After a very noisy few weeks as the peacocks have been showing off again and trying to impress it seems to have paid off. One of the peahens has started to lay; 4 eggs so far. This year we are hedging our bets and will remove half the clutch when she has finished laying.
The gamekeeper is willing to put the remaining eggs under a broody hen. That will be a bit of a surprise for her when they hatch!
All the rain and warm, muggy days have meant that the borders are flourishing. The Fountain Beds are full of Aquilegia (see pic.) and the Davidia involucrata (ghost tree, dove tree or handkerchief tree) has really lived up to its name. It looked as if it was covered in tissues dangling from the branches.
The new doors and window frames in front of the renovated conservatory will be removed and stored for the summer, at the beginning of June. This has not happened for several years and will really help to keep the plants fresh and healthy.
The kitchen garden is moving apace, with lots of new planting, and some extra seating so that visitors can stay a while and contemplate the vegetables....
After the sad demise of our ride on lawn mower we have been treated to a new smart looking John Deere machine. It has everything: adjustable seat, a counter to tell you how many hours you have been cutting, useful places to put things; and It even has a cup holder, though I can't see the practicality of zipping round shrubs with a cup of tea in one hand. I wonder how much tea would actually stay in the mug... ( I know, I know, it is for cans or plastic water bottles, but it did make me laugh.)
Our final piece of news for the month is that Mike, our Assistant Head Gardener has accepted a job to be in charge of a private garden and will be leaving us in the middle of June. He has worked at Spetchley since 2004 and will be missed. We all wish him well for the future.
Best wishes
Kate
