.

Naked Ladies Sunbathing

We also visited Trenoweth Farm where Christine, Francis, Jenny and Dasiy grow Narcissus and Scented Pinks for the cut flower market.  It was fascinating to see where and how they are grown. The flowers themselves are, of course, exquisite. 

http://www.islesofscillyflowers.com/buy-narcissi/ 

is the place to order your cut flowers.  They come beautifully presented and are delivered safely in a strong box.  When they arrive, they are dew fresh and perfect in every way.  The scent from these flowers has to be sniffed to be believed.  These are 'quality' and a zillion times nicer than foreign grown cut flowers.  They grow in tiny fields many of which are protected by Pittisporum hedges.  I lost 2 Pittisporum trees the winter before last!  What does that tell you about the climate in Scilly?  No need to rip out hedges to make huge fields to accommodate massive machinery when picking can only be done by hand!  The 3 photos of flower fields at Trnoweth were taken on our previous visit.

Anyway, it's back to more heavy rain and lawns that all need cutting and I'm still not allowed to use a lawn mower!  Sigh!

Trenoweth Narcissus

Trenoweth Pinks

Fields don't get much prettier than this!

More Scilly photos can be seen at:

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

Chris's Japanese 'Enemies'

Japanese Anemone

This untouched photo taken by Chris using his phone is so lovely, it deserves its own post

Many hands make no work.....

Finished architraves

....at all for Chief Blogger (who remains on light duties!)

Having two extra pairs of hands in the garden this Saturday meant that all the old tomatoes were removed and the tender plants are now tucked up for winter in the greenhouse - courtesy of Sarah & Matt!  Matt also mowed lawns, orchard and verges.  Wood was chopped, pot feet put in place as well as general clearing up and ladder steadying!  Chris P. cut and trimmed all the hedges and also pruned the Hawthorn and Field Maple (giving us back our view of the clock tower)

In the meantime, Chris G. continued with door & window linings, sills, architraves and skirting boards (less ably than usually) assisted by Chief Blogger.  She might not have been much use but, she did learn about mitering, packing and wedging.  A friend's exercise bike has also been tried and tested for this new amazing construction.

Time for an......

.....official tea break!

More photos can be seen at:  

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

Plenty of butterflies in our garden!

A Red Admiral enjoying some autumn sunshine on the Michaelmas Daisies