Top of the mountain

I feel like we have been climbing, climbing, climbing then just as every bit of soil in the veg garden at Heale has been filled, we begin our descent and start to remove the first of this years crops. The year begins with such promise of whats to come, we plan, we sow, we sow some more, we sneak in some more just incase, we plant and plant and then we reach the peak.

At Heale we have begun to remove some early sown Broad beans and Peas which have stopped producing and we have started to fill the soil with Leeks. We have planted out the last of our crops - the Squashes and Cucamelons - filling any gaps. Last week we began the mammoth task of laying down the Single Cordon Sweet Peas which attracts much visitor interest, as HG and I begin to lie the 6 foot stems down. It does look a little strange. Most visitors are astounded that we can gain all of that growth from a single Lathyrus seed. Well nature is a marvel and not only do we gain that growth but the plant continues to give us another 6 foot more!

A very meditative task, focus on the moment.

We continue to maintain growth in all areas of the garden. HG strimming, mowing, cutting, pruning. Fruit pruning is quite a task at Heale, we have 50 year old Apple and Pear tunnels to Summer prune amongst others.

We began trimming some Hornbeam hedging this week, keeping it in check. HG likes to lift the canopy of the Betula trees amongst the Miscanthus grass borders and we continued with this yesterday. The beautiful whitish papery bark is revealed as you remove each limb and the grass can extend upwards towards the sky. A lovely job.

It was very hot this week and on one of my days I was working in a clients 'Hot' border. You're not kidding. Baking hot position for hot colours of Dahlia, Verbena, Crocosmia and Iris. Just as I was about to pass out in the heat, we finished and moved onto a shady, breezy bed. I fell to my knees!

A hat is a must, along with suncream, Piriton tablets and my latest addition to the Gardening paraphernalia; insect repellent. It doesn't smell too good but I have avoided the Horse flies these last few weeks so that's good enough for me!

At last

At last we have produce at Heale, a vast variety and all the long wait has been worth it! It seems like eternity since I last picked a Courgette from it's mother plant but yesterday I did just that. Gorgeous lush Courgettes, all shapes and sizes. Along with Broadies, Peas, Salad leaves, edible flowers, Beets and Strawberries.

Along with the Sweet peas, what a haul!

This year has been different to last, as it seems with gardening, never the same twice. We have had lots of rain and mild weather which seems to have caused plants to take ages to get going and then when they do, they are slugged or go mouldy. Yet I am heartened by the Beets that I pulled up. Our two ferral cats Bo and Fennel, seem to be helping with the demise of the Heale Bank Vole population. Each Beet was a perfect cylinder, untouched, no nibble holes, no damage. A joy!

The wider garden is in a state of flux, some of the wild meadow has been cut, the Roses are going over, the Apple tunnels have new growth reaching for the sky (almost ready, dare I say for their Summer Prune). Already? Again???!!). The weeds still keep coming, planters stuffed with Salvia, Sweet pea and Nicotiana are settling in to their own.

This week I was lucky enough to get to Hampton Court Show (a gift from my Tuesday client). It is always good to get out. I enjoyed having more space to get around than at Chelsea. However, I am afraid to say I found it extremely commercial and elitist. I liked some of the ideas, especially the Rocket made from, yes, Rocket and many succulents. Imaginative and out of the ordinary. An interesting display. But the rows and rows of 'stuff' (if you put 'Garden' in front of it you can sell anything) didn't float my boat. Hardy's Cottage Plants did though, every time. Well done Rosy and Rob for another fine display of gorgeous plants.

I am a practical girl and I rather enjoyed the plethora of sheds on display. And then there were the plant supports from Plant Belles. Attractive AND practical. We are currently using one of their tunnel systems to support the net on our Brassicas at Heale and it looks lovely. So much better than a hand made rectangular construction. Well done to them.

My week ended with Strawberry picking at the local farm. NOT my own but really good and when you only have a patch, sometimes you need to collect from someone elses. Far superior to shop bought and supporting local enterprise.

Summer rain

The last couple of weeks have been very mixed indeed and I don't just mean in the garden (it's OK I won't bang on about it but WHAT IS GOING ON IN UK POLITICS?).

OK so amongst the world falling apart, I have been trundling on in the great outdoors.

This time of year, although it is the beginning of Summer, we are nearing the end of our mammoth propagation season and most plants that need to be out in the veg garden are on their way. We have just planted out the Cucamelons and are trying a new support this time, post and netting, for them to clamber up. Beans are coming up, Celeriac is beginning to form, Tomato flowers are morphing into fruit.

I kept walking past the most beautiful flower this week which comes out from a clump of grass. HG told me it is called Dierama, with the common name of Angel's fishing rod. You can clearly see why. The flower delicately climbs up out of the grass and arches over, gently flowing when the breeze comes. really hard to get a good pic as the stem is so fine.

 I have been planting out the flowers we have grown from seed, into various parts of the cutting garden at Heale : Tithonia, Stocks, Rudbeckias, Daucus. Once they get established, they should be great.

HG and I pruned the old Akebia which sits on the balustrade of the boat terrace. Lots of unruly growth, like pulling at a bundle of Spaghetti. Gentle pruning though allows you to look after the plant, prune to 1 or 2 nodes from the old growth and you get a lovely neat bush.

We have had such mixed weather and so much rain that we seem to be constantly fighting a sea of slugs and snails. We have tried Nematodes to see if there is any difference in population to that when using slug pellets. We are vigilant and try and check pots for the beasties but it is so hard when the weather is so wet and the air so thick. I am not alone in wanting the Summer to arrive in earnest. In the meantime how can you not feel happy when you see these Daisies???

Happy Gardening folks.

All too fleeting

Life in the garden is a blur throughout June. Everything grows at a rate of knots and head down, you just keep on trucking.

When I have lifted my head I have seen all manner of plants in full flow. Foxgloves and Eremurus towering above the borders.

The Roses at Heale are the star right now, our Hybrid Musk border is fronted with Nepeta and looks stuffed full of colour.

We have lots of yellow rattle at Heale, naturalizing amongst the grasses. This is very evident right now and HG manages the cutting of the long grass accordingly to help the plant seed and return in bigger numbers next year.

We are having a particularly strange Summer with weather and on Friday I walked through the garden to see this - storm looming!

At my Tuesday garden today, I began dead heading Roses and Peonies. These plants were just coming into their own last Tuesday and by today some of them had gone. Just like that. They took a beating from the rain too.

On a walk home from school wth my youngest son yesterday, we stopped at gardens along the way and observed what was growing. I was telling him about the phrase 'Stop and smell the Roses' and that is exactly what we did. Blink and you miss it.

Piet Oudolf and his meadow planting

I have been considering my Blog lately, sorry for not keeping up quite as I used to.

I really want to share some of the wonderful sights I see in the gardens I visit and work in but it is time consuming and I want to still enjoy that process.

I have been very busy with work and have been enjoying getting the veg going at Heale. Also in my own allotment. At home we are growing Turk's Turban Squashes and my youngest is full of excitement every day when the plants have grown!

Heale was perfect last week and now some plants are just going over. The Laburnum pergola, mixed in with Wisteria is just glorious. Noisy with insects and moving in the breeze. The Roses are coming and we are cropping Single Cordon Sweet peas.

Planting up Gladioli in the cutting garden.

I visited Hauser and Wirth this week, their gallery in Somerset, a drive from my home. Aside from the beautiful gallery, cafe, art exhibitions and general vibe, you move through the building and discover Piet Oudolf's naturalistic meadow to the rear of the gallery.

I have visited before, last August, when the planting was in full swing. Swathes of one Species, planted in groups to give maximum effect. Bee friendly, natural planting, with movement in the breeze and a huge variety of texture and colour knitted into the planting plan.

When I visited yesterday, the garden was at a completely different stage and yet, remains a feast for the eyes. The promise is there of what these clumps of grasses will do in a few weeks, months, time. I loved the grandeur of the Phlomis fruticosa. Many varieties of Scabious and Allium, one a very dark head I hadn't seen before (Atropurpureum?). I just love the grasses and their crazy hair like appearance. The bright colour of Hakonechloa contrasting with Monarda, amongst others.

Something new I don't remember seeing ; Japanese Blood Grass; Imperata cylindrical. Wow, what a show off, stunning colour and short spiky textures, shooting up from the ground.

Well worth a visit if you are ever near the sleepy town of Bruton.

The month of May

What beautiful time of year May is?



I find it magical and enchanting, as the hedgerows expand and the lanes get narrower with Cow Parsley.

So much happens, things seem to grow overnight.

The gardens are hard to keep up with but if you have time to stop, wow, what there is to see. Wisteria, Peonies, trees such as Malus and Davidia beginning their journey into leaf for the year ahead. Poppies are out now, one at Heale which I find stunning to watch is 'Patty's Plum'. The petals are truly glorious, the sheer size and the beauty in the fine paper like, worn, bleached appearance.

The grasses are wild, long, wafting, willowy.

The fields lush and colourful.

We have been busy with veggie growing too. Much is now out and growing well, Courgette, Beans, Peas, Carrots, Beets, Salads, Kales, Celeriac, Asparagus. I like the time of year when things are in hand and you can see what is ahead. The early days of struggling to propagate and keep frost at bay are pretty much over.

So much happens this month, Chelsea, of course and many peeps talk of nothing else for the duration. I have enjoyed the TV coverage and do admire the work but am glad to be out in the wild rather than trying to cram it onto a stage.

This week at Heale, we had a special group of visitors in the name of All Horts. an online group of like minded individuals involved, in some way, in Horticulture. What a fantastic day, showing everyone the gardens at Heale and having the time to admire where we are lucky enough to work all year round. To see the gardens through fresh eyes and be able to reflect on the past and our time spent there, was a real reminder of why we are all outside, battling the elements, carrying on despite the set backs.

 Mother Nature.

It's here

Finally, this last week has brought warmth. The first time I have genuinely not felt cold without a coat in what seems like forever. We wait all Winter and then -BAM- everything seems to be happening all at once.

It is such a busy time and much to think about and hopefully nothing is missed, everything in its place and all will be smashing!

Each of the three gardens I work in (in addition to the allotment) has veggies which need attention as well as numerous borders and lawns. It is a mind game, remembering which seeds need sowing when, which seedlings need transplanting, which don't. Which plants need to have heat, which need to be hardened off. Which need staking, which need cropping soon.

We have some fantastic Salads at Heale and this Rocket, having just been watered, looked far too good to just walk on by.

The Prop at Heale, is THE place where everything can rest happily, not too cold, not too hot. The benches are now groaning with pots and HG is constantly playing Plant Jenga, moving pots this way and that to make sure all are happy.

I have been up to all sorts this week. We have planted more Broad Bean seeds and Peas. We needed to stake and net the Peas. HG uses a metal pole which is hollow, allowing you to put a bamboo cane in each end to lengthen/shorten the pole for your requirements. Then you use a large tack to hold the cane in place on the posts. A nifty trick.

I have been feeding various animals too. We now have Pigs, Geese, Chickens, Cats and Lambs on our roster. The gardens have sprung into life.

Of course with all of this life, comes unwanted growth. Namely, Bittercress, Fat Hen, Nettles and Thistles to name but a few. Hand weeding is the best option or a good hoe and a rake seems to help too. Many areas at Heale have been given The Garden Bird treatment and are in their place - for now.

Watering has quickly become a requirement and is constantly on our minds. We use sprinklers, once we have prepared the area but in some cases only a gentle watering with a can will do. Especially with seedlings.

We are gradually filling up the ground space in the veg garden. HG has the Celeriac in, looking mighty fine, upright, glossy green, erect growth. The Potatoes are showing themselves, Asparagus is being cropped and we will soon be planting out Courgettes and Cucumbers along with Tomatoes outdoors. We also mix it up in a Potager style, so we will be flowering it up with Sun flowers, Zinnias and Cosmos as well as climbing plants such as Cobea and Ipomoea.

The wider garden is coming into its own now. Blossom is plentiful, we have Camassia over on the river bank starting to flower. Peonies in their lollipop form, almost flowering. The trees have their first leaf emergence. Of course, some of it is so fleeting. I took this pic of Magnolia 'Butterflies' a week or two ago and now it will be year to wait before we see her again. Prunus 'Shirotae' blossom has all but gone already!

Scilla 'Peruviana' are up in the Triangle, wild area and they are stunning things. Very complex in their form. Lots

to look at. 

On my allotment, my youngest has grown Brussel Sprouts from seed and we managed to get these going for him, hopefully in time for Christmas. A labour of love for sure. We have Wild Garlic at the plot, under the shade of Plum trees and an impressive Aesculus hippocastanum, the great Conker tree. It has such beautiful white flowers right now and I tell my boys of all the promise to come as every flower spike will bring those amazing shiny brown nuggets - the conker!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesculus_hippocastanum#/media/File:Illustration_Aesculus_hippocastanum0_clean.jpg