The Great Gooseberry Rescue!

Yet more recycling!

As much as I tried, I just couldn't keep up with the chickens scratching their wood chip through their mesh fence and burying our gooseberry bush. The trouble is: at this point in the garden, the ground drops away and gravity always wins! A solution was found using some leftover pieces of corrugated iron which Chris Genever remembered was on the log store roof. 

Amazingly, we had exactly the right number of offcuts which were all exactly the right size. How often does that happen? Chris dug it in and then drilled holes enabling him to wire the tops to the mesh. He then set about rescuing the gooseberry bush only to find that a couple of branches had rooted so we now have 2 more smaller bushes - BONUS! The rest of Nutberry Noak was dug over and weeded with the cob nut having its crown raised a little.  Not only neat and tidy but this little garden patch is now chicken proof! Oh, and by the way, the girls can see over the top - just!

Pear Repair

Also on the list was to repair and repaint the pear which lives on the 'Pear Arch'. The original leaf was broken ages ago and it needed some TLC.  We cut a new pear leaf from some old lead and, believing it was a metal pear, we set about attaching the lead leaf. Little did we know the pear is actually ceramic and the stalk broke off leaving a hole in the top. Chris came up with the bright idea of filling it with a quick setting concrete, attaching the leaf to a nail and embedding the nail in the concrete. Hey presto a pear with a new leaf that now weighs a ton! A quick clean up and respray and it was put back in position. Well; Worcester is known for its famous Black Pear!

Fine Thyme Sign!

Chris realigning the sign!

The old slate sign restored

This Saturday was mainly maintenance jobs.  As the small wooden uprights kept rotting, we repaired the old Thyme Square sign.  Something more durable was called for so James at Lanes made some new metal posts for it. We'll have to wait for them to acquire a more pleasing patina of rust. We changed the wooden backrest for some Victorian path edgers. Hard to believe that 11 years have elapsed since we ripped out the old hedge, replanted and built this area of the garden!

The Great Azorean Experiment.

When in the Azores just before Christmas, the Head Gardener in charge of pineapple cultivation explained how; once a year, they light small fires in the greenhouses. Dead pineapple leaves are burned to create lots of smoke which kills all pests. I figure if it works commercially, it might work on the countless zillions of whitefly in our greenhouse which decimate crops.  

Having had a good tidy and clean up, I lit a small fire and placed a pile of damp leaves and let it smoke away for half an hour before removing it. I figure it's kinder than buying chemical fumigators some of which kill plants too! However, it's a first and it'll be interesting to see if it works. Whitefly make it impossible for us to grow cucumbers and it's a constant battle with tomatoes so...fingers crossed!

Going Solo

The main lawn 

Hellebores in the Woodland Border

With Chris still in Tobago, it was solo gardening on an unusually mild Saturday.  All roses were pruned and produced 5 barrowfuls of clippings, the top lawn trellis border was tidied and edged and all lawns were topped - by that I mean cut very high. It's more hoovered that cut. The girls enjoyed a box of grass clippings and Esmeralda is laying again so it's lovely to see her blue eggs in the nest box.  The 'Under Gardener' had a bonfire and disposed of all the roses clippings.

We've had some wonderful sunny days with frosty nights and misty mornings. More and more Hellebores and Snow drops are popping up with Pulmonarias showing more colour. Funny thing is; the Snowdrops in the Aspen Grove are WAY behind and only just peeping through. Meanwhile, I'm hoping that the Camelia buds which are all showing colour will wait until the frosts are over before daring to open!!

Losing those long dark days!

The garden continues to slowly awaken from its long winter slumber. Already in flower we have Primroses, Snowdrops, Cyclamen, Aconites, Hellebores and even the odd Pulmonaria is showing a little colour! 

A Poinsettia bought in 2017 is flowering its heart out in the conservatory and down in the greenhouse, Geraniums, Pelargoniums and Chrysanthemums are all stirring! Noticeably, birdsong is increasing as our song birds begin to enjoy the extra daylight. Even the chickens are laying more eggs!

Here's a taste of what's happening! 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XhMN1hE59YYdDtCM9

Sunny Winter Work!

A freezing cold but sunny Saturday meant time to sharpen secateurs and prune the apple trees! We started with the Bramley first then did Katy and Lord Hindlip.  After that we did the pillar rose taking out much of the old woody stems to encourage new growth. 

Then on to a much bigger job.  Moving peonies and splitting and moving a BIG tree peony.  I know that in general, peonies aren't over keen on moving house but, Chris gets as much soil around roots as possible.  We don't know if the tree peony will survive but it's got 2 chances and 'we done our best, Gov'!  It had grown far too big for its spot by the Lion Steps.  In fact, one lion was completely obscured.  Not so now. We also moved a Berberis in the Sofa Border which has reduced overcrowding beneath a Dogwood and now looks much better.  We took another couple of barrowfuls of compost for distribution and mulching before the usual tidy up and bonfire. Whilst doing all this, there was time to spot Snowdrops and Cyclamen popping up everywhere. All in all, a god day's work! 

Yes! Sun & blue skies!

First Hoar Frost of 2019

How different the garden looked from the window this morning!!!

Would rather have had a hang over!

Owing to the fact that Head Gardener has been recovering from a nasty bout of 'something', poor Chris was totally abandoned this week. When he arrived, he assumed that we were both too hung over from the previous Burn's Night celebrations! As if!!!  One had to croak out an explanation which had forced a last minute postponement to any such celebrations! He plodded 'quietly' on emptying the compost bay and mulching the Lower Border which he had carefully prepared last week and then moved on to prune both pear trees. Unusually, H.G. was left pathetically clutching a hot water bottle drinking copious hot toddies in front of the log burner! Will need to compensate next week!

Woodbury rising from the shadows.

We did have just a dusting of snow earlier in the week but it didn't last five minutes and looked as if the garden had been dredged with icing sugar. Note that we still have the odd rose in bloom! I should dearly love to know the name of this variety as there's hardly a day in the year when there are no flowers in bloom.

Lift & Divide!

Spot Chris in the shadows!

As our usual Saturday gardening day was swapped to today, work began in the Lower Border the whilst Head Gardener was engaged with the annual appointment with the accountant! When lunch time arrived Chris had practically finished it all on his own and, as it was so cold, H.G cooked bacon sandwiches (on homemade bread!) and made hot coffee for lunch.

Clumps of Epimediums

It was then back to work with the usual team of two! Chris dug out and divided the HUGE Epimedium clump and divided it and replanted the divisions - 11 in all. Some were returned to the Woodland Border with fresh compost (from the heap!) and others were replanted in the shady Tool Shed Border in which there has never been much interest apart from a few Muscari in spring.

Meanwhile Snowdrops and Hellebores are popping up everywhere.  The scent from the Sarcococca  was wafting across the garden despite the low temperatures! Even the fragrance from the Chimonanthus praecox was making its presence felt and I have a cold!!  To add to the scene, the sun came out briefly and the chill wind abated. We were reminded that mid-winters day has passed and that spring is nearing!