February 2025

by anne chambers

At last some dry sunny weather but frost at night so the fleece has to be put on and off the cuttings in the polytunnel and greenhouses.  Bulbs are appearing and the crocus in the white sunk garden have multiplied enormously.

The swimming pool has been emptied and repainted ready for filling which takes over a week.  Just hope we have a hot summer so it has some use!

We had a lovely few days in Lisbon last week, such an attractive city and people.  Lots of walking and although early in the season some tender plants already flowering.  We came across the datura which had obviously seeded themselves in a bare piece of unloved ground near a busy road.

We also visited the Gulbenkian museum surrounded by a park where we spotted a vast pittisporum tobira which must have been over seventy years old, had no idea they could grow so enormous.  Ours on the banks survive and do flower but have a long way to go before reaching those proportions.

Have done several talks on the garden this winter including to the West of England  hardy plants group near Gloucester where Bob Brown is a member, a very enthusiastic audience and a thriving group, full of plant knowledge.

The mound work is progressing well but still a building site.  It has been so wet and muddy so difficult to move the tons of soil even with an enormous digger!  However we will get there but maybe not in time for opening.

Only a month to go before we open so madly getting everything ready and the nursery bursting into life.

January 2025

by anne chambers

A mild and mostly dry January has meant we have been able to get on well with the winter work in the garden and the tree surgeons are due to arrive next week as we have had some casualties including an old apple tree and a large oak in the lower garden. It always amazes us how many pine needles are taken off the banks, as you can see a vast pile to burn.

Our main concern this month has been deer; roe deer and muntjac who have been wandering through the garden and eating the tops of bulbs and geranium palmatum which we have now protected.  Luckily we have a local deer stalker who has come early in the morning and managed to shoot some but they have definitely increased enormously in the past few years.

 The snowdrops and aconites are appering and the beautiful daphne Peter Smithers is flowering and the scent is magnificent.  I have also got a daphne  bohlua Jackeline Postill to plant this Spring which also has a wonderful scent in winter; not decided quite where to put her but needs to be near a path to get the maximum effect.

The building work on the mound is progressing well with Steve now building the retaining walls to the entrance and Johnny on his digger, so hoping we will be able to have all done by the time we open.

Monty Don has a new programme on English gardens,(sadly we are not on it!) but it is excellent and delighted to see that Woolerton Hall which I have always admired featured this week.