The rhubarb forcer...

It is the end of the month again and time to reflect on all that has happened over the last 4 weeks.  January, which is usually dull, wet and miserable, has actually been an exciting time for us.  The coldframes are almost complete, the vinery is moving along steadily, and we have had very positive news regarding the conservatory boiler.

In my December diary I mentioned about the conservatory boiler leaking, and the local blacksmith, Steve Cooper, who is going to rebuild it.  Steve arrived towards the end of January to remove the boiler and take it back to his workshop.  He managed to remove it in one piece, a feat that amazed me considering the rusty state that it was in.  When the chimney was taken down there was the clear pattern of an old archway in the wall behind. Steve thought it indicates that the boiler is younger than the conservatory, and that originally there was an open fire heating the air inside the hollow wall.  All very interesting.

In the kitchen garden we have a new rhubarb forcer, (see Pic) which will produce sweet, early stems when placed over a crown of rhubarb.  This can only be done once every 3 or 4 years as the plant needs to build up it's strength again.

Richard is back from his knee operation and has fitted straight back in.  He still has to be careful for the next few months not to twist or jar his knee, but will soon be fully fit again.  Alex, who was covering for him has been asked by Mr Berkeley to stay on for a few more weeks to help with preparations for opening.  The wet weather, and the fact that our trusty truck has been in Sussex for several weeks being rebuilt has put us behind with some of the winter jobs.  Still, rumour has it that the weather should improve and that our truck is due back next week.  We shall see.

Topical tips for February

Start chitting potatoes

Divide and replant early flowering bulbs that have finished flowering

Check fruit and veg storage for rot or rodent damage

Trim the old leaves from hellebores and epimediums to reveal the new flowers

Sow sweet peas on a cool windowsill or in a coldframe

Rub down and treat wooden garden furniture, in well ventilated areas

Regularly check that greenhouse heaters are working, and that fleece has not been blown about.

Balloons and Lights

2009 is upon us, and may I say a Happy New Year to all.

Two specific events shaped my life at Spetchley in December:  The first happened when Alex,, Steve and I were collecting leaves at the front of the house.  Alex raked up a large pile of leaves and then discovered a partly ripped helium balloon, which appeared to have escaped from the Co-op. I was not particularly interested and would have thrown it away if it were not for Alex spotting something written on the side.  The message requested that we call a phone number.  Thus was my curiosity aroused.  I did so and discovered that the balloon had been released from Dorset about 6 months previously, by a 13 year old boy called James. A minor coincidence is that Alex's first name is James but he prefers to use his middle name.

The second event was considerably trickier and, as many of you will realise, involves the Illuminated Trail.  The first Friday evening of the lights was perfect (see Pic.) and lots of people came to enjoy the sights, complete the trail, meet Father Christmas and toast marshmallows over the fire pit. Then the rains started, and by Saturday morning it was clear that the route round the back of the lake was unwalkable.  No matter how much straw and bark we put down it was unsafe.  With all hands helping, a new route was devised on the gravel paths and across the white bridge.  After hunting down and installing a lot of new directional signs the temporary altered walk was a great success, much to the relief of everyone.

Topical Tips for January

Cover Rhubarb crowns with straw and a forcer to grow early stems. (This cannot be done every year as it weakens the plant.

dig over the veg patch on dry sunny days, and add manure only if not growing root crops.

Ensure that tools are clean, oiled and ready for the 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.

Those seed and young plant catalogues have started to drop through the letterbox.  An hour spent with a plant catalogue, a cup of tea, a notebook and a pencil is time well spent.

Boiler Repairs and Naked Ladies

It has been quite a wet month, and the lawns are very damp, but even so there is still some colour. Down on the New Lawn there is a callicarpa with tiny purple lilac berries, colchicum (common name 'naked ladies') have been showing off their pink and white flowers around the trees, and about the gardens there are several pyracantha covered in bright orange fruit. There is a pyracantha just inside the Kitchen Garden where our bees have a colony in the hollow wall. It looks magnificent and, on sunny days, the bees have been very busy going in and out.

The Conservatory boiler has been causing concern over the last season, due to a crack that leaked water onto the fire, putting it out. After months of searching for a suitable replacement, and no-one coming up with viable ideas, I contacted a local blacksmith. He was delighted to come and see the gardens as one of his ancestors had run the forge on the estate around the 1900's. He has now quoted to carefully document and dismantle the boiler, restore and rebuild it. (See 'before' pic). We are thrilled as there was no modern heating system we could find that was up to the job! I will keep you informed of the progress.

It is that time of year again. The Illuminated Trail will soon be upon us and the gardeners have started to check paths, prune back shrubs and generally ensure that everything is safe. There have been leaflets, posters, banners, newspaper articles and headlines all letting you know the details, and if all these have escaped your notice you can always check out the events page on our website http://www.spetchleygardens.co.uk/

And finally, the current intellectual challenge for the gardeners is to find out collective nouns... did you know that a group of weasels is called a sneak, or that a group of finches is called a charm?

Topical Tips for December

Ensure the potting shed is clean and tidy, and all pots and trays are washed, ready for next season.

Keep off the grass when frosty or wet.

Tie in whippy shoots of climbing roses before they are damaged.

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

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

Float a ball in the fish pond to reduce the pressure of ice on the structure, and to prevent total freezing.

Treat slippery paths with a suitable cleaner, or sprinkle with sand and scrub in with a stiff brush.

Check overwintering veg, tubers and bulbs for vermin damage and set traps if necessary.