I have been with my client transplanting and potting up, sowing some hardy Annuals (Ammi, Orlaya, Cornflower) and dodging incredibly heavy rain. I planted a beautiful Eleagnus for her too, x ebbingei, with silvery leaves.
At Heale we got up to all sorts, removing an Apple tree with a winch, ride on mowing, lifting tree canopies, weeding and edging veg plots, potting up, feeding.... we also managed our one experimental 'no dig' bed. Last year we used the newly made bed for Brassicas and failed but not because of the no dig system (must I mention the darn Bank Voles again!). This time we are covering the soil with a 3 inch compost mulch and covering it to let the worms and weather do their thing.
If you want to have a go then read the enthusiastic Charles Dowding here:
http://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/no-dig-growing/why-no-dig/
The owners at Heale would like us to move on further and create more no dig beds. I am all for it (less double digging) but also quite like the rituals of preparing the beds in the traditional way. A bit of both and we shall see which system reigns supreme.
Having really loved our first try at Cucamelons, we are going to try and store the dahlia-like tubers over winter and hope for bigger stronger plants next season. Considering we grew the little mouse melons from seed this February, they have grown a really big tuber!
Leaves are turning everywhere but particularly noticeable are the trees in the Japanese garden, Liquidamber being one of the ones that seems to turn it's colour in the blink of an eye.
The Cercidiphyllum japonicum is mighty fine this time of year and it's little cousin Cercidiphyllum japonicum f. 'Pendulum' is a small plant near the Japanese bridge but I could smell the delicate and faint smell of sugar and butter and caramel from the only 10 leaves that were clinging on for dear life. Amazing!
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