NGS May Open Gardens.

Following over a month of persistent frosts and hardly any rain, we've been in recovery following a hugely successful garden opening for the National Garden Scheme.  We had approx 135 visitors and made a WHOPPING £1,168.50!!  How amazing is THAT?  We owe a huge debt of thanks to Lindy, Lyn and Sheila for selling so many homemade teas.  Also Pat & Brian for borrowing and delivering all the tables and chairs and especially Pat for making such a huge number of cales!  Malc & Paul supervised parking and 

everybody brought sunshine!! One very enthusiastic visitor was so complimentary, I wasn't going to resist sharing these comments from the visitor book!!  It certainly makes all the hard work totally worthwhile. A BIG thank you to all our visitors, helpers and supporters!!

Better Late than Never!!

 A whole nineteen days later than last year - the vegetable plot is at long last all planted up!!  The polar temperatures and persistent daily frosts this month massively delayed things but we're there!  Thanks to Chris, the ground was manured and  prepared some weeks ago.  As it's a relatively small plot I've squeezed in 4 rows of Arran Pilots, 1 of Early Onwards, 1 of Aquadulce, 2 of Autumn Kings and a few Giant Stuttgardts.  There is of course room for runner beans and lettuces when things warm up even more.

One thing's for certain!  After such a long delay, the seed potatoes were certainly well chitted!!

Throne Square!

 This magnificent additional plant throne arrived yesterday - courtesy of Chris Pugh!!  Full of woodworm and a torn seat meant immediate treatment was dispensed and a pot of Primulas installed.  Up on the top terrace, we now have a total of three thrones - all homes to plants and a seat for weary gardeners!!  

First Visitors of 2021!

 

Well actually not quite.  The very first were Kempsey Ladies Circle who visited last week.  Sadly for them it was one of the many Arctic April days with glacially low temperatures & biting north east winds.  These hardy enthusiasts deserved The Garden Explorers' Award of Courage!!  It was far too cold to think of using a camera! However, it transpired that had visited before in September 2016.  At least they saw the garden in its (winter during) spring livery!

Today, we welcomed two more visitors from Malvern who had the foresight to bring sunshine! Always a wise move.  Despite the still cool temperatures, they at least, were able to sit outside for their homemade teas and it was even warm enough for a quick photo shoot!  Sadly, they took the sunshine with them when they left so it's back to polar temperatures!

Statue Status!

 Ten ton Thumbelina & Hefty Hetty have had new homes built for them! This week, we had the pleasure of Chris Genever's company and he has built each statue a small brick pier on the diagonal.  With his usual attention to detail  and in order to compensate for the sloping ground, he has built one slightly lower than the other. To complete the classy look each has slightly overhanging blue bricks.  Owing to their obese weight, we have to wait a week before we ask Chris to install these heavyweights!

 

As if that wasn't enough and in FREEEEEZING weather conditions, he also placed mortar in all the joints along the brick path.  Before we had gravel and despite our best efforts, it always stuck to muddy boots and was lost when the path was swept.  The arbour seat is also looking very smart as 'one' has been out wielding the paintbrush.  Hopefully next week, all we back in place.

Weighty Wisteria!

 

Whilst working on other garden projects, Chris Genever happened to notice the the supporting Wisteria arch on the studio had collapsed under the weight of the Wisteria and was distorting his new guttering.  Following all the banter regarding the mystery of the broken gutter brackets, immediate action was called for!

Only a true genius would have thought of using copper tubing with a number of 'T' junctions to make a new one!  Having bent two lengths of tubing into corresponding arcs, he cut shorter lengths to make braces and soldered all the junctions.  Et voila! A really pretty and much stronger supporting arch for this fairly historic Wisteria.  After all this is a direct descendant and the Great-Great-Great-Great-Great grandchild of the famous Witley Court Wisteria!

Thank you Chris! 

EXPERT APPLE GRAFTING

 

Today, we were very lucky indeed to have Rob Holloway come and graft 3 different apple varieties on to a Lord Hindlip desert apple.  The new grafts are Bramley, Falstaff and an unidentified desert - either a Herefordshire Russet or a Cox's Orange Pippin.  It was totally fascinating watching an expert make it look so effortless.  Rob is our neighbour and the manager for Bulmer's cider apple orchards some of which surround our garden.  In fact it was Rob who grafted the Falstaff on to the Bramley some years ago. As for the unidentified graft - Rob didn't hold out much hope as it was rather too advanced and its buds had begun to open.  He gave it a 30% chance.

If all goes well with the grafts, we shall remove the original Bramley which is really ill placed.  For this year, we have removed one of its larger boughs allowing us to harvest  fruit for which we hope will be its last year.

A BIG thank you to Rob!  I reckon it's a glass of cider we should be raising this evening not gin!!

BEFORE & AFTER APPLE GRAFTING PHOTOS.