'UP THE GARDEN PATH' by Pam Thompson
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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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05 November 2019
04 November 2019
Hawthorn Battles!
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PTC bathed in November sunshine. |
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Woodbury Hill beyond the golden cider apple orchards. |
Saturday turned into Sunday as Chris swapped his day and cleverly avoided all the rain. In fact Sunday was glorious sunshine with mild temperatures. Time for a MAJOR sort out down in Cato's Corner. Chris gallantly scaled a ladder in the middle of the first and worst Hawthorn braving all the thorns of both it and the rose to which it played host. Quite the hero!! He even found time to take a couple of photos from the top of his ladder - not views we usually see.
As if the tangle of rose and hawthorns wasn't bad enough, work in this corner of the garden is never easy due the difficult ladder access across ditches not to mention a hedge and barbed wire fence. As usual, Chris did a brilliant job and they'll be left to their own devices for another year!
03 November 2019
Saturday's Sudden Succulent City!
Greenhouse. |
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Kitchen window sill. |
Many are Echeverias some are Crassulas and others are Aloes. I think one is a Cotyledon but more research is needed. I've been busy finding pot covers for as many as I could and bringing them in the house where they can be enjoyed more readily over winter. Some remain in the greenhouse which we keep just above freezing. So far, the dining room, bathroom, kitchen window sills and of course, the conservatory have all benefited.
Now I need to do some reading up!!
The conservatory. |
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Sorting out in the kitchen. |
30 October 2019
WATER WARS!
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Out gunned! |
Cleaned flag stones. |
Despite the incessant rain and consequent flooding we hardy gardeners donned on serious wet weather gear and ventured forth. NO way could we do any garden work. Chris brought his trusty power washer and we took turns in cleaning flagstones and pruning the Vitis coignetiae over the garage canopy. It had dropped all of its leaves and already I'm missing its outstanding autumn colours!
There was time for a pretty one sided water battle as I was completely outgunned! A tiny water pistol was no match for a Stihl power washer!! However, despite the antics, much very slippery algae was removed and walking in the wet is at least safer now.
Bare but tidy |
20 October 2019
No Chris Saturday!
This is what we're preparing for! |
Planning for more of these! |
Our Chris has been doing a spot of travelling so garden work has continued but in a more sedate manner! The greenhouse is filling up with over-wintering tender plants and the glass is being cleaned in stages. When its glass cleaning time, the greenhouse is FAR too big. When finding space for overwintering plants, it's FAR too small!! Meanwhile, the Under Gardener cut the lawns & manfully carried in the heavier pots!
Meanwhile, Tulips (9 varieties), Chinodoxa, Iris reticulata and also some Paper Whites and Tete-a-tetes with Hyacinths have all been planted and top dressed with horticultural grit. I even remembered to label them all this year! Sounds a lot of bulbs but the reality is, they only filled 5 pots and I was forced to go shopping for more. So, more planting to do! Nevertheless, the sun was shining and my friendly robin sat a couple of feet away watching!
15 October 2019
Rooted Out!
...........Well! The suckers at least!
Long grass with tree suckers. |
Battling to pull out the aspen suckers. |
Work continued on Aspen sucker removal last Saturday. Not a 2 minute job as they were so numerous despite being all cut down in June. Having dug each one up and pulled them out, Chris was then able to cut the grass - a job we would normally do in summer. However with all these monsters, we knew it would only make their removal even more tricky.
Much strimming and and mowing followed and although the ground looks a tad bare, I really don't care. In the grass, we found and rehomed 5 frogs - all with the correct number of legs thank goodness! Well you never know with so much mowing and strimming so always best to count!!
I know the grass will recover from its late haircut and I'm looking forward to stump grinding and tree replacement!!
Should I mention again the removal of a badly shaped and badly placed apple tree from in front of the greenhouse? Absoluttely no regrets! We're really enjoying our new view of the greenhouse!
Visible for the first time from the bottom of our mini orchard! The Hartley Botanic greenhouse!! |
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