Weeks of incessant rain

After weeks of incessant rain, the Garden Team is once again rained off. Many areas of the garden are water logged, preventing winter tasks such as leaf raking, hedge trimming and general tidying from being done. The double herbaceous border (272m long), awaits our return; we have spent the past three days cutting down plant foliage to the ground, but there’s many more metres to cover. Even the Thrush is silent today.

Yet on a positive note, some shrubs already have a few flowers blooming – Daphne tangutica and Dipelta ventricosa – too early perhaps, but they add a cheerful note of colour.

Sylvia’s Garden is tidy and awaiting a top dressing of mulch.

The Tropical garden and Beacon Garden already mulched, are shipshape, and ready for opening day.

One major task awaiting us, is the planting up of areas of the garden that have been cleared of Portugal Laurel and bird sown Yew trees. Ground cover plants are already in house, and once these are planted, a layer of mulch will be carefully applied around them.

Gardening is often a case of Carpe Diem, seizing the moment, and undertaking tasks when opportunity knocks, rather than always following text book dictats. If we are mulching in April, then so be it. Nature has a wonderful way of righting the balance. Perhaps this summer will be dry and hot, and all this rain will stand the trees and shrubs in good stead.

Whilst we have much to do, let’s look ahead with a smile, and the knowledge that next week is due to be colder, but more importantly dry.

Louise.