Formal gardens
Grass cutting is now well underway and some of the larger lower lawns are being converted to native wildflower meadows where appropriate. This will increase biodiversity of the gardens encouraging wildlife and increasing pollinators which are sadly in decline. Paths, edges and picnic areas are still being mown to allow unhindered access and enjoyment of these areas. Strimming, cutting back and blowing the main paths is being carried out regularly to maintain aesthetics and enjoyment throughout the garden.
Soft landscaping of the estate office area has been completed with the addition of hanging baskets, containers and galvanized troughs. The troughs have been planted with shrubs and perennial plants providing all year round interest and avoiding replanting every year which is less time consuming and better for the environment.
Bamboo has been cut back along the grass verge improving both the visibility and appearance leading to the estate office.
Kitchen Garden
The weather has had a huge impact on the plants from too cold and not doing anything to very warm and bursting into life all at the same time as opposed to a steady succession of germination and maturity. Some plants ie spinach bolted almost immediately after germination. Temperatures in the polytunnels during the last week of June were in the mid 40’s.
Harvesting of salad has been continuous and to date we have also had beetroot, carrots, spring onions, spinach and cherries.
In the coming weeks I will be harvesting salad, spring onions, broad beans, peas, garlic, carrots, beetroot, kale 3 x varieties, strawberries and black currants.
5 varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers are all growing well and starting to set fruit. Runner beans, French beans, courgettes, celery, butternut squash, and pumpkins are all maturing nicely.
Longer term vegetables are growing well including 3 x varieties of cabbage, 3 x varieties Kale, 2 x varieties cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, tender stem broccoli, 2 x varieties onion and leeks. I will also be sowing more short term varieties over the few weeks spinach, radishes, turnip etc.
Potato field is finished!… Finally 7 varieties of potato from first early to late main crop, seeing us through to the end of the year hopefully. A back breaking task of digging up and removing many large perennial weeds. We initially tried using the large rotovater but soon realised the ground was too full of rocks and weeds and the whole process was making it worse. So digging and weeding by hand was the only way forward in order to plant over 200 seed potatoes…
We have also introduced a 16 metre cut flower bed including sweet peas, knautia, cosmos, sunflowers, roses, penstemon, orlaya etc. To provide fresh flowers for guests and visitors. Most of the plants selected are perennials which will come back each year reducing the need to replace them all each year and as mentioned previously also better for the environment.
The wildflower meadow is looking fabulous encouraging pollinators to the kitchen garden essentially to pollinate all our fruit and vegetables.
