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Another identity question....
Does anyone know what this plant is? It has us all baffled. It's about 3'6" high and is growing strongly outdoors in our stock beds so it must be hardy. Hi Brian - here's a close up. It's actually a crop
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Water, water everywhere (except in the tank)
Over 4 inches of rain last week left me with a very well watered garden, an acre of unmown lawn and a tea-room within a millimetre of flooding. The trickle that passes for a stream at the bottom of the field became a gushing torrent, audible from 500 yards away,
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The calm between storms
An eerie calm has descended. April was a sprint to get the gardens open for NGS and to keep the nursery plants alive with no rain. May was stupendously busy after my GW appearance and with 2 bank holidays and several out of hours group bookings it felt as if
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Feasting the senses
This is going to be a long post, but I'll try to do it in pictures rather than words as I think you'll enjoy it more. In the cottage garden near the house is a venerable old crab apple tree with a huge honeysuckle growing through
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In need of some creative space
People who know me well will say that I'm a talkative sort. But several weeks of meeting new people, telling our story and answering questions has left me talked out. My appearance on GW has given me just a small taste of what it is like to be
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My radio debut on Cheshire FM
Well, it wasn't strictly speaking a debut, since I was interviewed over the phone on live radio a few months ago by Johnny Amos for Radio Northamptonshire, but tonight I did my first studio broadcast for Cheshire FM. Thanks to Diana for making me very welcome and for
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Something old, something new
We have two large polytunnels which are closed to customers, mainly because they contain a depressingly large number of plants (about 5,000) which are the last of those we inherited with the place and haven't yet had time to clean up. But we are watering them regularly
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Chelsea first-timer
I went to Chelsea for the first time on members day with my great friend Sara. Apparently the numbers are lower on the Wednesday than for the rest of the week, but it was still a squash. I'm glad I went - I managed to solve some supply
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So much to say, so little time
Everything is happening so fast, I can barely catch breath, let alone blog. Our two first coach groups came and went on Friday and were a delight to host. Hello to my guests from Papplewick and Norfolk and thank you all for visiting. Even the lane logistics worked out fine,
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Photographic fiesta
We hosted our first RHS course today - Creative Flower Photography I, led by Andrew Williams. 12 very friendly and enthusiastic attendees turned up - a full house. The rain stayed away, the garden performed beautifully and I think everyone gained something from the day. With their kind permission, here
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A little fraught...
Our busiest weekend yet ended in a watery deluge late Sunday afternoon, accompanied by a visit from some friends, so we all sat in the tea-room and watched the flood waters sweep past the door. We abandoned the nursery for the day, but at least I was spared the watering
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A moment of reverence in a manic day
Today was delightfully busy with a steady stream of new visitors and old friends dropping in. Especially welcome were local gardeners who had discovered us for the first time and people who had returned after many years absence. After closing, I walked the gardens in the evening quiet and was