Lots of projects, a little rain and Mr Mole has come to stay at NGS garden Ferns Lodge

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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 been much helped by the wonderful Simon and a small army of people who have been beavering away, but it has to be said less so by Ghillie, who has insisted that everyone stops to throw tennis balls, admire sticks and turn off machinery because he doesn’t like the noise!

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2020 has seen much industry in the garden shed, as remote working is now a reality and whilst time spent in the shed surrounded by files, Discord calls and general office stuff is hard work, and the quaint internet coverage enjoyed by the shed a cause of some frustration, it has been fab to see the garden develop and the plants change from toddler to rangy adolescent and finally to adults. At the same time, we have played host to a deeply unattractive grey container which housed all the innards for the fit out of the top garage – now with its smart glass wall and soon to be a guest bedroom. Fortunately, the container has now moved out and onward, presumably to someone else’s drive!

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Ferns Lodge was looking a little dowdy so the amazing Roger and his team at Lee Decor have given him a lick of paint – and done so with very little damage to roses, salvias and more…

Industrial amounts of wood chip have been spread on the new bed in the bottom meadow and many loads have since been delivered to remind me that there are many other places which need chip to entrap moisture and also to serve and weed suppression. In a garden where the weeds seem to grow as you watch them – this is very much needed…!

And then of course there is the vegetable garden. The new garden shed still sits amidst chaos – although I sense that the chaos is becoming, very gradually just a tad more organised! The sad ash tree where our wonderful vegetables are destined to make their home is gone. All that remains of him is some rather nice wood chip now on the prickly bed and a moonscape left by the machine that drilled his stump. Gradually the bonfire heap gets smaller and very regular bonfires are now the fashion at Ferns Lodge.

Amongst all these happenings, we have enjoyed a dearth of rain. Radio 4 promises it, the news reports that it has been, but at Ferns Lodge we have had barely a drop. Watering is now another little job that takes a lot of time.

And then of course there is Mr Mole. In fact, there is a small army of them, all determined to dig up the grass in the big garden and to defy all Simon’s attempts to trap them. Not a day goes by when we don’t see another mound… Large, small and middle sized – we have them all.

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So, builders, containers, moles, and no rain. Despite these little bumps (or should I say mounds?) in the road, Ferns Lodge is looking lovely and it a fantastic place to be. Ghillie and I look forward to welcoming you here on our next NGS opening. There are numerous pop up openings for the NGS organised by more organised gardeners than me now. Please do support them and go along and enjoy…

Contact sue.grant@fernslodge.co.uk.