Menacing Mice and Rascally Rabbits

Now is that manic time of year when the greenhouse becomes full of seed trays, every border needs attention and there are not enough hours in the day: Spring is finally with us after all the snow and rain! The early Cyclamen coum look lovely amongst the snowdrops on the bank in my garden.(see pic.)
Work has been progressing really well on the projects in the gardens: the vinery glass is going in, all cut with a curved end to draw rainwater away from the woodwork. I expect that the vine will be a lot happier when it is snug inside the vinery again instead of being covered in bubblewrap and fleece as protection against the elements.
The rose lawn replanting has begun, and is almost complete, although the grass has yet to be laid in the centre as the weather has been so bad and the soil has been waterlogged.

The wet weather has caused us to be a bit more inventive with starting seed for the Kitchen Garden: the website ‘Freecycle’ yielded a great source of guttering... We were given a piece of down pipe that we cut length ways and created the perfect home to start early peas. This method also fools the mice! Unfortunately however, the mice ate all the sweet pea seedlings we had started in the greenhouses. Very annoying. And ... we are also still trying to outwit a rabbit that has taken up residence in the Kitchen Garden.

Richard is almost completely fit again after his knee operation last autumn, and is looking forward to cutting grass etc again. We have been training him up to lead guided tours so those of you who are shown the gardens by Richard next season will really enjoy a chatty, informative and entertaining tour.

Alex has now finished his temporary job in the gardens, but is still on the estate for a while. He is helping the Gamekeeper out for the next 3 weeks,but is then moving on to another job in Cheltenham. This was his 6th time working in the gardens, and we hope that he will be back again soon.


We open again on 21st March for the 2009 season. You can come and see how we are getting on with the vinery and Rose Lawn. see you then

Best Wishes

Kate

Topical tips for March

Pot up dahlias and cannas in the greenhouse to give them a head start.
Dig up and divide congested clumps of snowdrops etc as the flowers fade.
Prune roses, wisteria and late flowering shrubs.
Prepare the vegetable patch, clearing and digging over or rotovating on fine dry days.
Plant the early varieties of potatoes that you prepared (chitted) last month.
Cut down ( pollard) willows and cornus that are grown for their winter colour.
Cut down autumn fruiting raspberries.
Start to cut grass on a high cut, when the lawn is dry enough and the weather is sunny..
Start to cut grass on a high cut, when the weather is dry and breezy.
Mulch beds before the weather becomes drier, with rotted grass clippings, leafmold, bark chips or one of the decorative mulches available from the garden centre. They will retain moisture over the summer, suppress weeds and keep the borders looking fresh.