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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.
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
