More trenching this week, but we managed to finish this off…
In my first session of the New Year at Blickling the cold weather had arrived. My colleague Peter and I braved the wet snow to help Mike in the Walled Garden, by finishing off the trenching needed to put in the oak edging for the cross paths in two of the quarters in the new layout.
I was slightly embarrassed to hear that most of the other volunteers had already had a session last week, which I missed (having phoned in to discuss whether to come in with head Gardener, Paul). I thought the weather would put paid to any productive gardening. I was wrong! the team had begun the painstaking work of cleaning off sooty mould from the leaves of the orange and lemon trees in the orangery, so there are some inside jobs for bad weather days!
The ladies continued with this work this week. Peter and I made good progress, and as it was my birthday, I decided to leave after completing the trenching to go home to a nice birthday lunch and peaceful afternoon in front of the woodburner! Incidentally, I held back taking in birthday cakes as I wasn’t sure how many volunteers would be in, so that treat awaits the team next week!
Peter takes a break amidst a gloomy day in the Walled Garden
Project Manager Mike and gardener Rob continued concreting in the metal uprights which will carry the wires alongside the main paths in the walled garden, where an apple tunnel and other trained fruit bushes will be grown. Though perhaps the Walled Garden doesn’t look much different to how it did on my first day at Blickling (exactly a year ago), on reflection an awful lot of foundation work has been achieved (including drainage and water supply put in, path edging as well as remedial pruning to fan trained fruit), and a good crop of fruit and veg from one side border to boot.
Some of the oak edging in place; hopefully this will all be in by next week
The latest big project is the removal of the rotting wooden and glass roof and walls to the second greenhouse, which will be renovated with anew structure in the next month or two. This, alongside the other Greenhouse, which was renovated last year, will provide a superb pair of facilities for raising and protecting plants, and I get a real sense that this coming year we will start to see the main beds populated and productive.
Now you see it…Darren from DS Builders begins work on dismantling the second greenhouse…
Now you don’t…awaiting its repaired brickwork and new timber and glass top.
Mike is giving a talk to the Estate volunteers about the Walled garden Project this week, and I’m looking forward to hearing his review of progress and plans for the coming year.
Further Information:
Blickling Hall website
Blickling Hall Facebook page
A 360 degree tour of Blickling Hall
Old School Gardener
I wrote about my last working session at Blickling a couple of days ago. I thought I’d add one further post about our visit to the place on Sunday, to see how staff and volunteers had dressed it for Christmas; especially the house. The theme- ‘Putting on the Glitz’, a return to the inter war years of stellar dinner parties, silverware and champagne cascades…
We were impressed (and smiled widely) as we did the normal tour route of the house… to see a wonderful rendition of a Lord Lothian Christmas complete with costumed staff (and celebrities), dinner menu and place cards and a wonderful range of floral displays. Here’s a gallery of some of the best bits…
Further Information:
O.K. it’s me in there (captured by my wife on one of her walks)…and yes, it isn’t Ghostbusting (as my daughter suggested), but rather leaf blowing at Blickling this week!
Ed took me through the machine for the day – a very powerful petrol-powered back pack blower which was a bit on the heavy side, especially after a couple of hours! But, moving in a line, Peter, Ed (who had an even more powerful trolley blower) and I managed to get the leaves ready for Ed to bring round the tractor with a powerful vacuum cleaner attachment to suck up and shred the leaves ready for dumping on the leaf mould pile.
The run up to Christmas with Blickling ‘Putting on the Glitz’ is starting to come together, and we also helped lift furniture in the courtyard where a fire pit, lanterns and other features look set to create wonderful centre piece. Staff and volunteers have been out decorating the Acorn Yews in the Parterre Garden and the traditional avenue of illuminated Christmas Trees looks wonderful once more. This year there is even a ‘Christmas Tree’ alight on the island in the lake.
Yet more strimming this week in my latest session at Blickling!
Further Information:
The ‘dynamic duo’ of Peter and I continued with strimming the avenues and connecting paths in the outer gardens at Blickling this week.
Old School Garden 