Another extremely long gap between blogs; it has been busy! The posters announcing our NGS opening on 30/31 May have arrived, and they glower (easy to do when you’re bright yellow) in the garden shed, as a constant reminder of all we still have left to do. Ghillie ignores them and the beginning of my annual panicking, and snores on happily at my feet. The welcome spring sunshine brightens the shed and reminds me that I need to be outside coping with the myriad of jobs that are as yet undone.
The new area that we have prepared in the centre of the big garden is now 60% planted, and although it will take time and patience for it to reflect how it looks in my head, we are hoping it will be reasonable for the opening. Industrial amounts of chippings now cover the area, and nearly all the new saplings are in the ground. Given the biblical proportions of rainfall this spring, we are cautious about planting in areas that are too wet, but a few more dry days and we will be set. The mounds have the beginnings of planting, and the dip also.
We have divided and potted on and taken cuttings without ceasing, although our efforts are gobbled up in this new area of around a quarter of an acre in a trice. Industrial numbers of plants, shrubs and trees have been delivered to NGS Garden Ferns Lodge, and still the area looks rather bare.
None of this would have been possible whilst we shared Ferns Lodge with the deer, who, as the winter progressed, multiplied in number. Sturdy deer fencing and close board fencing is now in place protecting the whole 4 acres, installed by the amazing Dan and his crew. Now looking rather industrial and menacing, when the foliage grows in the spring and summer it will be covered and will be nothing but a memory, except to Bambi and co, for whom we hope it will be an ongoing deterrent.
We are starting to plan the vegetable garden for the season and for growing-on plants for the Plant Sale in May. Broad beans and sweet peas are starting to appear in the potting shed, and it’s all good!
We have pruned, cut back and mulched (probably my unfavourite job of the year). The first grass cut has been and gone, and you start to see what this summer the garden may become. The bees have awoken and, to our delight, all five hives have come through the winter unscathed. This means only one thing… honey!
A frightening pile of boulders has arrived to become home to succulents in the new section, all now waiting to be dragged into position.
It is also the scone season, and the annual ritual of providing something to go with cream and jam is upon Ferns Lodge.
But more exciting than all of this is that I am giving up office life to live the good life at Ferns Lodge, do more in the garden, grow more veg, enjoy this lovely old place, and also – there will be chickens!
It will be, quite simply, the best job I have ever had… this blog will no longer be neglected, and of course Ghillie will doze on!
Contact sue.grant@fernslodge.co.uk
