Pot Parking Pads Mini Feature!!

Newly laid flagstones.

Thanks to a power cut and having 2 buckets of mortar mixed for other work and not wanting to waste it, the well path got its entrance widened!! 

The ground drops away here so Chris Genever dug down, made foundations using sand, cement and bricks, cut the stone then laid and pointed them up.  The path here is a tad narrow for two large pots so now we can move them onto two newly lid flagstones.  

Now we're discussing what we might use as plinths for the pots!

Well path entrance.

ALL CHANGE FOR SPRING!

One last look!

Phase I - colour removal!

It's that time of year when there's  crossing over of seasons.  The raised border is full of colourful Nemesais, Marigolds and Heucheras.  If it wasn't time to plant  Wallflowers in their place, I'd being enjoying their colour for a few more weeks.

However, as requested, the Under Gardener called at Keith Boulton's Heath Nursery and came back with some particularly fine young bushy plants in Cloth of Gold, Sunset Red and Sunset White.  I also dotted a few Queen of the Night tulips among them.  

I must mention that this is the best border in the garden in which to plant Wallflowers. Not only is it alongside a much used path but as the perfume is a nose height.

Laying out & planting up.

No wonder we gardeners are such optimists.  Roll on spring!!!

All finished.

                               

WHILE THE CAT'S AWAY...............

Chris is having a well deserved break this week.  Heaven know what he's going to say when he sees what I've been up to.  I must say, only one Saturday away and I'd have sold my soul for his chainsaw!!  I tackled a massive multi stemmed old Hebe with a pruning saw and it took me ages.  He would have done it in seconds!

This all came about for 2 reasons, One: it kept flopping over the well path steps and light. Two: I bought a couple of fab later flowering Phlox plants (Europa and Maculata Rosalinde) from Stone House Cottage Nursery  The idea is to mirror the perennial colour  already on the opposite side of the path.  I'll split and move some Rudbekias and also some Echinceas to increase the effect.  Firstly, I need some muscle to dig out the Hebe roots!

Hopefully, this time next year, it will have established and look a riot of colour!  As bare as it looks now, I'm not missing the Hebe at all and the view towards Woodbury from the conservatory is much extended!

Phlox 'Europa'.

Overdue Chicken Chat

Head Gardener, Chief Blogger and Senior Hen Keeper has to admit to an oversight!!  Back in July - the 2nd to be precise, we took ownership of 4 new girls.  They arrived aged 15 weeks.  see the photo Who's Who in the Hen House.  I can report that all 4 girls have totally settled in and are happy to be hand fed.  They are all now laying well and we have eggs to spare for sale.  There were a couple of incidents earlier involving escapees but, all have now had their flight feathers trimmed and there have been no subsequent incidents!

Clara, Bathsheba, Simone & Rosalind.

The two favourites are Clara and Bathsheba as both compete with each other when it comes to being picked up!

Twilight Garden by Candlelight 2020

The lead up to our candlelit garden event could hardly have been worse!  It rained solidly for 4 preceding days and, only the day before did the weather pick up.  That meant frantic mowing and edging wet grass, panicky spot weeding and strimming and trimming at the 11th hour!

At 7am on the day, Chris rolled up and dug out a path at the top of the former Aspen Grove and even edged the seating area.  What a truly great star he is!  We rushed around doing all sorts of seriously last minute jobs. 

Other stars of the day (and there were plenty) were Pat Finch and her husband Brian.  They arrived with Landrover and trailer full of tables, chairs, cakes, nibbles, cups, table cloths, urns......you name it.  She even brought plants to sell! We've never been so posh and never had table cloths before!  The dining tables looked really pretty with their green and white gingham cloths fluttering in the breeze, an arrangement of herbs, a candle and Chris's hand made wooden tea light holders.  Pat and Sandra put an extensive plant sale together at the end of the drive whilst in the garage were long tables complete with snowy white table cloths laden with delicious cakes, drinks and even individual packs of homemade cheesy nibbles to accompany the wines and Pimms.

At 6pm Chris & Ian appeared and lit 100's of tealights and placed them around the garden.  They set up the laser light which proved unusually popular!  It looked really magical!!  

In the meantime Lindy, Pauline, Lyn helped wrap and serve cakes and drinks with Pat and Sandra with Paul as Head of Plant Sales! Malc helped with just about everything which

included providing parking assistance and one way directional advice!

I have to mention Richard Goldman who gave up several hours to come and play the piano so romantically for visitors sitting out on the terrace.  His serenading was loved by one and all!

It was a great success and the grand total for day raised was a whopping £733.16!! Truly amazing considering the viral restrictions and the need for purchasing tickets online!  After all, we're just one very rural cottage garden.

I simply have to mention Pat and Brian again as, not only did they help clear up and take all the borrowed furniture back but Pat even laundered the cloths!!!  Now that really was above and beyond the call of duty.  We owe a huge debt of gratitude to all who helped out and supported us plus the neighbours who provided such perfect parking facilities.

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More Lovely Visitors.

Sunday saw another group of visitors from the West Midlands Gardeners.  The rain held off and even the sun came out for a really lovely group of genuine garden enthusiasts.  They even brought their own photographer who too these shots.  It's always so fascinating to see what catches the eye of a visiting photographer - and we also had some group shots! 

They all travelled from Halesowen, Moseley, Dudley and Stourbridge areas.  Not all made the meeting time as one poor lady got very lost and found herself in Alfrick!  She found us eventually and enjoyed  tasting some of our pears.  More funds raised for the National Garden Scheme!!