Weekly catch up with garden & propagation

This week in Propagation

with Rob

All of a sudden it feels we have tumbled into Autumn - there's colour galore! The crimson pillars of Metasequoia glyptostroboides and Taxodium distichum, warm our view from the propagation building, akin to deep embers striking out from the garden hearth. Sneak a little closer and we catch a glimpse of Pseudolarix amabilis, rich and gilded, like a mound of dragon treasure.

Overall, it all feels very lovely, and despite it being Halloween week, there's more giving us joy than the willies!

One of these joyful moments was our visit from Capel Manor College. Åsa, Richard and Jess accompanied the class, who partook in some practical planting experience. Our native Primula veris was placed throughout the Reflection Garden. Whereas Narcissus bulbocodium 'Casual Elegance' found home through the Grassy Walk. Bring on the trumpets! A super day. 

We were very pleased to welcome Bernadetto into our midst this week. He spent some time with Emily learning lots of propagation tips and tricks.

One of these jobs was harvesting the seed of Dianthus fruticosus, our particular plant hailing from a collection located in Nopigia in Crete.

It's extremely interesting and worth reading about on our website.

Like Emily and Bernadetto, Jess and Debs were a seedy pair! Jess with Salvia scabra, a compact, lilac-pink flower salvia from South Africa.

Whilst Debs filled the air with gentle white tufts as she worked on Vincetoxicum fuscatum, whose moody purple, starry flowers are a real fascination.

On Wednesday morning, the team had the terrific opportunity to have a brisk walk through the garden. It's an important part of what we do, where we can see how the plants we have grown are developing and flourishing. Gardener Cathy was on hand to show us some new plantings which the brilliant garden team have been working on. It's good for the soul to see how our hard work is being put to such wonderful use.

Our plants needing winter protection are still receiving TLC as they file into the polytunnel. And the pick & pack gang are flying as they wave farewell to your orders, which as always, we are so very grateful for.

Until next time.

Rob

This week in the Garden

with Scott

With the last remnants of storm Austen still blowing through the garden the team returned after the weekend, hoping we hadn't suffered any major damage. We were fortunate to escape anything too serious, with mainly littering of small branches and leaves, but we did lose a large branch from our beautiful Liquidambar styraciflua that stands over the third pond. It’s such a shame to drop a limb, especially as this tree has magnificent autumn colours in deep reds and yellows, and everything in-between. Our intern Ella (who joins us from Le Manoir gardens) chopped it up and we added it to our dead hedge.

The plan for the rest of the week was to finish the weeding and editing of the Gravel Garden. First, we had to finish clearing up the masses of leaves from our oaks and birch out of the gravel. It's incredible how much they can drop, and scary how many more are still to come! The rakes are going to get a good work out this winter.

Moving into the beds the team continued to edit the spaces by weeding, cutting back where needed and removing as much fallen leaf material as possible. Benedetto removed a batch of young Anemanthele lessoniana seedlings to give to propagation, whilst Ella and Cathy diligently cleared the dead leaves from the many bergenias that edge the borders. We took our time choosing which of the many self-seeders to remove, like Verbascum chaixii and Stipa tenuissima, thinking ahead and planning the picture for next year. We also planted Ipheion 'Alberto Castillo' bulbs which have a lovely white star flower held on glaucous foliage.

As the half term draws to a close, it's also our final week having interns working in the garden for this year. It's been incredible meeting so many fantastic people from all sorts of horticultural backgrounds, visiting us from across the UK, the USA, Sweden, Italy and Austria. Their efforts in the garden and prop are invaluable, and we've loved working alongside them all! Thank you!

Enjoy your weekend.