Copyright© of Top Growth Garden Services - 6 February 2006
Diary Notes for November 2006
Fairies & Garden Goblins
26 November
Some gardens seem to produce an ambience where interest is sustained throughout the year. Having gone through Autumn with hostas and soggy fungi strewn around the place it is a relief for us to find most of our maintenance contracts in a clean condition.
This year I have decided to leave hydrangea pruning until the risk of serious frost and snow has passed. Last winter we pruned many hydrangeas following advice from a prominent gardening magazine who held the opinion that winters were no longer harsh enough to damage emerging flower shoots...not so in our neck of Cumbria. We had several spells of prolonged icy weather and one or two hydrangeas in more exposed locations were damaged, resulting in fewer flower heads.
The enchanting gardens still have snippets of colour, mostly red berries and promising winter flowering
26 November
Some gardens seem to produce an ambience where interest is sustained throughout the year. Having gone through Autumn with hostas and soggy fungi strewn around the place it is a relief for us to find most of our maintenance contracts in a clean condition.
This year I have decided to leave hydrangea pruning until the risk of serious frost and snow has passed. Last winter we pruned many hydrangeas following advice from a prominent gardening magazine who held the opinion that winters were no longer harsh enough to damage emerging flower shoots...not so in our neck of Cumbria. We had several spells of prolonged icy weather and one or two hydrangeas in more exposed locations were damaged, resulting in fewer flower heads.
The enchanting gardens still have snippets of colour, mostly red berries and promising winter flowering
jasmine or rich yellow mahonia flowers.
All of our early spring bulbs are forcing a way through and the promise of ‘life after’ even before winter begins is encouraging.
Soon, with perennial clearing and division finished, our attention will gravitate to some winter projects. In particular we are looking forward to lifting a small lawn to create a series of slate and stone features to be used as small planting areas. Another exciting project at Hawkshead involves restoring a long forgotten and neglected veggie garden, filling with raspberries, loganberries and a variety of fruit trees. Yet another Hawkshead project is set to go ahead with steps and border edges created with aged railway sleepers (a favourite landscaping material). We have a tantalising garden to restore near Crook which has the X Factor, absolutely full to the brim with striking perennials, intriguing shrubs and many different levels that lend themselves to the perfect fairy dell.
All of our early spring bulbs are forcing a way through and the promise of ‘life after’ even before winter begins is encouraging.
Soon, with perennial clearing and division finished, our attention will gravitate to some winter projects. In particular we are looking forward to lifting a small lawn to create a series of slate and stone features to be used as small planting areas. Another exciting project at Hawkshead involves restoring a long forgotten and neglected veggie garden, filling with raspberries, loganberries and a variety of fruit trees. Yet another Hawkshead project is set to go ahead with steps and border edges created with aged railway sleepers (a favourite landscaping material). We have a tantalising garden to restore near Crook which has the X Factor, absolutely full to the brim with striking perennials, intriguing shrubs and many different levels that lend themselves to the perfect fairy dell.
