June is Heaven Scent

June is always a touch chaotic in the gardens, as we juggle jobs and attempt to catch up with the growth of the weeds in between the regular maintenance jobs. We spent a good deal of time on watering over the last few weeks, and this has taken time away from other jobs. That said, the gardens are looking fabulous, and a little bit of wilderness here and there is not always a bad thing.
Areas like the Tropical Border, Jungle, Poison Garden, and the Herbaceous Border are all looking great. The rose pergola that frames the Herbaceous Border is in full bloom and is a tunnel of scent. It is worth coming just to experience it!
In the walled garden, our outdoor fruit is all looking good and the strawberry beds did particularly well this year. We have a promising apple crop, as well as a good range of summer berries. There will be plenty of ice cream, apple juice and cider for the café next year!
Jobs for July will include pinching out tomatoes and cucumbers side shoots, thinning growth on grape vines and thinning the fruit to improve the overall crop and tying in the new growth on the peach and nectarines to form next year’s branch structure. Ongoing watering and feeding is very important. We feed every second week with phostrogen for the ornamentals and seaweed for the vegetables. In this dry weather you should make sure the plant has been watered prior to feeding it so that it does not take up too much too quick. Have been finding great success in using a weak seaweed solution as a foliar feed in certain areas. The tropical borders, jungle and fern garden are all hopefully getting a boost from this.
Our new glasshouse is coming along nicely, and I’m currently watching the new floors being laid using reclaimed brick. I wanted reclaimed brick to keep a rustic, traditional look and I think it’s working really well. They have also started glazing the roof sections and we are getting a sense of how the finished structure will look. I can’t wait to see it completed and start planting in September.
We take a very Robinsonian approach to our management of the gardens and let nature mingle where possible, but it does require a certain level of control to maintain that semi-wild charm that looks so lovely. We also actively encourage wildlife throughout the estate, and through various changes in management practices we have seen a marked increase in many species over the last few years. Two of our newest residents are stoats and woodpeckers. I have mentioned before that we hold the Wildlife Estate title from the European Landowners Organization (ELO) and we have adopted a management regime that also considers biodiversity and creates habitats and opportunities for our native wildlife throughout the estate, in the gardens, forestry and farm. It is fantastic to see so many rare species so close to the city.
I hope to see you in the gardens. Adam

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