preparing for winter

Its been a few days since I posted a blog but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy in the garden. Just like Bob at the Big House I have been happily engaged in making most of the weather to clear up the perennials and sort out a few things.

Now I face the rather depressing prospect of putting the garden to bed for the winter. Already I have started to put tender plants in pots away for protection and I am now charged with wrapping up the pots for winter. I use bubble wrap and encompass each pot in a nice warm coat in the hope that Jack Frost (and I don't mean the tv policeman)will not come along and crack them.I have lost a lot of expensive pots in winter frosts here and it does upset me to come out and find a big crack down a large size pot.

I will also move my palm into the garage near the window so it gets some light. I can't bring myself to trust leaving that outside for a Cumbrian winter. I have two lovely pots of Begonias still going strong so will leave them just a little longer. I think the majority of the roses are now asking me to give them a break and so will probably cut them down in the next few days to prevent them getting harmed by wind rock. I don't do this too severely as I am a spring pruner where roses are concerned and I do like to get the odd bloom around December and Christmas time which has been known on several occasions. It is a matter of ensuring that they are not going to get damaged in high winds that matters.

Then it will be a case of planting the wallflowers and getting in the spring bulbs. Ah well, just because the winter is coming doesn't mean we should be forgetting all about the garden does it?

global warming

I am not too sure that I completely concur with all the global warming doom, although there is a part of me which appreciates that all the rubbish we are pumping into our atmosphere has to have some effect eventually. However, I was more than surprised to find that my normally spring flowering camellia has actually opened a flower and its October!

I couldn't believe my eyes when I went out into the garden yesterday. There it was, a beautiful flower - does anyone with Camellia knowledge know if this is normal or not? The tree has good buds on this autumn and my other Camellia which was very sickly last winter had a good cut at the end of December and this really seems to have done the trick as it too has good colour and a good supply of buds - although that one is not flowering. The late great Christopher Lloyd always counselled a good cut for an unruly or sad camellia and it certainly did the trick for me.

I don't know if any of the other buds might open also so I will keep you posted. As for the rest of the garden it now needs a good tidy up before the onset of colder weather so this weekend some good garden-keeping I think.

autumn mornings

One thing I miss about the light summer mornings is getting up very early, about 6.30am and going into the garden. It's one of the most magical times and you can potter among your plants and look what's happening, dead head the roses and just smell the scents of the early morning.

The darker mornings prevent us from doing that - of course you could always get up at 6am tomorrow to watch the Japanese Grand Prix but somehow that can't compensate for the smells of the summer garden in the early morning.


The trees are now giving us their autumnal glows and I thought you might like to share the tones and shades of the Japanese garden (there might be a theme here or perhaps it was just the grand prix which reminded me)at Tatton Park. If you get the opportunity during the next few weeks to get out into parkland then do so, because you will be rewarded with stunning colours and it might make up for the lack of an early morning prowl round your garden.

Liverpool happenings

Please forgive me if I use this blog to tell you about some of the exciting things which will be happening in Liverpool during the 800th anniversary celebs. next year and of course during 2008 Capital of Culture. Liverpool is blessed with many fine gardens so I suppose I feel justified in letting you all know what will be going on from time to time.

Today I received a nifty little badge in the post which I can wear to signify that I am an Ambassador for the city. So I am attempting to ambassador with this blog! For example Speke Hall and Croxteth Park and Hall are two of the finest examples of Tudor and Edwardian country estates in the UK. Liverpool is also a handy base for seeing some wonderful properties and gardens within a short drive of the city including Cheshire's Tatton Park and Lyme Park, Arley Hall and Dudmaston.

Of course I will bring you news of any floral or garden related events so stay tuned!!

autumnal mornings

These last few days have been delightful first thing in the morning. The spiders are leaving silky intricate cobwebs on plants and fences, there is a freshness and that slight tingle which tells you autumn is here. The leaves are dropping and one wonders if the autumn colours for which the Lake District, among several places, is famous for, will shine this year. I have been very daring and attempted to put a pic on of my cordyline and its children and also a spider's web so hopefully when you read this on the blog it won't be jibberish but text with a picture.

Even silver surfers can learn new things every day and now that I have just about mastered the 'blog' thing, hope that I will be able to put pics on as well when relevant.

Thanks again to Bob - as he says hopefully his response might tempt a few more of you to enter into 'blogconversation' through Reckless.