Mid Lockdown Two
We are half way through the second lock down and autumn has arrived to remind us how difficult the late autumn and winter months can be. Gales, rain and low grey skies are not inducive to lightening the spirits, cold sunny days are preferable but mild sunny days are even better.
We have been redesigning the planting of quarantine island and John has been rowing over to dig up the docks and a pesky grass that we were given which seeds itself everywhere and is no beauty. We took ourselves off to Knoll gardens which specialises in grasses on a day the weather was supposed to be dry and got drenched, but came back with six lovely grasses. Today being a still day he bravely rowed over with his selection to plant, then disaster struck. The boat left he island without him. I was busy elsewhere when the mayday call was received and the emergency services went to the rescue, AKA me. First, I had to catch the boat, this resulted in water incursion into my wellies, always pleasant, but eventually I managed to catch it and turn it so that I could scramble on board. There was only one oar in the boat as the other one was on the island, so I had to paddle across, John grabbed the side and voila we had arrived. I disembarked and was able to admire John’s handywork, at least he didn’t have to swim to shore.
Tier 2 and 3 have settled well and the contorted willows are looking fine, with their orange trunks and bright red young growth they show up well against the hedge now all the leaves have fallen. The leaf pens are full, though it is surprising how fast they start to rot down, more leaves have fallen and will need raking up and adding to the pile. Leaf mould is wonderful stuff for the garden, a compensation for all the raking.
It is likely that this year will go down, amongst other things, as the warmest on record, November has been no exception and the bulbs are coming up all over the garden. The cherry by the drive is flowering, it was planted to provide nectar for any insects that ae around on warm days, I saw a couple of bumble bees out today on the flowering winter honeysuckle. We have planted with the aim of having nectar available twelve months of the year, some of which is unplanned in the plants flowering out of season, but mainly it is planned. One of this autumn’s surprises has been the passionflower continuing to flower so late in the season, cosmos and hydrangeas producing new flowers. One of the fig branches had laid down in the water but, I went to prune it only to discover that it had produced lots of roots. It is now a cutting overwintering in the green house, I love figs and this will make the sixth fig tree in the garden, two are very young and not fruiting while three are fruiting well. A fresh warm ripe fig freshly picked makes a delicious breakfast.
The pepper and aubergine plants have been moved into the conservatory as they are still fruiting and will enjoy the warmer nights along with the geranium seedlings from last years seeds. It is always fun to grow from seed as it a surprise as to what the flower’s will be like. I haven’t been disappointed with three plants a wonderful deep magenta with a pale centre and two lovely pink plants with a white centre which will be great additions to next year’s displays.
Keep well, keep safe and keep happy, enjoy the bird song and the changing season, a year is a short time and passes quickly, we need to stay strong until the vaccines rescue us, which will happen, and we can all meet up again or for the first time.