After our open weekend there was a small respite for NGS Garden Ferns Lodge before the temperature dropped and the rains came – and just kept coming. Working in the garden at weekends to try to keep up, I have developed both webbed hands and feet…! Growth slowed and foliage and plants were overcome with sheeting rain and wind… A proper English summer!
Now that the spring flush is over, we are left with this in between time, when the foxgloves are looking much less than glamorous but I resist the temptation to cut them down as we need to keep them until they drop their seed. As they are bi-annual we are looking for the seed that will deliver a wonderful display in 2022. The forget me knots are also turning black and deeply unattractive but again, we need to persevere so that next year their wonderful blue display will be all around. The oxeye daisies are also over and are a huge job to clear up and cut back… This job, particularly trying in the pouring rain, is complete and the second flush has started to appear…
Sweet peas are blooming, agapanthus are just starting to open and the roses are totally fab! The meadows are looking meadow-y and rather scruffy – another one for the perseverance pile and the clematis, jasmine and the rest are climbing like George Mallory. Also exciting is the sedum roof which has LOVED the wet and has never looked so good
VERY exciting is the vegetable garden. At last we have chip, and the grass is coming together. Better yet, there are new potatoes, French beans, peas, and courgettes – how amazing is that! The tomatoes are starting to ripen and the rhubarb is quite simply spectacular.
I am reminded that as we clear the big garden, it needs more maintenance – it is after all larger and there is only Simon, me, Ghillie and caterpillar. We don’t feel quite in control at the moment, but once, the foxglove clear back is complete we look forward to the late summer display which is lovely – can’t wait!
Ghillie and caterpillar have been more hopeless than usual – slumbering beneath the yew tree outside the kitchen and only putting in an appearance at meal times… Ghillie finds this more recent hot weather very trying for a chap who is unable to remove his overcoat.
We are super keen to see more people at NGS garden Ferns Lodge so they can see what we’ve done (hopefully sans foxgloves) and so if you would be interested in putting together a group to come to do just that, do let us know. Proceeds as ever to our favourite charity, the National Garden Scheme.
Contact sue.grant@fernslodge.co.uk.