This has been a very full month for groups visiting the gardens, with more than the usual number of guided tours having taken place. I have just finished doing a Sunday guided tour for a very friendly party of florists, after a group of bee keepers, several horticultural groups, gatherings of friends, and a Womens Institute. The Kitchen Garden is still under attack from pigeons, as they've managed to chew through the pak choi that we planted only 3 days ago.
I was rather suprised as I had considered pak choi to be a salad crop, and the pigeons are not touching the lettuce. Speaking of lettuce, if you visit the tea rooms any time soon, and partake of a salad, you will be eating home grown lettuce. I am very encouraged that we can use the produce from the gardens, and as it has worked out, almost all the produce is used.
It has been a very successful year for sweet peas, especially the towers of flowers we have growing in the kitchen garden. The pink variety at the end of the paths is a variety called Miss Willmott, (see pic) which we were very pleased to grow due to the connection with the family. We have been picking the flowers constantly to ensure a long lasting display.
Last week we had a minor crisis when Debbie spotted a tired and bedraggled duckling stuck in the heron pool in the middle of the Kitchen Garden, unable to clamber out. The mum was calling anxiously from the path. we fetched a fishing net and, swiftly scooped it out of the water, dumping it inelegantly onto the path where is scuttled quickly away. We had less swift success removing a jackdaw from the Morning Room in the main house. It had dropped down the chimney, and was causing havoc. Gardener Steve and myself went into the Morning Room and spent some time chasing it round the room. Eventually it made a mistake and flew against a wall, then Steve was able to grab its legs as it sat stunned on the floor. He took it outside where it flew away.
Best wishes
Kate
