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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1 November 2018

Yew or Me?

Before trimming.
After trimming.

Once upon a time, there was a Yew tree. It stood on a corner very close to the greenhouse and behind the wooden throne. So close to the throne in fact, I had never been able to creosote the back of the panels touching the Yew. It was far too wide and took up lots of room. Basically, it had ideas above its station in life! Over the years we persevered with it, trimmed it into lots of different shapes but, whatever we did, it was just too wide at shoulder height  and a pain when brushing past with a full wheelbarrow on such a tight corner.


On Saturday Chris gave it its usual trim and then we just stood back and looked at it, looked at it again and then REALLY looked at it!  A trim just wasn't cutting it!! It was just to big and too much of a nuisance.  Out came the chainsaw. We were both thinking the same thing. Radical! Chris wondered if the Under Gardener should be consulted but, Head Gardener was pretty sure he wouldn't even notice.
After brashing.

Chief Gardener set to work wielding his chainsaw and removed all the side growth leaving just a bare trunk. In the trade, it's called brashing! The intention is to give it a new lease of life, as a Yew bollard (Chris's name!)  By which he meant, it will be allowed to grow in a much narrower and  more columnar habit with a much smaller diameter. The glory of Yew is that it will always green up.  No way could we have done this to a conifer!

True to form and, as clearing up was well under way, our Under Gardener came out to see what we were up to and then asked, 'What's missing?'

The following day was cold but sunny so, out came the creosote!

A very smart throne!

30 October 2018

Resurrected, Revived & Restored!

Standing proud!
MOWER MIRACLE!


Critically injured.
The black arm bands are off following the surprise of the century! Chris Genever has somehow managed to repair my faithful lawn mower!!  If you remember, the deck had rotted through so the front wheels became detached! Having replaced it with a brand new Honda lookalike, I offered the engine to Chris. Honda engines are just unbeatable and as there being nothing wrong with the old engine, it seemed a good idea to give it a good home!

Not only did he repair it but he smuggled it into the cart shed without saying a word!!! When Al was asking what I intended to do with so many mowers; nothing made sense until I went out and - to my disbelief: there it was!! Patching and welding all those curves - to say tedious has to be a complete understatement. He even sharpened the blade and cleaned it!! 

I have of course taken it for rather more that a test drive and the air flow has hugely improved - so much so, the grass box almost inflates! It honestly operates just like new! Who's a lucky girl?

Proudly showing his war wounds!

Thanks again Chris!
Now! Does anyone want a brand new Honda lawn mower used exactly twice!???!!????

26 October 2018

No Room at the Inn!


How have I managed to fill the greenhouse to capacity??? I lay all blame all those chrysanths. Despite never having grown any before, I am just loving their autumnal scent and filling the house with them. The trouble is, I can only just open the far door and I still have to find room for all the Agapanthus and more geraniums. With the help of a neighbour, we even managed to move the lemon into a corner and it weighed a TON! I have sworn never to lift it again! Still we're nearly there and then: Al had a brainwave!!!  Use the telephone box! Now why didn't I think of that?

Back to work!



"Winter Draws On!"


Leaves are falling really fast now as the temperatures are plummeting so ~ time to put on the tree fern's winter coat. Contrary to Monty, I cut off all the fronds and tie them round as extra insulation before adding a layer of horticultural blanket followed by a topping of straw, an upturned plastic pot saucer (to prevent water freezing in its crown) a shopping bag and lastly, a hessian coffee sack. Et voila!! Well it worked perfectly last winter in all the snow and ice! 

22 October 2018

Maintenance Jobs.

Mr. G. Woodpecker!

A Saturday without our usual Chris!  Lucky for us, the Chris G. came so different jobs were done. Most important was installing our green woodpecker on the summerhouse roof where he can now be seen from the kitchen window. Also as he faces west, we shall enjoy the sun behind him highlighting his colours.

Other maintenance jobs were done like adjusting the door to the cave, securing the canopy above the kitchen window and elevating the canopy above another window, freeing up the porch door, oiling hinges - all that sort of stuff. Not sure why I like it so much but I just DO!!

As ladders were put in place for painting, as soon as Brian had finished the following day,  I pruned the vine on the garage and over the garage canopy. It was such a great colour this year but had dropped all its leaves and in any case, I get into trouble for allowing it to hinder the free passage of cars !! Some people have other priorities!!  This was one we bought whilst visiting Highgrove a few years back. HRH had one growing up the front of the house and it certainly is a tough climber. It had pushed up behind the gettuering and the tendrils were as strong as metal springs!

Vitus cognetiae in all its autumn glory.
..and waiting for spring!

16 October 2018

STORM SURVIVAL!

WELL! Storm Callum certainly blew away a few cobwebs and left previously tidy lawns covered in a thick layer of leaves and twigs. The sort of fall out that's easy to cope with! Furthermore, I was able to take my new replacement lawn mower for a test drive. Not so keen on an automatic choke but, that aside, it's perfectly adequate. With the torrential rain, not much other gardening has been feasible. However the leaf colour changes are definitely to be admired and I rather like this shot of the tulip tree.


Liriodendron tulipifera

The Acers in pots by the chimney are a real blaze of colour and the reflected light glows red on the stairs in the morning. The Walnut and Fig trees are a lovely buttery yellow. The Spindlewood is always a fab crimson and it was a real treat to be greeted by a pair of thrushes for 2 mornings sitting on top of the conifer. I'm hoping they both make it through the winter.  

Colour changes
Autumn visitors


9 October 2018

Successes & Sorrows!

Following last Saturday's major tidy up prior to the arrival of foreign house guests, head gardener has been taking time off to show them around. We did make the Malvern Autumn Show - the like of which our friends had never seen before. The World Champion Vegetables were on display. For them - one word. BIG!
A last minute decision was made to have a go at at exhibiting a few bit and pieces in the ladies' section at Trumpet Ploughing Match. The afternoon before was spent scavenging in the garden for a few exhibits, printing some photos and what a surprise! We came home with 2 cups and quite a few prize cards! 9 to be exact with another accidentally left behind! We scooped the cut flower trophy and were joint winners for the photography cup. The pom pom dahlia tubers given by Chris Genever grew 3 blooms which won a 3rd!



Meanwhile: very sad news! My loyal and  trusty lawn mower died this afternoon! The deck rotted through and the front wheels just fell off whilst actually mowing! 13 years of loyal service and starting reliably - it's the end of an era and black arm bands for me! 

21 September 2018

As Autumn Steals Summer!



Before the storms.

The signs in the garden are: things are beginning to slow down and there's more than a hint of autumn. The usual seasonal jobs get done but somehow, there's less pressure. Before the recent spate of high winds, squalls and heavy rain, we had some wonderful sunny, still and almost silent days. Nothing stirred and colours just glowed. Dahlias, Zinnias, Rudbeckias, Echinaceas and Chrysanthemums have all provided their late bursts of colour but are now pretty battered by these high winds. The lawns are covered in leaves and debris with more stormy weather expected.

Hedychium gardnerianum
As the tomatoes were all picked and their framework removed from the greenhouse, I was able to move the Chrysanths in out of the the gales. They have provided the house with lots of cut flowers and all with excellent vase life.  The gingers (Hedychium gardnerianum) have provided a great show this year with record numbers of blooms and spectacular perfume. Worth a trip to the greenhouse just to inhale their perfume! The apples in the surrounding orchards are being harvested and the leaves are beginning to turn. As the days grow shorter and the evening lengthen, we look forward to cosy evenings scanning bulb catalogues and planting for colour and scent next spring!

Sheltered from the storms.
Definitely autumnal!

2 September 2018

Let there be LIGHT!

Keeping the dining room cool during the summer heatwave
Feeling like a jungle
Time to prune the Wisteria and free up the window frames for painting as well as allowing more light in now (dare I say?) the days are getting shorter. Some of the whippy side shoots were miles long. It's during the big summer prune when we're reminded what a beast our favourite King of Climbers really is! I think we took 5 barrows full of Wisteria down to the compost heap! Another job before winter rains was to free up a drain by digging out a ditch which really wants grading but at least it's free running now - or will be! Last job of the day was to hang a really elegant teapot in the teapot tree - it's actually an Acer griseum. Sadly the teapot lid was broken but, should we find a replacement, it will be pressed back into use.

All clear ready for painting!

30 August 2018

Situation Normal?


Well, we're getting back to normal or, whatever counts as normal for PTC.  Having done a bit of a harvest yesterday, it was drying the Apache chillies, eating the runner beans (which were a tad older than ideal - so much happening before open gardens was to blame!) as well as making another 7 pints of soup with the tomatoes. I found that the Di Bolsa are really excellent as this variety has far fewer seeds and plenty of flesh. Just what's needed for soup!




Mowing and deadheading took on a much more relaxed approach as did hoeing the veg patch. There was even time to take a few photos of the Chrysanthemums. I've never grown them before and I just love their autumnal scent. It actually is getting more like autumn with days noticeably shorter and very dewy mornings - say no more!!