Archive for November, 2016
Having spent the morning doing some Geophysics surveying at the nearby Aylsham Roman Project, I joined the Thursday Team at Blickling for a couple of hours this week. The focus was digging over the Black Border and planting out over 600 ‘Queen of Night’ tulip bulbs which will look splendid alongside black Irises and black Mongo grass, as well as shrubs such as black Elder. The soil here is pretty damp and claggy, so we spent a good time forking it over to loosen it before planting out the bulbs.
On my way to lunch I bumped into Project Manager, Mike, who has thankfully returned to work after his back problems. After lunch I was joined by Norfolk Peter and Gordon in the Walled Garden, where we planted out about seven rows of tulips which will be used for cutting flowers next spring. The soil, here, having been improved consistently over many years, was a joy to work compared to the Black border.
So where were all the gardeners? It turns out they were ‘dressing’ the gardens for the festive openings in the run up to Christmas. The lighting effects and other decorations promise to be even better than previous years and the House has also been decked out as it would have looked for a 1930’s Christmas. If you can manage a visit, I’m sure it will be very worthwhile- I’ll post some pictures later in the week of how it all looks.
There are certain plants that are full of interest most of the year but they usually have powerful peaks. Such a plant is Clerodendrum trichotoma var fargesii, which we grow in our spring border. It is one of those plants with lots going for it and to recommend itself to us gardeners.
The framework revealed- the Black Poplar in Old School Garden
To Walter de Grasse
Dear Walter,
I hope this letter finds you and Lise well. Some wintery weather has descended, but I’m pleased to report a reasonably productive month in Old School Garden.
I’ve collected a lot of leaves, mainly by using the ride-on mower with it’s grass collector. In fact I now have a full leaf compound, so will have to pull the various subsidiary mounds around the garden into my main store once this has rotted down a little. I’ll also need to get cracking with the leaf fall in the pond and borders in due course, but as I write, the oak trees are only just beginning to colour up and lose their leaves, so we’ve a way to go, as usual..
Leaves a plenty
Having also cleared out the furniture store (this performed well as a temporary ‘Cat Cave’ for my daughter and son-in-law’s cats for a couple, of months), I now have a large wooden and metal mesh door that I’ve taken off of it’s hinges and can use as a front screen for the leaf compound; so a good example fo recycling (or is it ‘up’ or ‘down’ cycling?). The outdoor furniture is also safely stored for the winter.
I’ve been busy clearing and lightly digging over most of the kitchen garden, and got my onion sets and broad beans sown. On the day that the first frosty night was promised I also managed to clear the greenhouse and rehomed winter-tender plants such as the Cannas (we had a pretty good show from these), various bedding plants (we’ll see if it’s worth hanging on to these) , Echeveria and Pelargoniums. The vine in the courtyard and some climbing roses and clematis have also had their winter tidy up. And as containers have been cleared I’ve filled them with bulbs along with some winter bedding in the form of Cyclamen, Pansies and Violas.
Greenhouse as temporary shelter for the tender…
I’m pleased with the various Candelabra Primula I’ve grown from seed, and now planted out most of these in the Pond Garden and one or two other shady spots (and given some away). I look forward to a good show in the spring.
The ‘Plant Theatre’ with a new cast of Candelabra Primula
I’ve also planted out the various Achillea nobilis ‘Neilreichii’ runners (courtesy of the Walled Garden at Blickling), in the two triangular raised planters next to the terrace; once bulbs for spring interest have finished here, these should help to give a good summer show of short, creamy white flowers and bluish grey cut foliage.
Terrace planters prepared for spring and summer
cyclamen
You recall I told you about clearing the front border under our bedroom window? Well that too has been planted up with the English Lavender I bought and brought on together with some spring bulbs, Scabious and Potentilla rupestris all grown from seed. See the picture below- eventually I hope that the lavender will fill out to a low hedge at which point the other plants can be moved on.
The front border planted up and edging levelled
I still have some other plants to put out, hopefully before the weather turns very cold. My last harvesting is nearly done- just a few parsnips, leeks and chard left for later. The ‘Red Delicious’ apple tree seems to have produced a good crop this year so I’ve got a large box of these in store; they should fully ripen in time for Christmas.
You’ll be aware of my involvement in the Allotment Project at Reepham High School & College, where there may be an exciting development in relation to sponsorship and involving produce being used in local hotels and pubs- more on this in due course if it comes to anything.
My other active project at present is the ‘The Grow Organisation’ near Norwich, where I’ve completed a Concept Plan for them. This appears to have gone down very well, including with some potential partners in Mental Health Services. You may recall that the organisation is providing gardening and food growing opportunities for people with various needs, including some with mental health issues.
Most of the winter pruning now done…Bay lollipop…
Fremontodendron…
..vine..
The vision is ambitious and includes the progressive, incremental development of the site into a number of different areas, many involving food growing, and also including a ‘Trials Area’ where permaculture and other techniques can be explored. I’ve also included a sunken greenhouse (to allow round the year growing) and a demonstration compost area, where I hope we can get support from national and local composting projects. I’ll keep you posted on the developments here.
My desk research for the Tree Trail at Blickling continues. My latest session included the Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), perhaps considered a bit of a thuggy weed in some woodlands, but also a great tree with some interesting history. Apart from being used as a gallows in Scotland due to its strength, there is a famous example in Dorset- The Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Tree.
Under this sycamore tree at Tolpuddle, six agricultural labourers, known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs, formed an early trades union in 1834. They were found to have breached the Incitement to Mutiny Act 1797 and were sentenced to transportation to Australia. The subsequent public outcry led to their release and return. The tree now has a girth of 5.9 metres (19 feet, 4 inches) and a 2005 study dated the tree to 1680. The tree is cared for by the National Trust, so this little bit of history is a ‘must include’ in the Blickling Tree Trail!
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The Martyrs’ Tree, Tolpuddle, Dorset. Picture by Simon Palmer.
Old School Gardener
The last time you saw Clematis drummondii was as a constellation of flowers in far north Austin on September 7th. Some of the plants there that day were more advanced and their flowers had begun producing the silky strands that when still further along and dingier give the species the common name old man’s beard. […]
Not Alice’s Wonderland, but my world of small shown big.
via Welcome to the Wonderland of Wasps — Garden Walk Garden Talk
Remarkable ground-penetrating technology has revealed more than 500 graves of Cistercian monks and lay brothers who once lived at Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire, now cared for by the National Trust. The abbey at the site existed from the early 12th century to its closure in 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The conservation charity […]
We had a stimulating walk around Brighton with friends Dave and Jen,recently, and I took the chance to capture some interesting shop, house and other frontages..enjoy.
Old School Gardener
Pedro Rebelo has collaborated with our blog from the beginning, suggesting restaurants to try and ideas for posts. He is a fabulous cook. We’re lucky to have been invited to many of his culinary feasts and we love the recipes he shares on his blog, Pasto. Pedro’s food is not just delicious—it surprises and delights. After […]
On a recent trip to see our friends Dave and Jen in Sussex we stopped off to visit Standen House and Gardens, near to East Grinstead.
This ‘Arts and Crafts’ family home has a lovely range of interiors, dressed for a weekend stay in 1925, so you can imagine you are a guest of the Beale family. There is excellent attention to detail in the furnishing of the rooms. James and Margaret Beale chose an idyllic location with views across the Sussex countryside for their rural retreat. Designed by Philip Webb, the house is one of the finest examples of Arts and Crafts workmanship, with Morris & Co. interiors creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
After a stimulating tour of the house we enjoyed a light lunch before venturing out into the gardens. A major restoration of the 5-hectare (12-acre) hillside garden showcases year-round seasonal highlights and an award-winning plant collection. On our visit the autumnal colours of the many Acers was a highlight. On the wider estate, footpaths lead out into the woodlands, Ashdown Forest and wider High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Further information: National Trust website
Old School Gardener
You’ll find more on the Pendleton Estate at the current exhibition at the People’s History Museum in Manchester which showcases the work and archives of long-term residents John Aitken and Jane Brake of the Institute of Urban Dreaming. We left the people of Ellor Street last week facing the brave new world of comprehensive redevelopment in […]
via The Pendleton Estate I: ‘A Salford of the Space Age’ or ‘Concrete Wasteland’? — Municipal Dreams
Old School Garden 