Winter in the Gardens

Well, I started November with the nastiest of colds, and have continued snuffling throughout the month. It is the season to be cold and poorly. The garden however has really benefited from the chilly weather, with a couple of sharp frosts causing the demise of many unwanted pests. (This month's picture is of a fern in the Fountain Beds, covered in frost.)

The garden is still looking bright although most of the leaves are off the trees now. There are little pockets of colour still showing with berries and seeds. One of my favourites is the Callicarpa Profusion, with its vibrant purple berries.

In my June and July diaries I mentioned the problem with rabbits we've had in the kitchen garden. After trying to be really vigilant about shutting gates etc. with little success, we've found the reason... an enormous excavation within Miss Berkeley's flower patch, that had gone unnoticed until she started lifting dahlias and cannas last week. It appears that rabbits have tried to take up residence, with a buffet breakfast by the front door every morning.

Last month also saw the retirement of Dennis, our Kitchen Gardener, who worked at Spetchley for almost 20 years, after retiring from a job in engineering. We will really miss him, but he has promised to continue to mend any broken tools we can drop by as he has always done in the past!

We are still having the fun of being filmed by Halo Films, who have just started to film the preparations for the Illuminated Trail. They are getting to the end of the 25 programmes now, but apparently DVD sets of the series will be available next year.

We have started a lot of the background preparation for the Trail, and the more time consuming pruning has already been done, including putting up protective barriers around the lake. The electricians have installed the lighting and the gardeners will be preparing the grotto for the arrival of Father Christmas.

See you all at the Illuminated Trail!

Kate

Tasks for December

Wash and store seed trays and pots ready for next year.

Keep off the grass when frosty or wet.

Now is a good time to prune back roses that are likely to be affected by the wind.

Keep an eye on the weather and keep greenhouse heaters on when the temperature dips.

Lift and store dahlias and cannas once the foliage has been frosted.
(You can lift half from each clump and cover the remaining tubers with leafmould. This will give a longer flowering season next year).

Rake up fallen leaves and store them in a pile to rot down into leafmould.

End of the 2007 Season

I am always amazed at how fast the seasons go, but this year seems to have passed especially quickly. I look out of my study window and see the trees changing to yellow and gold in the copse, and a little further towards the New Lawn the Cornus Norman Hadden has spectacular fruit. (See pic.)

2 more hedgehogs were released into the gardens at the beginning of the month. ' The Hedgehog Halfway House' in Worcester is very keen to release hedgehogs back into safe environments and the gardens are full of cosy places to hide. We have been talking to the Gamekeeper about releasing some more hedgehogs into the surrounding woodlands too.

For a couple of weeks at the beginning of October we had a firm of tree surgeons in the garden, removing dangerous branches, and felling rotten trees. There were two 200 year old trees on the main lawn, a beech and an oak, that had to be felled due to their deteriorating condition. Two of the yews in my garden are also to be felled as they are very close to the cottage and squirrels are using them as a route to get onto the roof to eat the lead flashing!

In the middle of the month we had the 'Armoured Picnic', where re-enactors from various groups camped in one of the fields over the weekend, and set up 'living history encampments'. We went with family members, and really enjoyed talking to the people involved. The encampments were set up at the same time as the trees were being made safe, so just prior to the event the gardeners had to go round the entire garden cordoning off branches and brush that had yet to be cleared away.

Mid October saw the beginning of a change in the weather as it began to turn frosty at night, so we then needed to ensure that all the vulnerable plants had either been taken into the greenhouses, or covered in horticultural fleece. Thankfully, the conservatory renovation has all been completed and the plants that usually live there have been returned to their warm winter quarters from their summer outing in the vinery!

Best Wishes
Kate

Tasks for November

Pick any remaining apples and prepare them for winter storage in a cool, dry place, and inspect regularly.

Check guttering/drains and keep them clear.

On dry breezy days continue to cut lawns with mower blades set high.

Try to avoid walking on grass when the weather is frosty.

Begin to collect fallen leaves, and store them in a bin bag or a container made from chicken wire, in a corner of the garden and will turn into leafmold in 18 months.

Top dress borders with well rotted farmyard manure, or garden compost.

Your local recycling centre may be able to provide compost at low cost.

Topical Tips for October

Put frost protection round any plants that will be staying out for the winter.

Prepare the garden for winter: keep drains and ponds etc free from leaves and debris, clean and store garden tools, ensure that greenhouse glass is clean, and that any shading has been replaced by insulation.

Start sowings of hardy annuals and sweet peas under glass.

Change the plantings in hanging baskets for winter interest.

Take hardwood cuttings of deciduous shrubs, and gather clematis seed for sowing in a cold frame.

Feed roses with sulphate of potash to ripen the wood and make the plants more disease resistant.

Lift dahlias after the first frosts blacken their leaves.

Place netting over ponds to catch leaves.

Maggot Come Home!

Last month saw the return of the Halo film crew, following the gardeners about for almost an entire day, to see what we do... There must have been about 8 hours of film that the editor will now cut down to half an hour. It was an interesting experience to wear a microphone all morning. Our great debut goes out at the beginning of October on sky 280. After completion of the series there will be a set of DVDs available. That sorts out this year's Christmas presents!
And of course there is another programme on BBC2 in the Spring: "Castle in the Country", where Spetchley gets a mention too.

The hedgehog, that was noted in September's diary is now safely back home. One evening a about 3 weeks ago, two ladies from Worcester Hedgehog Rescue brought him back. They have fondly named him Maggot! He is quite distinctive as the tips of his spines are quite pale, and he has dark rings round his eyes. He is also rather camera shy, this is the best of about 5 pictures, all showing a curled up ball of spines. A home was set up in the copse and instructions were left about feeding. I was given a tin of puppy food and some very unappealing mealworms. The next day he had scuttled off to find his own way, and we didn't see him again until today when he managed to get into the tennis court. He was rescued again, and set up in a more suitable des res. Long may he enjoy the gardens.

The conservatory renovation is making great progress. All the new roof panels are installed and glazed, the top 3 vents are back on their chains again so that they can open, and all that is left is the front panels; just in time for the winter weather!

Hedge cutting has now been completed, including the back breaking task of the box hedges. We are now looking forward to the 'winter jobs list', as compiled by Mr Berkeley.

Alex moved on at the beginning of September, and our Japanese student Satsuki has returned home, but we have the welcome return of Steve, who worked at Spetchley about 3 years ago, and will be working again part time for a while.

And it is almost the end of the season. The gardens will soon only be open at weekends, but we can expect some good autumn colour, so don't forget to visit!

Topical tips for September

When the weather is hot keep those greenhouses cool with shading, and damping down of the paths.

Continue to pick runner beans etc. in the kitchen garden. It is not too late to sow quick crops of radish etc.

Dead heading the herbaceous borders will prolong the display, but if you want to save seed, don't forget to leave some flowerheads uncut!

It is not too late to cut back unruly wisteria, trimming off the wispy bits to 5 leaves, and tying in any branches to fill gaps.

It is still possible to take cuttings from the more tender varieties such as penstemon and salvia.
Continue to trim hedges. Putting a sheet down first to catch the clippings will make clearing up a lot quicker.

Animal & Conservatory Rescue

At the beginning of the month Mike found a very young hedgehog in the copse. (See pic.) It was tiny, cold, wet and all on its own. The mother was nowhere to be found. Mike took it to Claire the gate girl, who tried to warm it up and clean it. She noticed that it was covered in eggs, and spent quite some time with a donated toothbrush and some cotton buds, removing them. Then she phoned the Worcester Hedgehog Rescue, who came and collected it. The good news is that they were able to save it, and will return it in about 3 weeks when it has put some weight on. ( I call it 'it' as I have no idea how you tell the gender of a baby hedgehog. Hopefully we will be told all about her/him when he/she returns home.)

The conservatory is well under way to being completely renovated. All the old panels have been removed now, the original frame is all clean and painted, (again in 'Spetchley Green), the brickwork has been repointed and rendered in places and we are just waiting for the new frames to be installed.

In the last couple of weeks we have had two wedding receptions on the main lawn at the front of the house. They were both very interesting affairs as they involved people from other cultures with different customs from our own. Between them there were were fireworks, confetti fireworks, a bouncy castle, a disco, 2 huge limousines, and lots of food. The only down side has been that the main lawn now has a large patch of yellow grass where both marquees were sited, which will take a few weeks to recover.

The Millennium Garden is looking lovely at the moment, the verbena bonariensis is such a show stopper. The dahlias are a bright and cheerful sight and the asters are just beginning to put on a display.

The campsis in the Stable yard, and on Gardener's Cottage are both promising to be very impressive in a couple of weeks. This is a great time of year to visit the gardens!

Best Wishes,
Kate

Tasks for August

Continue to dead-head spent flowers, especially roses and summer bedding.

Make sure you arrange for someone to pop in and water the hanging baskets, greenhouse and veg plot if you are off on holiday. They will also need to keep an eye on any veg that needs picking, such as runner beans.

Check tree ties and stakes for rubbing or constriction. Remove and clean to eliminate overwintering pests.

Keep working with the hoe when the weather is warm enough.

Start taking semi ripe cuttings of fuchsias, penstemon, pelargonium, salvia etc Watch for the fungal infection rust on hollyhocks, pelargoniums etc.

Remove affected foliage and spray with a fungicide.

Start trimming hedges.

WET WET WET!

Water, water everywhere. The last couple of months of wet weather finally culminated in the most devastating storms last month, the like of which I have never seen before. We were very lucky here at Spetchley as there was little damage, apart from sodden lawns and borders, the eel trap full to overflowing and the lake slightly bursting its banks. On that now infamous Friday, two of our team had difficulty getting home: Mike had to leave his car at work, was taken through the villages by 4x4 as far as possible and then had to wade home. Debbie eventually managed to get home, but then the main road near her house collapsed, breaking water pipes and causing her village to become cut off for the entire weekend.
However, it has been an excellent year for hydrangeas (see pic) and astilbes, that both love damp conditions!

Recently we have been filmed by a TV company, intent on making a 20 week series of programmes on the day to day running of our estate, and that of Berkeley Castle. We have been followed about when rescuing eels from the overflowing eel trap, when tying up rain battered borders, and when our very exciting new entrance display arrived. The new welcome 'hut' has now been sited at the main garden entrance. It is very eye-catching, with plenty of space to display items for sale, leaflets etc. Do come and take a look. (If you are interested, the programme is running on Sky channel 280 on a Saturday evening, and is called 'Berkeley, a Country Estate'.)

Alex ('our' student) is with us again for the summer. It appears that a life after university in the world of high finance was not for him, and he is taking a break before plunging headlong into a new career involving museum archives, or document research etc

seed collecting from across the gardens is up and running again. This means that we have a wide selection of seed available. But please remember that the selection is seasonal and can change monthly. If you have any requests for seed please let us know and we will do our best to collect them.

And finally, the long awaited restoration of the conservatory has begun. The carpenter was there today, measuring up for new frames, and removing all the old glass etc. All the old, wooden frames will be removed, the original metal structure will be treated, and new frames installed.
Best Wishes
Kate Portman

High Summer is here?

Rain, rain and more rain. Looking back to last year this was the month when we had the problems with very low water levels in the lake and the fire brigade were called in to help aerate the water to save the carp. This year we are almost at maximum winter levels for the lake! This is good for the fish, but has been very difficult to work round, as grass cutting and hoeing have been almost impossible.
The gardens are begining to recover from the heavy rain and are looking lush and green. Although the roses were rather battered, other plants are just about to open. The agapanthus border is beginning to flower, whilst the Millennium Garden has clouds of verbena bonariensis (see pic.) and the earlier dahlias are out. The main borders are looking bright, and in the copse the cornus, especially varieties Norman Hadden and Porlock, are at their best.
In the Kitchen Garden all was going well. We thought that we had beaten the rabbits by keeping the gates shut at closing time, and that a lack of brassicas would bore the pidgeons. Peas planted earlier in the year had done well and had been largely ignored. A first good picking indicated a bumper crop to come. However, mice finally discovered the peas and ate all the remaining peas from the ground up.
When we came to get the crop, all that remained was empty, chewed pods littering the ground. Anyone have any ideas?
We have a new volunteer, Lee, who comes in one day a week to help out.
She has been learning a lot of new plants, and improving her horticultural knowledge whilst doing the jobs such as dead heading roses, that we never seem to get time to do.

Tasks for July

Feed roses etc with a general fertiliser such as phostrogen, and continue to deadhead spent flowers.

Trim back geraniums and aubretia in the borders after flowering Begin harvesting veg and fruit in the kitchen garden.

Prune wisteria tendrils back to 5 buds.

Start collecting seed when the weather is dry.

It will soon be time to take softwood cuttings of plants such as hebes, fuchsia, salvia and penstemon.

High Summer is here?

Rain, rain and more rain. Looking back to last year this was the month when we had the problems with very low water levels in the lake and the fire brigade were called in to help aerate the water to save the carp. This year we are almost at maximum winter levels for the lake! This is good for the fish, but has been very difficult to work round, as grass cutting and hoeing have been almost impossible.

The gardens are begining to recover from the heavy rain and are looking lush and green. Although the roses were rather battered, other plants are just about to open. The agapanthus border is beginning to flower, whilst the Millennium Garden has clouds of verbena bonariensis (see pic.) and the earlier dahlias are out. The main borders are looking bright, and in the copse the cornus, especially varieties Norman Hadden and Porlock, are at their best.

In the Kitchen Garden all was going well. We thought that we had beaten the rabbits by keeping the gates shut at closing time, and that a lack of brassicas would bore the pidgeons. Peas planted earlier in the year had done well and had been largely ignored. A first good picking indicated a bumper crop to come. However, mice finally discovered the peas and ate all the remaining peas from the ground up.

When we came to get the crop, all that remained was empty, chewed pods littering the ground. Anyone have any ideas?

We have a new volunteer, Lee, who comes in one day a week to help out.
She has been learning a lot of new plants, and improving her horticultural knowledge whilst doing the jobs such as dead heading roses, that we never seem to get time to do.

Royal Flight and Moving House

What a month! It has been very busy with, amongst other things, a Royal helicopter landing at the front of the house. The Duchess of Gloucester was opening a hospice in Worcester and a hospital in Pershore, so her helicopter was landed in our front field, on the same day as the marquee was erected for the first wedding reception of the season. We were warned not to cut the grass on the same day as a helicopter landing, otherwise there would be grass everywhere!

The following week I moved home from the Granary to Gardener's Cottage, where Elgar sometimes stayed during his visits to the Berkeley family. The cottage is in the garden and overlooks the peacock pen. I have yet to decide whether I still like the peacocks as I now get woken at about 5am every morning!

Then the BBC arrived to film a couple of pieces for a series called Castles in the Country. It took all day to film two slots, each of 4 minutes! It has been a really busy 3 weeks.

Keeping the wildlife out of the Kitchen Garden is proving to be a bit of a challenge. Mice have eaten the seeds, pigeons have nibbled off the brassicas and to top it all I noticed that rabbits have been grazing off the onions and parsley! Hazel sticks laid over the rows reduce the pigeon damage, and my old Head Gardener suggested moth balls to keep mice at bay, which seem to have worked really well; however every now and then the odd smell of elderly wardrobes mingles with the scent of philadelphus on the breeze.

After all the rain the garden borders are really looking good, the herbaceous paeonies are almost over but the tree paeonies are just beginning. The bright pink gladiolus byzantinus (see pic.) have made a really showy display and the tulip tree in the copse is flowering again.

Phillip, our stand in help, has now finished and is hoping to make a career in radio, whilst Richard has recovered from his knee operation and will be back at work at the beginning of June.

Tasks for June

Start dead heading flowers.

Removed reverted branches of variegated shrubs.

Remove suckers (growth from the roots) from roses, lilac and other suckering shrubs.

Shade and ventilate greenhouses, and keep paths dampened on warm days.

Remove spring bulb foliage when it can be lifted easily.

Remove alge and blanket weed from ponds etc before it becomes a problem Water hanging baskets daily.

The Season Kicks Off

The Spring seems to have started a couple of weeks earlier this year.

Magnolias, Rhododendrons and flowering cherries all look fantastic.

The trilliums have been very good this year (see pic) and some plants that were left over from a group we replanted swiftly sold on the plant stall.

The kitchen garden project is going well with many veg sown and planted out. The basic plan of the garden have been laid out but there is still alot of work to be done. We still have the fruit cage to build, and a group of cold frames to construct in an area to the north of the garden. It is worth a visit to see the progress as this is going to be a long term project.

The BBC rang last month about doing a short piece on the gardens as part of a series they are intending to film at Berkeley Castle. They were particularly interested in our kitchen garden project and are hoping to visit for filming at the end of May. Their presenter is the current Blue Peter gardener ( I am a bit out of touch with current children's tv, so had no idea who he is), who likes to get involved with the work at the places he films. We have several ideas for tasks....

Chris, the forester has been installing tree guards to protect some new tree avenues in the fields between the gardens and the deer park.
Old avenues that were lost to dutch elm disease are being reinstated, but instead of using elm they have chosen oak this time.

The most exciting thing to happen last month, apart from a group of travellers camping in the next field to the gardens, was a towering inferno in the deer park! Dead wood was being cleared away and burnt on a controlled bonfire, and all went well until the wind changed and sparks set fire to a standing dead tree in the vicinity. We are told it looked like a vast olympic torch! Two fire engines arrived at the scene, and managed to safely douse the fire but it was quite an experience for those involved.

The plant fair at the beginning of April went very well, with all the help we received from the RHS. There was a large marquee on the main lawn, and about twice the usual number of stands. We were swamped by over 2000 visitors enjoying the sunny weather, tours of the gardens, talks and all the stalls.

Best Wishes
Kate Portman

Tasks for May

Weeding is now an all consuming job, keep on top of it with regular hoeing. Dead head daffodils where possible but never tie the leaves, or cut them down before they have turned brown.

Prune spring flowering clematis after flowering.

Stake tall or floppy herbaceous plants, especially dahlias whose stems are brittle.

Bedding plants can be planted out towards the end of the month, after the last frosts have passed. Ensure they are gently acclimatised to the change in temperature outside the greenhouse or cold frame.

Trim back spreading alpines such as aubrietia and arabis after flowering.

Set up that water collection system, eg a water butt connected to the guttering, for easier watering over the summer.

Tasks for April

Winter protection can now be removed from more tender plants.

Dahlia and cannas can be safely planted out if the new shoots are not required for cuttings.

Check variegated shrubs and prune out any reverted shoots.

In the vegetable garden sow beetroot, radish, spinach, carrots, peas and beans.

Plants that are growing in pots would benefit from a feed If you removed your pond pump last autumn, now is the time to check it over and replace it for the summer.

Daffodils, and a new Kitchen Garden

The end of March has been bright and sunny. Daffodils are making a really bright show, early cyclamen and primroses look colourful and the daphne smell really sweet. March has been such a cheerful time of year.

We have had plenty of good weather for reseeding the patches of grass where several conifers had been removed in the Millennium Garden. We had also lost a large, old cherry tree by the Fountain Beds in the gales, which gave us the opportunity to replant part of the yew hedge, and reseed the bare patch of earth where the grass had been shaded out.

The gales also damaged the conservatory and several panes of glass slid off the frame, smashing on the ground. The powers that be are now trying to gather quotes for repair, and posible restoration.

The kitchen garden is finally making great progress: The paths have been installed, the fruit cage has been marked out (see pic), fruit bushes and most of the box plants are now planted and some of the vegetables have already been sown. We have a new volunteer helping out now; Richard L. is a TV researcher, but likes to spend some of his spare time in the gardens. His help has been invaluble with the construction of the new garden.

Richard D. is now away from work for about two months as he recovers after his knee operation. His temporary replacement, Phil is enjoying the work on a big estate after several years working in gardening in London.

He is getting plenty of variety as preparation work for the RHS sponsored Plant Fair on 15th April has begun.

Tips for March

Finish pruning roses, wisteria and campsis.

Pot up dahlias and cannas in the greenhouse to give them a head start.

Cut down ( pollard) willows and cornus that are grown for their winter colour.

Begin to prepare the vegetable patch, clearing and digging over on fine dry days.

Cut down autumn fruiting raspberries

Dig up and divide congested clumps of snowdrops etc as the flowers fade.

Start to cut grass on a high cut, when the lawn is dry enough and the weather is sunny.

Snow Angels and eels

February proved to be a very challenging month due to the rather inclement weather. For a couple of days in the middle of February there were snowmen appearing in various places, and care had to be taken when walking through gateways due to the risk of snowball attack. A 'snow angel' even appeared in the Stable Yard, thanks to Richard. It certainly livened up an otherwise wet and dismal month.

In the garden the promise of spring is beginning to show. Blue and white crocus are all out along the Long Walk,(see pic.) looking like a coloured carpet when the sun is out. Early daffodils are beginning to open their flowers and the blossom is on the flowering cherries. This is my favourite time of year as the dullness of winter gives way to early spring colour.

The high rainfall has caused a lot of problems as the ground has become so saturated that lawns are puddled and borders are unworkable.

However, one good thing is that the lake is now filled to capacity for the first time in at least 5 years, overflowing through the eel trap and leaving behind several rather large eels. Mr Berkeley was keen for us to try them and arranged a teaching session on skinning, gutting and preparing an eel with Miss Berkeley. I am afraid that I declined the kind offer, but Mike and Richard are now fully skilled eel skinners. Checking the eel trap has become a regular task until water levels drop again...

The wet weather also meant that we have not yet been able to start the layout of the new kitchen garden plan. It has been very frustrating as we now have the box trees and several of the fruit trees and bushes, waiting to be planted.

Tips for February

Begin to mulch borders etc when they are not too sticky, and before the weed seedlings appear. This will save a lot of work later on.

Tidy and cut down borders when conditions allow.

Helleboure displays are greatly improved if old leaves are removed to make way for the flowers.

Check greenhouse heaters and fleece in the garden regularly. The wind can easily dislodge loose fleece.

Check garden ponds when conditions are icy and gently melt holes in the ice with boiling water. Keep pond liners from cracking by floating a tennis ball on the water. It will absorb some of the pressure from the ice.

Gales, The Deer Park and Lost Sheep

January was a difficult month as we started the year with half the staff off work ill. Mike and Debbie both had a virulent virus which has left them feeling weak, and several pounds lighter. Richard and myself have battled bravely on, ably helped by our intrepid part timer Dennis. We continued to clear up after the Illuminated Trail, clear up after the gales, rake up and store fallen leaves, and mulch borders when conditions allowed. This period of 'shortstaffedness' has meant that the Kitchen Garden project is on hold for a while but we hope to pick up at least part of it again soon.

The gales towards the end of January caused some problems across the estate as a whole, with eight large trees being blown over, one falling across the access road to the farm, and another flattening a section of fencing in the deer park. This particular tree was quite a challenge as it was not spotted until late on Friday when again, my husband and I were walking our dogs. Chris the Forester arrived to chop the tree and temporarily patch the gap, in the dark. After finishing the work he and my husband took a tour of the park to check the deer and saw 3 groups of eyes shining in the tractor headlights.

Red deer, fallow deer and... the third set belonged to a neighbouring flock of sheep that had discovered that the gate to their field had blown open, and had decided to go walkabout! Chris and Nigel managed to herd them back through into their own field and patch another temporary repair. Chris now has his work cut out clearing all the mess.

In the gardens we lost 2 trees: a conifer in the copse by the tennis court and one on the corner of Gardener's Cottage garden, a very tall conifer (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) that fell towards the peacock pen between the yew hedge and the old mulberry, without damaging either.

Some of you may know that Isabelle Roberts, who has lived in Gardeners Cottage for over 20 years is returning to her native Canada soon.
Isabelle worked on the gate for many years before her husband Bill became ill. She is returning to her family, very close to where she grew up in Alberta. We wish her all the best.

This month's picture shows red deer in the Deer Park

New Year, New Starts

Another new year is upon us and with it the excitement of the new Kitchen Garden. The final plans have been given the go ahead and we will soon start to lay out the new beds. If all goes to plan I will take a monthly picture of the whole kitchen garden to chart its progress.

The Illuminated Trail was spectacular. The last weekend was so busy that about 3500 people visited in the final two days! I think there is a lesson to be learnt here... When you visit next year, come early, and during the week to avoid the rush.

Holly, our tree climbing dog, was photographed doing what she loves to do best, had an article in The Times newspaper (albeit a very small one) and was then spotted on a Pakistani website a couple of days later! The web is indeed world wide.

Just before Christmas a peahen arrived as a birthday gift for Mr Berkeley. Simon, our land agent, transported her in a large Interflora box which she was not keen to leave. In fact we were unable to tip her out as she climbed up inside and clung on. In the end, and under cover of darkness, (eventide and flat torch batteries), we opened both ends and left the box in the pen. The next day all seemed peaceful.

On Christmas morning after church, my husband and I were walking our dogs as usual across the fields when we came across a peahen...

I panicked, thinking the pen door had been unlocked, and left my husband to watch the peahen whilst I ran back to check. The remaining birds were as they should be. Returning to the field I decided I was not about to pick up a bird the size of a terrier, not knowing if it would turn and savage me, (unlikely I know, but I am not at all brave) so I rang the keeper who came, saw and conquered, with far more skill, speed and elegance than I could have mustered. We managed to get the escapee back, and to mend a gaping hole in the roof of the pen. What a Christmas day!

On a more mundane note: we are continuing to rake and collect fallen leaves, in between weeding the garden ready for the spring visitors, and clearing away the bark chips and straw that were laid for the Illuminated Trail. It is going to be a busy spring. (The pic shows cherry leaves covered in frost).

Tips for January

Make the most of 'indoor days' to plan for next season, with seed catalogues and a layout of the garden.

Ensure tools are clean, oiled and ready for next season.

Book machinery in for a service early in the new year.

Keep clearing up fallen leaves from lawns, paths and borders. They will provide a useful, free mulch if stored in black sacks or large heaps for the next 18 months or so.