End of the 2007 Season

I am always amazed at how fast the seasons go, but this year seems to have passed especially quickly. I look out of my study window and see the trees changing to yellow and gold in the copse, and a little further towards the New Lawn the Cornus Norman Hadden has spectacular fruit. (See pic.)

2 more hedgehogs were released into the gardens at the beginning of the month. ' The Hedgehog Halfway House' in Worcester is very keen to release hedgehogs back into safe environments and the gardens are full of cosy places to hide. We have been talking to the Gamekeeper about releasing some more hedgehogs into the surrounding woodlands too.

For a couple of weeks at the beginning of October we had a firm of tree surgeons in the garden, removing dangerous branches, and felling rotten trees. There were two 200 year old trees on the main lawn, a beech and an oak, that had to be felled due to their deteriorating condition. Two of the yews in my garden are also to be felled as they are very close to the cottage and squirrels are using them as a route to get onto the roof to eat the lead flashing!

In the middle of the month we had the 'Armoured Picnic', where re-enactors from various groups camped in one of the fields over the weekend, and set up 'living history encampments'. We went with family members, and really enjoyed talking to the people involved. The encampments were set up at the same time as the trees were being made safe, so just prior to the event the gardeners had to go round the entire garden cordoning off branches and brush that had yet to be cleared away.

Mid October saw the beginning of a change in the weather as it began to turn frosty at night, so we then needed to ensure that all the vulnerable plants had either been taken into the greenhouses, or covered in horticultural fleece. Thankfully, the conservatory renovation has all been completed and the plants that usually live there have been returned to their warm winter quarters from their summer outing in the vinery!

Best Wishes
Kate

Tasks for November

Pick any remaining apples and prepare them for winter storage in a cool, dry place, and inspect regularly.

Check guttering/drains and keep them clear.

On dry breezy days continue to cut lawns with mower blades set high.

Try to avoid walking on grass when the weather is frosty.

Begin to collect fallen leaves, and store them in a bin bag or a container made from chicken wire, in a corner of the garden and will turn into leafmold in 18 months.

Top dress borders with well rotted farmyard manure, or garden compost.

Your local recycling centre may be able to provide compost at low cost.

Topical Tips for October

Put frost protection round any plants that will be staying out for the winter.

Prepare the garden for winter: keep drains and ponds etc free from leaves and debris, clean and store garden tools, ensure that greenhouse glass is clean, and that any shading has been replaced by insulation.

Start sowings of hardy annuals and sweet peas under glass.

Change the plantings in hanging baskets for winter interest.

Take hardwood cuttings of deciduous shrubs, and gather clematis seed for sowing in a cold frame.

Feed roses with sulphate of potash to ripen the wood and make the plants more disease resistant.

Lift dahlias after the first frosts blacken their leaves.

Place netting over ponds to catch leaves.

Maggot Come Home!

Last month saw the return of the Halo film crew, following the gardeners about for almost an entire day, to see what we do... There must have been about 8 hours of film that the editor will now cut down to half an hour. It was an interesting experience to wear a microphone all morning. Our great debut goes out at the beginning of October on sky 280. After completion of the series there will be a set of DVDs available. That sorts out this year's Christmas presents!
And of course there is another programme on BBC2 in the Spring: "Castle in the Country", where Spetchley gets a mention too.

The hedgehog, that was noted in September's diary is now safely back home. One evening a about 3 weeks ago, two ladies from Worcester Hedgehog Rescue brought him back. They have fondly named him Maggot! He is quite distinctive as the tips of his spines are quite pale, and he has dark rings round his eyes. He is also rather camera shy, this is the best of about 5 pictures, all showing a curled up ball of spines. A home was set up in the copse and instructions were left about feeding. I was given a tin of puppy food and some very unappealing mealworms. The next day he had scuttled off to find his own way, and we didn't see him again until today when he managed to get into the tennis court. He was rescued again, and set up in a more suitable des res. Long may he enjoy the gardens.

The conservatory renovation is making great progress. All the new roof panels are installed and glazed, the top 3 vents are back on their chains again so that they can open, and all that is left is the front panels; just in time for the winter weather!

Hedge cutting has now been completed, including the back breaking task of the box hedges. We are now looking forward to the 'winter jobs list', as compiled by Mr Berkeley.

Alex moved on at the beginning of September, and our Japanese student Satsuki has returned home, but we have the welcome return of Steve, who worked at Spetchley about 3 years ago, and will be working again part time for a while.

And it is almost the end of the season. The gardens will soon only be open at weekends, but we can expect some good autumn colour, so don't forget to visit!

Topical tips for September

When the weather is hot keep those greenhouses cool with shading, and damping down of the paths.

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

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

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.

It is still possible to take cuttings from the more tender varieties such as penstemon and salvia.
Continue to trim hedges. Putting a sheet down first to catch the clippings will make clearing up a lot quicker.

Animal & Conservatory Rescue

At the beginning of the month Mike found a very young hedgehog in the copse. (See pic.) It was tiny, cold, wet and all on its own. The mother was nowhere to be found. Mike took it to Claire the gate girl, who tried to warm it up and clean it. She noticed that it was covered in eggs, and spent quite some time with a donated toothbrush and some cotton buds, removing them. Then she phoned the Worcester Hedgehog Rescue, who came and collected it. The good news is that they were able to save it, and will return it in about 3 weeks when it has put some weight on. ( I call it 'it' as I have no idea how you tell the gender of a baby hedgehog. Hopefully we will be told all about her/him when he/she returns home.)

The conservatory is well under way to being completely renovated. All the old panels have been removed now, the original frame is all clean and painted, (again in 'Spetchley Green), the brickwork has been repointed and rendered in places and we are just waiting for the new frames to be installed.

In the last couple of weeks we have had two wedding receptions on the main lawn at the front of the house. They were both very interesting affairs as they involved people from other cultures with different customs from our own. Between them there were were fireworks, confetti fireworks, a bouncy castle, a disco, 2 huge limousines, and lots of food. The only down side has been that the main lawn now has a large patch of yellow grass where both marquees were sited, which will take a few weeks to recover.

The Millennium Garden is looking lovely at the moment, the verbena bonariensis is such a show stopper. The dahlias are a bright and cheerful sight and the asters are just beginning to put on a display.

The campsis in the Stable yard, and on Gardener's Cottage are both promising to be very impressive in a couple of weeks. This is a great time of year to visit the gardens!

Best Wishes,
Kate

Tasks for August

Continue to dead-head spent flowers, especially roses and summer bedding.

Make sure you arrange for someone to pop in and water the hanging baskets, greenhouse and veg plot if you are off on holiday. They will also need to keep an eye on any veg that needs picking, such as runner beans.

Check tree ties and stakes for rubbing or constriction. Remove and clean to eliminate overwintering pests.

Keep working with the hoe when the weather is warm enough.

Start taking semi ripe cuttings of fuchsias, penstemon, pelargonium, salvia etc Watch for the fungal infection rust on hollyhocks, pelargoniums etc.

Remove affected foliage and spray with a fungicide.

Start trimming hedges.