New Look for the Greenhouse Terrace.

 

A new experimental project!  This border proved far to dry for dahlias - the original reason for its design.  We struggled on for a few years then moved all the Dahlias.  For the last 3 years or so, I filled it with wallflowers in the spring and Pelargoniums in summer.  This year, I decided to make life easier!  I bought some tiny Hidcote Lavender seedlings (reduced to £5.99 for 24 in Dobies sale!) and grew them on.  I kept them trimmed to ensure compact and bushy plants. 

Our long hot drought meant conditions were too hostile for planting until now.  Yes, the spacing is tight but I don't want them to grow very high as I want a particularly low dense mini hedge.  The soil in this border is perfect for Lavender - poor, very well drained and is hit by the full sun.  I'm a big believer in early autumn planting as the soil is still warm allowing plants to establish quickly. Hopefully, they will thrive and spill over the the south facing stonework.

Twilight Garden Soiree 2026

 Despite vicious downpours our team of loyal volunteers turned out in force to serve 90 visitors with teas, coffees and amazing cakes!  We feared the worst but just tipped the £1000.00 thanks to Tricia Ward-Jones who donated £32 to take us to our total.  Unlucky with the weather after such a long dry/hot spell but that's British weather for you.  

I had ruled out the possibility of candles because of the very real fire risk - and I live in a wooden house!.  In the event it was rain that prevented their use.  Luckily lots of people donated extra fairy lights.   Dave gave up an entire a Saturday afternoon expertly arranging half a mile of lights following every contour of a our newly clipped Yew hedge and over our new Wisteria arbour! 

Mowers were evicted from their cart shed and extra tables and chairs accommodated to keep visitors dry.  Pat baked amazing cakes and sausage rolls. Brian lugged tables and chairs to and fro.  We're so lucky to have such a team!
All in all: totally worthwhile and a HUGE thanks you to all who helped and supported in any way!

Renamed!

In view of droughts and fire risks, I can hardly call it a Twilight Garden by Candlelight this year!  We are ditching naked flames in the hopes of begging, borrowing and stealing extra fairly lights!  Inevitably this will mean extension cables which hopefully won't present trip hazards!  We are hoping that the desperately needed rain doesn't fell on 30th August!  As always the event is in aid of the National Garden Scheme. Read all about us!

Garden Post Catch-Up!

How can I not have posted anything since May?  Even Wimbledon has come and gone!!

Maybe blame it on the heatwave and drought conditions! Desert or dust bowl?  The Lavender, Cacti & succulents have all loved this weather!  Whereas, I'm totally fed up with the relentless need for watering!  The Wisteria is loving the heat as, never before have there been this many blooms for a second flush!  The roses were amazing but lasted no time at all! 

The new chickens have settled in well and are a very happy bunch - well up until yesterday!  Dora is now broody and really vicious with it.  I've had to close the polehouse door to deny her access to the nest box where she would prefer to spent her entire time growling at the others!

PTC Garden Residents

Chris came and we built them new front door steps out of some left over stone.  All the exposed concrete is now skillfully hidden! We also made some pretty lead capping for the garden doors so than can be left open in the rain (if it ever does!) with impunity! Other news is the growing of lots and lots of Lavender and Ilex crenata.  I don't intend to battle with Box blight of caterpillers so amd growing replacements.  Also Lavender will be planted in the old Dahlia border as they can cope with the parched conditions!

Meanwhile following their prolific flowering, the coffees are all now happily producing beans which are gradually ripening as are the ornamental gourds which have replaced the usual vegetables this year. 

MORE JULY PHOTOS

                          

Wisteria Moments

Just can't resist sharing a little video of the Wisterias.  We only have one left to bloom - amethyst Falls on the garden tool shed is always later.  The others are pretty much over for this year.

WISTERIA MOMENTS

Wisteria sinensis

Busy BUSY BUSY!!

Getting everything ready for our forst NGS Open Day meant just no time for blog posts.  BUT - what a day it was!!!  We welcomed over 100 visitors in the first 50 minutes.  We overcame all kinds of hiccups from electrical problems which meant that urns were tripping out.  We ran out of change.  Then to top it all, the drain beneath the kitchen sink window became blocked!!  With our many supporters and helpers all were over come.  The weather cooperated despite dire forecasts and the womderful clarinettists from Barrels and Bells played for 2 hours in glorious warm sunshine,  It was the most unexpected successful day.  Even the Wisterias looked fabulous. 

An enormous thank you to every single person who helped in any way.  You all deserve a mention - Pat and Brian Finch especially for lugging so much furniture around the county and making so many exquisitely delicious cakes and sausage rolls ALL of which sold out!

  

Gradual Catch Up

 Too long since my last post but I'm gradually catching up after the awfulness of last autumn/winter.  The greenhouse was an utter disheartening mess! Dead, dying and rotting plants. Gradually and slowly plants have been disposed of where necessary, glass cleaned and pruned plants rescued.  Seeds have been sown and plug plants potted on.  I no longer dread opening the greenhouse door but walk in with hope.  Elsewhere in the garden, spring is well under way. Despite earlier gales and very cold - even frosty weather, the garden looks pretty tidy - if you don't look too closely!  The Hostas in the Hostalry are certainly waking up and Acers are beginning to leaf up. With Open Gardens looming on 3rd May, I'm hoping the Wisterias will be at their best!

  

HOPE!

 Well, we're into March and the garden is looking springlike and the birds are singing their little hearts out!  I managed to start all 3 mowers after a winter of inactivity.  This meant all areas of grass enjoyed their first and second mow of the season and even the edges were trimmed.  The greenhouse has also had attention and I made a start of glass cleaning!  We've had 2 glorious sunny springlike days, narcissus have taken over from the snowdrops,  The Camellias are blooming and the Magnolia is showing colour.  Hope abounds!

I have to share this as I used A.I. to write a garden description PTC Garden courtesy of Gemini A.I.  I'm thinking of visiting!!

Disappointed!

 These Silver Birch (Betula jaquemontii) were purchased from expert local growers Frank P Mathews in 2019.  They were specifically ordered and sold as 3 multi stemmed specimens.  To be honest, I was disappointed at the time but said nothing!  (Why are we so polite & humbled with experts?)

Every time I look at them, I feel nothing but disappointment! I should never have accepted them let alone plant them.  They're just not multi stemmed but have not had their lower barnches pruned. To me, they just look wrong!

I wonder what they'd say now?

Galanthus Anniversary

This was a post from last year when my husband and I visited Ashwood. Here I am 12 months later wating for the gem that took his eye to bloom but no longer having the most wonderful husband by my side. I just could never have imagined not being able to share this little flower with him.

"7th February 2025 - It's always dangerous to visit Ashwood Nurseries, Gift Shop and Tea Room at this time of year!!

I'm no Galanthophile but 'Melanie Broughton' caught our eye with her broad leaves, elegant long stem & standing head & shoulders above her fellow blooms. After talking to the expert who propagated her, she came home with us! Interestingly she was found at Anglesey Abbey in 1998."

Reginald!

A word on Reginald!!  Reginald Robin fledged last spring and continues to be a loyal and fearless garden companion!  Even as a speckeldy baby, he displayed courage. You can see his adolescent plumage on last year's photos.

He is just EVERYWHERE all the time!  I'm almost frightened of treading on him.  I felt such a character deserves a post all to himself!

Reginald Robin

 

Gardening with Grief.

Despite the pain of loss, snow, storms, heavy frosts, rains, high winds etc etc, garden work has continued uninterrupted - amazingly!  Andrew and I have been busy with tree work and hedge cutting.  Doesn't sound much but when you look at the bonfire pile one can see the results of a lot of work!!  Of course trees and hedges are also looking pretty smart with far less congestion and overcrowding.

Another satisfying job has been de-leafing all the Hellebores and Epimediums as the emerging flowers are revealed. The Snowdrops are also just emerging and always such a welcome sight!  The Sarcococca confusa (Winter Box) and Chimonanthus praecox are filling the garden with perfume despite the January weather!

Battling against the elements is the Acacia dealbata.  It lost one bough in Storm Goretti but is still managed to open it's tiny fluffy flowers which I've been cutting and putting in a vase indoors!

Continuing with gardening, garden work and garden jobs means one is surrounded by expectation and hope and that's the very 'THING'!

 

MMXXVI - A new year & a new life!

 Well - today marks both a new year in the garden and, for me, a whole new and very different life!  I shall be testing gardening as a therapy to its absolute limits.  I am determined keep the garden going in Al's memory as I promised him.

On a very frosty and sunny day, work began with hedges and ivy.  I don't normally complain about working in the sunshine but it was so low in the sky and so brilliant some work was difficult when looking into it!

Andrew and I trimmed the ivy growing on dead trees and removed it from all living trees.  It's a menace in the wrong place!  Roses and Clematis were all tied, hedges were trimmed and we had a proper clear out at the back of the Woodland Border.  Andrew trimmed the inside of the boundary hedges form the Top Lawn Border down to Compost Corner removing damaged hawthorn branches as he went.  Even the ivy around Cordelia was trimmed! All this work added a huge amount to the bonfire pile and the compost heap. 

December in the garden!

 

Worcestershire NGS 2026

PTC Garden makes the cover on Worcestershire's National Garden Scheme county booklet!!  Lot to live up to and I need the extra incentive this year!

 

Autumn

 The Woodland Border!  At its very best in autumn and early spring!

Twilight Garden by Candlelight 2025

 An enormous thank you to all bakers, helpers, visitors and supporters!!  You're all amazing!!!

It's getting closer!

 All visitors VERY welcome!!

July Highlights

 Despite the most awful drought conditions, the lilies and phlox are a blaze of colour and perfume so here's a few highlights from around the garden: July Highlights

 

ALL TIME TOTAL

 I thought it would be interesting to know our all time total for money raised for the National Garden Scheme.  I could never have guessed our total!! 

Can you believe this figure?