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.
Cold Frames under construction
The beuatifully restored Glasshouse…
…and inside- soon to be filled with seed trays?
I discovered that in my absence my fellow volunteers – ‘Aussie’ Pete and ‘Norfolk’ Pete – had been busy painting the metal posts that will carry wires for trained fruit.
Aussie Peter getting to grips with the painting
In my latest session Aussie P continued with this, whilst Norfolk P and I finished off double digging between these posts in preparation for the fruit bush planting.
Project Manager Mike was well into asembling the wires, including the straining bolts that enable them to be tensioned.
Fruti Fence well underway…
Mike wiring it up..
..straining bolts to tension
And in the new bothy, work was underway to fit a new kitchen. In here I also saw a wonderful carved oak panel that will sit atop the oak noticeboard installed near the entrance, installed some weeks ago.
Sneak preview…part of the carved oak rail to be set atop the new noticeboard
A new kitchen for the new bothy
Whilst we three set to in the walled garden the remaining volunteers went about cutting back and tidying the borders around the moat to the house, which contain a bank of perennial Fuchsias.
After lunch it was a case of ‘all hands to the wheel’.
As the house was due to open in a couple of days a big effort was needed to clear away the excavations that have been underway to install the Lake Source Heat system I reported on a few weeks ago.
Along with a digger, tractor and trailer, which were used to remove some sloppy spoil, we loaded barrows and filled in a trench with crushed concrete, which was later smoothed nad compacted before having gravel spread to restore the pathway near the House.
Intense activity in a confined space…restoriung a path near the house
Serious ‘Yakka’ once more, but a satisfying bit of work as the gardening staff and volunteers pulled together amidst the usual banter….
Further Information:
Blickling Hall website
Blickling Hall Facebook page
A 360 degree tour of Blickling Hall
Old School Gardener
Old School Garden 