The Season Kicks Off

The Spring seems to have started a couple of weeks earlier this year.

Magnolias, Rhododendrons and flowering cherries all look fantastic.

The trilliums have been very good this year (see pic) and some plants that were left over from a group we replanted swiftly sold on the plant stall.

The kitchen garden project is going well with many veg sown and planted out. The basic plan of the garden have been laid out but there is still alot of work to be done. We still have the fruit cage to build, and a group of cold frames to construct in an area to the north of the garden. It is worth a visit to see the progress as this is going to be a long term project.

The BBC rang last month about doing a short piece on the gardens as part of a series they are intending to film at Berkeley Castle. They were particularly interested in our kitchen garden project and are hoping to visit for filming at the end of May. Their presenter is the current Blue Peter gardener ( I am a bit out of touch with current children's tv, so had no idea who he is), who likes to get involved with the work at the places he films. We have several ideas for tasks....

Chris, the forester has been installing tree guards to protect some new tree avenues in the fields between the gardens and the deer park.
Old avenues that were lost to dutch elm disease are being reinstated, but instead of using elm they have chosen oak this time.

The most exciting thing to happen last month, apart from a group of travellers camping in the next field to the gardens, was a towering inferno in the deer park! Dead wood was being cleared away and burnt on a controlled bonfire, and all went well until the wind changed and sparks set fire to a standing dead tree in the vicinity. We are told it looked like a vast olympic torch! Two fire engines arrived at the scene, and managed to safely douse the fire but it was quite an experience for those involved.

The plant fair at the beginning of April went very well, with all the help we received from the RHS. There was a large marquee on the main lawn, and about twice the usual number of stands. We were swamped by over 2000 visitors enjoying the sunny weather, tours of the gardens, talks and all the stalls.

Best Wishes
Kate Portman