Head Gardener's Diary - February
We’ve been having some beautiful weather recently, hard
frosts which burn off in the morning with blue skies and full
days of sunshine. It’s very chilly heading out into the
garden at 8.00am but by the afternoon we’re down to T-shirts
– however, as soon as the sun disappears behind the trees
its instantly cold again. The lack of rain has given the garden
the chance to dry up nicely – I’ve even been able
to rotovate the walled garden.
We are still clearing up the wood and chippings left behind
by the tree gangs from Beechwood, they have been back to finish
the Turkey Oak which is going to remain as a standing dead tree
as it has bats living in it. We are also continuing with the
blocks of wood in the centre of the garden, removing the Pines,
birches and cherries to leave ash and oak copses with an under
planting of hazels and a boundary including coppiced hawthorn
and field maples.
I have also removed part of the low branch of the first Turkey
Oak at the bottom of the drive for safety reasons. I continually
see parents letting several children jump up and down on the
branch while something small crawls towards the end of the branch
which is hitting the ground. If anyone were to get under that
branch at the wrong time then they could be seriously injured
and the parents wouldn’t blame themselves for neglecting
to watch their children but would instead try to sue us. As
I removed the end of the branch the remainder of it lifted a
good two feet higher - people can still sit on it but at least
now there is no danger of a little one being crushed.
Spring is rapidly approaching and there is still a lot to prepare.
Thanks to the Friends again for their help especially with the
Mixed Border, the Jungle and the Digitalis. I have sown some
new Digitalis which will be hardened off shortly before being
planted out next month to increase the collection.
| Julia Wesley |
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