In the midst of lockdown and working in the garden shed at home, amidst the mud and dark that is an English January, nonetheless, bulbs are peeping above the earth, buds are appearing and the beds are starting to look a lot more cheerful as they are…
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As I sit in the garden shed to write this post, 2021 has brought with it a chill wind and the rain keeps coming in fits and starts. As ever, Ghillie snores at my feet and the grass looks less than prime. However, the wonderful thing about this time o…
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I always felt that ‘the Fall’ was a funny name for autumn and wondered at this strange American-ism until I started to garden seriously at NGS garden Ferns Lodge, which of course is a place of many lovely, mostly deciduous trees. I now get it totally…
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What a funny old year 2020 has been for all of us! With some wonderful weather, although little rain when it mattered and plenty of breeze throughout the season, the black cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic made for a different rhythm for the garden this…
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The last blog spoke to lack of rain and plenty of grass which had forsaken its normal green coat for a fetching shade of pale yellow. Of course Radio 4 is never wrong and at last the rains did come. First refreshing drizzle, then proper rain and fina…
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No National Garden Scheme opening and COVID-19 has brought with it enormous frustration – but a desire to get done all those projects done, that will stand Ferns Lodge and its garden in good stead, for our opening in 2021 is with me. In this I have b…
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Another Bank Holiday – they hurtle along at this time of year! More sunshine (‘though no rain which is starting to be something of a concern – the weather forecast talks of sun and a dearth of rain for a couple more weeks) and lots of breeze. Ghillie…
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Ferns Lodge NGS garden is just approaching its best… The irises, salvias and daisies are out, campion is everywhere in the big garden, the grass is growing so fast you can practically hear it and I am sure that briars, nettles and docks are popping u…
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What a funny old time. Ghillie and I on our own this Easter at Ferns Lodge, with glorious weather – in other times it would be idyllic. The bird song is deafening, they certainly appreciate the lack of human activity all around and are busy with the…
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Apologies for the delay in filing this blog. As I write we are all the midst of COVID-19 – with all that this means. I am now working from the garden shed which is strewn with much paper and much more office paraphernalia than normal. It is early Sat…
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