August Brings a Bumper Harvest

August was another extremely busy month for us here in the gardens, and with the continued dry weather, it’s been a challenge to keep up. It feels like things are starting to change here though, with rain arriving this week, and more forecast. We have had a wonderful summer though, and it has flown by in a blur. It’s been great to see the hustle and bustle around the grounds and gardens as so many visitors enjoy all our hard work. As our trip advisor reviews will testify, we are now getting a growing trend of people coming to explore the gardens and wider estate in addition to visiting the castle and stone.
I feel like the trees have suffered a little with the dryer weather, and signs of autumn are gradually creeping in. It is especially noticeable in the big Beech and Limes around the estate and some of the Japanese maples are already changing colours. Even though this is the case, there is still plenty to see in the gardens with lots of late colour in the Herbaceous Borders and Seven Sisters where late flowering perennials such as Rudbeckia, Verbena and Eupatorium are putting on a great show and are still attracting bees and butterflies.
Our apple crop is record breaking this year. We have produced more than double last years crop and we will be putting a large amount into producing more cider, as well as a new apple and beetroot juice, to add to our range. It has been a fantastic year for fruit and growth overall and we will be making ice cream, jams, honey and various seasonal products from the fruit and vegetables we grow in our walled kitchen garden. We are currently trying to expand the range of products that we produce in house, so keep an eye out in the shops and café.
There’s lots of jobs still to do. We have been cutting back our old raspberry and loganberry canes and tying in the new ones for next year’s crop. We have dug up the last of the potatoes. Lifted shallots, garlic and onions and planted out brassicas and leeks. Now is the time to sow spinach, winter lettuce and rocket to take you through to the autumn.
We should soon be receiving the first of this year’s bulb order. As usual, we will be planting thousands of tulips, daffodils and crocus around the gardens, as well as adding to our heritage collections and naturalising species along the riverbanks and woodland areas. We try to add more every year, so the displays continue to improve.
It’s the time of year for pruning hedges, mulching beds, and general tidying up as the plants start to fade. I enjoy the transition into autumn and like to take time to reflect on the gardens and how they have performed before making plans for future developments. A garden never rests and continues to evolve and grow over time. I believe that is what makes it such an interesting place to work and to visit. Hopefully we will see some of you here soon. Adam

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