Hyacinth ‘Blue Jacket’ putting on a show- and fragrance
Another Wednesday session this week at Blickling, and, you guessed it, more spade work!
It was a showery day, so the waterproof was never far away…at one point we had an almost horizontal driving shower of hail to contend with. Anyway, my first job in the Walled Garden was to dig a trench (and half) with my fellow volunteers to provide a temporary home for a rather large number of Black Mongo Grass (Ophiopogon) plants which had been removed from the Black Garden.
All trenched in…
…Ophiopogon (Black Mongo Grass)
I’d noticed a digger hard at work in this important area near the Double borders; I’m pleased to say that the grass (or rather mud) surface of this area was being replaced with gravel and a slight remodelling was underway too. This area is heavily trafficked and the grass surface soon cuts up over the season, so something tougher is required.
Whacking down the path base- this will have gravel laid over…
…many edge plants removed, some levelling up and a bit of tweking to the design…
…but gravel isd the answer to the heavy traffic problem in the ‘Black Garden’
The Mongo Grass provide an important ‘floor’ to the planting here which features spring tulips and summer Black Elder amongst other ‘black’ plants. It is also home to a large bench which provides one of the best views at Blickling across the parterre, towards the Hall and the Lake beyond.
There were plenty of plants to place out and some of the other volunteers helped Gardener Rebecca pot some up for sale. I’d also noticed a large number of potted Roses, recently delivered and waiting placing out to fill gaps in the Rose Garden.
Plenty of roses waiting to be planted out in the Rose Garden
After this work- the plants didn’t require any special watering in as the rain came and went- we turned our attention to preparing the ground for the raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants and gooseberries that will occupy a quarter of the walled garden.
All is mucked in… forked over lines for soft fruit in the Walled Garden
So having moved the piles of muck from the other side of the garden a few weeks ago, we now moved it (again) along lines that Mike had set out; to finish off we incorporated this into the top soil and so the ground is ready for planting. A digger had already been here to deep dig the soil, so, though I was still digging and forking this week, I managed to avoid yet more double digging!
The first Tulips are starting to show in the double borders
Further Information:
Blickling Hall website
Blickling Hall Facebook page
A 360 degree tour of Blickling Hall
Old School Gardener
The pace is quickening in the Walled Garden at Blickling. Having missed a session, I returned to discover the second Glasshouse restored and looking wonderful, with work to install the cold frames under way.
Old School Garden 