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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.
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...
