Since my last post, the rain has kept coming – in biblical amounts and torrential torrents. The water course filled up, as well as all those little dips and areas where I always promise myself that we will raise the level and re-seed, but where we haven’t, and which become old friends that are part of the fabric of the place. In November, the NGS Garden Ferns Lodge crew developed webbed hands as well as feet as we struggled to cope with the warm, wet weather, which has seen camellias and rhododendrons thinking it’s June again and the roses and marigolds carrying on regardless. The fall is upon us, and it has been a helter-skelter to keep the lawns free of leaves to give the grass half a chance of survival over winter. It may be a tough strain of pony grass, but it really does need to see the light of day.
In the meantime, Dan and the team have returned for this year’s Ferns Lodge winter projects. Trees (mostly diseased ash and laurel) have been felled, and this winter, two areas are being restored. Chaos has been caused by getting machinery into the garden – with the ground so wet that not only did the Land Rover leave 4-inch tracks through the grass, but the roller to put it right also sank in the mud too! Today is stunning – chilly, bright, and, importantly, with no water falling from above! The past days of dry weather have seen some progress with a series of what look like monster mole hills around the clearance area. This is where stumps have been drilled before we tackle the alarming-looking briars as well as an old metal tower on its side for many years since, that brought oil into the big house, which is around 20 feet long and not a bit friendly.
The area of clearance on the other side of the garden has revealed a fascinating laurel tree whose stump has grown into the ground. It is huge and needs dry weather and a digger to get out. Once cleared and leveled, everyone will be able to see what is probably the most stunning oak tree that we have. Can’t wait!
I mourned as we cleared the greenhouse, cleaning glass and saying goodbye to the summer’s bounty. It is now cheerfully full of fuchsia, daisies, salvia, begonias, lavender, and strawberries, all ready for planting out and for our 2024 plant sale. Now that we have encouraged the rats to vacate, the polytunnel is similarly endowed.
So, masses to do, progress is slow, the autumn colours are epic, and I can’t wait to show you where we’ve got to in 2024. Our opening dates for the NGS are the 1st and 2nd of June, and, of course, we are also looking forward to welcoming private groups to Ferns Lodge in 2024 in aid of the NGS.
Contact sue.grant@fernslodge.co.uk.
