Weekly catch up with garden & propagation

Garden Team

As we enter December, the team have been continuing the work we began a couple of weeks ago, rejuvenating the borders surrounding the Reservoir Garden. This time in the border with the majestic English oak, Quercus robur which towers over the space.

The tree acts as a beautiful focal point in this part of the garden, so we decided to edit surrounding trees and shrubs below that had become overgrown and entangled, and were ultimately cluttering up the picture. By carefully picking which plants to remove completely, or prune back into a refreshed shape, we have been able to open up views in this area across the Water Garden and make the oak stand out once more.

With the green material this produced, we have been busy adding to our dead hedges around the garden and also making new wood piles in borders and by benches. It's a great way to use the prunings, nothing goes to waste and it's really beneficial to wildlife. Whilst in the wood, Malin spotted the fungus Geastrum triplex (identifed by Dr Chris Gibson), the first recording of it in our garden and uncommon in Essex! Proof that the ideas we are trying are working.

Propagation Team

Emily has been up to some really exciting stuff, propagating Woodwardia prolifera. Related to chain ferns, this east Asian beauty has similar arching fronds, often emerging a dusky red colour, but later in the year they are covered in tiny plantlets, as you can see in the photos! Emily has pined the leaf to a tray and in time the little plantlets will sort themselves out, giving us a host of young plants next year. If you want to get one of these beauties, remember they will need a sheltered spot, or be kept in a pot and protected from prolonged frosts over the winter.

Emily and Debs have both been busy in our propagation house, making sure our succulents are sheltered for the colder months ahead. Sean has been beavering away down on a section of a stockbeds, cutting back, mulching, lifting and planting. And Pete has been making sure your orders are being picked and sent out with an efficiency to make Formula 1 teams envious.

And, of course, winter preparations progress within our shade tunnels and stand off areas. Mel, Kathy, Angela and Mattie have been sprucing up our shade stock, whilst Tina, Kirsten and Rob have been giving some spa treatment to our varieties that don't mind a bit more sun.