Topical Tips for September

If your greenhouse cucumbers are suffering from an attack of red spider mite, try putting a block of wet straw by the plants to increase humidity.

It is not too late to cut back unruly wisteria, trimming off the wispy bits to 5 leaves, and tying in any branches to fill gaps.

Dead heading the herbaceous borders will prolong the display, but if you want to save seed, don't forget to leave some flower heads uncut.

Start taking cutting of tender plants such as salvias and penstemon, as insurance against the winter frosts.

Continue to trim hedges.

Continue to pick runner beans etc. in the kitchen garden. It is not too late to sow quick crops of radish and lettuce.

Keep cutting lawns, gradually raising the cut in preparation for winter.

Summer is Over - New Projects Begin

Looking back at last month's diary and the hedgehog rescue reminded me of another rescue just 3 weeks ago. Miss Berkeley came rushing up to our house one morning calling that there was a dog in the lake.

Hurrying to the Cork Lawn with a spare lead, we quickly spotted Rosy, an old golden retriever who lives over the road. She was stuck at the edge of the lake, unable to get up the bank. My husband reached over, but she moved away into the water. Eventually he managed to grab her collar and we dragged her out. She was upset and anxious as we took her home, but once Rosy recognised where she was she started to wag her tail, and became much happier. Apparently she had been frightened by the sound of a gun a couple of hours earlier.

Events at Spetchley are moving on a pace with both the start of the redevelopment of the rose lawn and the restoration of the vinery. The contractors have finished marking out all the new rose beds, and the vinery glass and old wood is being carefully removed from the vinery (see pic). Unfortunately it rained really heavily last night and the forecast is for more rain, so we will have to see how they get on.

At the end of last month I travelled down to Warley Place in Essex with my husband, for a celebration of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Ellen Willmott who was, you will recall, Mr Berkeley's Great Aunt. It was a lovely day. We met the family of Miss Willmott's alpine gardener Jacob Maurer, and joined them for a private guided tour of Warley Place. There were artifacts, books, maps, magazine articles and the opportunity to swap stories. Chatting to those whose parents had known Miss Willmott was particularly fascinating as we heard personal stories of her life. It has also been confirmed that Gardener's World will be filming at Warley for a programme on famous female gardeners, to go out around Christmas, so keep an eye out for that.

On 13th September we are having our own Miss Willmott day. Entry is FREE and we hope to have information about Miss Willmott on display so make a note of the date and come along.

See you soon
Kate