If you were to ask any gardener what their favourite colour is I wonder how many will answer “Green!”
It is certainly up there in my favourites, especially at this time of year as the fresh new leaves start to unfurl, new seedlings start to break through the compost in their propagator and the new shoots of the herbaceous perennials are telling us that they are waking up.
Any normal year, our gardens would have opened 1st April and we would be welcoming daily visitors, but events have overtaken us and we will have to delay that pleasure.
We are no-less busy within the garden and have been sharing updates in the form of photos and videos through our social media, Facebook, Instagram and website. We hope it has provided you with some joy as you experience the garden virtually.
New for 2020 and 2021 will be two large Iris beds which we have created in front of the east wall of the Walled Garden, within the grass lawns either side of the kiwi arch. We have just finished the preparation and started the planting with two Roses, Perle D’or and Archduc Joseph. We will be adding a variety of Iris’s (it is what it says on the tin!) selected by Sophie, and beautiful complimentary herbaceous perennials.
Sadly we lost Georgina last year-she has taken a job with the BBC as a researcher on the Gardeners World programme. She was an inspiration to have working in the garden and we wish her well in her new job and new house. We are very happy to introduce our ‘new’ gardener Lesley Millar, a great friend of Georgina and highly recommended by her. If you meet Leslie, ask her how many steps she has done!
Despite the fact that we are all asked to stay at home, stay safe and save the NHS, the gardens don’t seem to understand and are starting to burst into life, looking forward to that time, hopefully in the not too distant future, when we can welcome you back.
By Kevin Barnett
