Head Gardener's Diary - November
I know it’s colder at the moment so when I cut the grass
at the beginning of November I thought that was it for the year.
However, it still seems to be growing – some areas are
looking decidedly tufty and may have to be mown again. Everything
else on the other hand is dying down at last. We have been cutting
down, and chipping and composting all the rubbish. Thanks to
the “Friends” who are helping with this.
We have also been lifting and potting up a selection of more
tender plants to overwinter as stock plants, which will be used
to take cuttings in the Spring and provide us with new plants
to be planted out next June when all danger of frosts has passed.
We are very fortunate to have the luxury of heated glasshouse
space available to do this as I’m sure the gardeners amongst
you appreciate. It saves us a lot of money to produce the plants
for the Jungle, the Dahlias, Fuchsias and Geraniums from cuttings
rather than buying new plants each year.
 We
are still tackling the hedge tops around the formal gardens;
I now have help from some keen third-year students one day a
week which makes a huge difference to progress in this area
and the end finally seems to be in sight. They seem quite determined
they are going to have it all completed before Christmas (which
is approaching much more rapidly than I like!) I haven’t
shown them the gas hut hedge yet – I think I’d better
save that until the New Year!
The first-year students also have a few practicals this term
and one those involves the leaf-blower and a lot of rakes which
should hopefully result in all the leaves being tidied away
in several of the leafiest areas of the garden. Most of the
leaves appear to be down now, except for the oaks and alder
near the pond which always hang on to their leaves until last.
Hopefully we can get all of them tidied away before Christmas
too.
Julia Wesley |
|
| |
November sun |
|
