Battling with the Heat

Last month proved to be very successful for "our" student Alex, who has been helping us in the gardens for the last 4 summers. He received his degree results, acheiving a First in Heritage Management. We are all very pleased for him. We are also very grateful that he has spent a fourth summer with us as his help in keeping trees and shrubs irrigated has proved a lifesaver for some of the plants.

The heat has been very difficult to work in, and we have spent most of our time watering, weeding in shady areas and moving as the sun moves round. Plants, such as cercis, cercidiphyllum, rhododendrons and hydrangeas and a large proportion of the herbaceous borders have been wilting as the temperatures have risen. To combat this we purchased a length of 'leaky pipe'. Made from recycled tyres, the pipe leaks water along its length when attached to a hose on low pressure. We thread it through the borders, and run it at night to reduce evaporation and allow the water to get exactly where needed. We are also putting old wool carpet circles round our more vunerable trees. Covered with woodchip the carpet circles will retain water, suppress weeds and eventually rot away, by which time the trees will be well established.

However, one benefit of the heat is that the lawns don't need to be mown every week!

After the great success of the Best of the West End concert, with its hit songs and fantastic finale of fireworks, we have been wondering whether the Sealed Knot civil war re-enactment will be as enjoyable.
However, the amount of preparation that has been going on, with groups of people scurrying about, huddling together in corners and discussing the merits of bringing large quantities of horses in that way or this way, where the cart horses are to be stabled, where the big cannons are to be sited, where the local dentist, hospital and doctor are (!), etc. etc. seems to indicate an even bigger spectacle. It has all been very interesting so far, if a little alarming. Still, the re-enactment will be completely separate from the gardens, so there is little special preparation for us to do, apart from the usual maintenance.

On a more cheerful note, the gardens are still colourful, with plants flowering at the moment including the white flowered hoheria, blue and white agapanthus on the North Border, crinum powellii, (see pic), the red double flowered pomegranate, and oddly, some of our rhododendrons.
And finally, the asters will soon be putting on their late summer show.