Simon Brings Sunshine!

After all Simon's hard work at P.T.C., he deserved nice sunny weather for his friends and family to visit the garden and it was most definitely NOT a promising start.  Leaden skies and steady rain made Woodbury Hill invisible in the mists.  As the morning wore on the skies began to brighten and having dried all the chairs, it seemed risky setting out cushions.  Not so.  By arrival time at 2pm the sun was shining! 

After exploring the garden, they were able to enjoy tea and cake in warm sunshine..... that was until 4pm when very dark clouds were gathering and it began to rain again.  Everyone very kindly helped gather up cushions and trays before the thunder began to rumble.  I reckon they timed things to total perfection - a clear couple of hours sunshine just when it was needed most!  We thank them all for their kind support.  It was a real pleasure to meet them and we do hope they will return!

Keeping the Colour Going.

Pots on the Top Terrace.

Pelargonium Stadt Bern

It's that time of year when I wish I had 2 pairs of hands!  That way, I could dead head and water at the same time!  With this oppressive heat watering pots seems never ending and dead heading is so important to keep the colour going.  I've been very pleased with most of the Pelargoniums and very glad I propagated so many - enough to fill every container in the garden!  With garden centres being closed, I would have had a mass of empty pots and containers with  zero colour!  As well as loads of Frank Headley's which are SUCH good dooers, I've been really pleased with Stadt Bern for the sheer vibrancy of its red.

Simon works more magic with a paint brush!

The finished summerhouse

Simon at work

Simon has been very busy with his paint brush lately and eveything he's touched is looking super smart - especially the summer house!!  So smart in fact, I was shamed into trimming the lavender hedge even before Monty Don! Having managed to squeeze in between the cart shed wall and an overgrown bay tree with steps and a paintbrush, we waited for him to finish before trimming the tree!!  Just how bad was that?                                                                                                                              With our Twilight Garden by Candlelight event going ahead at the end of the month,  it's perfect timing for a coat of paint.  It's also comforting to think that it's all done before the onslaught of the winter weather.

Two Sides of a Story!

The path side of the hedge.

The orchard side of the same hedge.

Our Chris has been doing a spot of hedge cutting!!!  Both  sides of the 2 Yew hedges have been manicured as has the Bay tree.  The latter makes the world's biggest mess and 4 large loads carted down to the compost heap.  I think Pear Tree Cottage garden now has the smartest Yew hedges ever.  

A few years ago, I had this thought that hedges don't HAVE to be boringly symmetrical.   Chris wasn't exactly enthusiastic in the beginning.  However, it didn't take him long to warm to the idea and now there's no stopping him!!  One side is straight and upright and the other is anything but!!!  We went for totally random shapes with an aperture opposite the utility room window to ensure sufficient light. The secret steps  which pass through the hedge remain well hidden and neither can be seen in the photograph. The Magic Mirror door has now recessed as the hedge has been allowed to grow out and around it.

More Visitors Return.

More visitors today!  A group from nearby Whitbourne spent several hours in the garden this afternoon.  They brought their own refreshments and sat out on the terrace.   The weather, although cool and breezy, remained dry.  Yours truly was working in the studio.  More money raised for the National Garden Scheme - every little helps!!

Garden Visitors on a Saturday!!

Cheryl Pearsall & family

Alison & Merv Hardwell & friends

Saturday was a mixed day in the garden!  Firstly, a rush to ensure that all mowing and edging was done and then pruning the Philadelphus shrubs before garden visitors arrived and log splitting, lugging and stacking began.  Logging is one of those nice 'squirrel' jobs as it's looking ahead and preparing for winter.

It all worked perfectly as while we were logging, the visitors wandered, explored and enjoyed picnics on the lawns in warm sunshine!  I do have to say that it seemed a tad weird having visitors whilst working but I did warn them and they didn't seem to mind.  As the logs were already sawn, there was no chainsawing noises to disturb visitors but just the gentle sound of an axe splitting wood! (Can axing even be described as gentle??!!)

We made money for the NGS and filled an entire bay with logs for winter - all thanks to Chris!!  What a star he really is!

All ready for winter!

Preserving Produce!

Blackcurrant 'conserve'.

Harvesting blackcurrants

The cold, wet and windy weather has been ideal for jobs of a more culinary nature.  Having picked our blackcurrants it's been jam making time and actually enjoying the warmth of the Aga.  I can't believe I'm saying that in the middle of summer!  The blackcurrant jam set well and has a lovely tangy flavour.  

Chris arrived with some gooseberries so I made more jam with them.  As it's too late for elderflowers, so I added some Attar of Roses Pelargonium leaves.  It has a lovely clear colour but the seeds make it look like frogspawn!   Because of the high fruit content it qualifies for conserve rather than jam!

Lids were made with with brown paper & jute twine and raffia - the only materials to hand but a suitably rustic finish.

Better flavour than frogspawn!