Mid February 2020

Here we are in mid February, after more stormy and wet weather. This week, I couldn’t wait any longer and started sowing seeds for the new season.

In the trays I have sown peas, for pea shoots and broad beans. There are some autumn sown broad beans which have overwintered outside for an early crop, and these will be the next lot ready to pick.

In the pots are sweet peas and a selection of herbs. I will sow more later. I am using my customer’s big greenhouse, where already the overwintered salads are doing well.

I have also been carrying on with the rose pruning.

Half way through the one in the centre. I have been hampered by only having my 3rd pair of secateurs. I have lost my favourite, Okatsune, and send my seconds, Felco, off for repair. The ground is also very soggy.

Earlier in the month we did have a warm spell when the bees and hoverflies came out to enjoy the early nectar in the petasites flowers.

I am getting the allotment under control although there is a lot more work to do. The rhubarb is beginning to grow and the leeks are hanging on in there.

The autumn planted onion sets are doing well and I have planted some fruit bushes, 2 redcurrant and 3 blueberry.

The snowdrops have been fantastic, see previous post, but are fading now. Lots of prunus blossom beginning to come out and daffodils on their way. Could do with a bit more sunshine though.

 

 

 

Chippenham Park Gardens – February 8th 2020

Chippenham Park Gardens is in Cambridgeshire, not far from Newmarket, and shouldn’t be confused with the other Chippenham in Wiltshire! I found it in the RHS The Garden magazine and was delighted to find it was open on my birthday and less than an hour from home. It’s not open all the time so check the website before visiting Here

It started with a walled kitchen garden, a bit bare in February, but we were able to peek at the pelagoniums overwintering in the greenhouse and admire the brassicas, then out into trees and grass and the snowdrops begin. You can make your own way round the garden, so we started with the fountain garden at the front.

We meandered past the tennis court to the lake and then over the Japanese bridge into the trees. Here there were lots of snowdrops and they got denser the further we went.

This area is ‘The Wilderness’ and ‘Snowdrops walks’

We took lots of photos!

Walking back to the tearooms we spotted bees in the crocus.

After warming up with lunch we walked along the long border and went through the wall to the Hare Hall gardens.

The leylandii arches from the mound and we enjoyed spinning the seat round to get a panoramic view.

We walked back along ‘Adrians Walk’ which goes round both sides of the top of the lake. It is packed with hellebores and dwarf irises and more bees enjoying the afternoon sun and sweet scents of the  Daphne and Sarcococca.

I will definitely be back, maybe to see the roses in the summer or the Acer walk in the autumn.