This week I planted out 40 Kale plants in the Batty Langley vegetable garden that have been quietly growing along in the greenhouse since September. We are trying three varieties, ‘Red Russian’, ‘Cavolo Nero’ and ‘Borecole – Green Curled Dwarf’. Kale does well over the colder months, so will hopefully add some interest in the…
At this time of year a lot of plants are starting to go to seed, so it is a good time to go around and collect some of them so we can grow new plants for next year. Some can be sown straight away (as we are doing so in the greenhouses), others can be…
The Gardens are blessed with 2 apple and pear orchards and espaliered fruit fences all planted with over 60 heritage varieties dating back to the 1500s. Like many fruit growers we’ve had a mixed year. Normally we are able to produce a goodly number of single variety fruit juices for sale to our visitors. A…
If you take a walk along the top of the Upper Wilderness to the far end and gaze underneath the large Yew tree, you will see the tiny but perfectly formed Cyclamen hederifolium coming into flower. A mixture of pink and white, the tiny flowers appear before the foliage, which as its name suggests is…
We have 4 hives on site. Two are owned by Norman and are well established in the Gardens. They have been joined by two new ones, owned and looked after by Malcolm. They’ve been a bit feisty settling in and Malcolm realised they were missing their queen…”where did you go to my lovely?” Today Malcolm…
The rain wasn’t much good for anything today ….but cakes were munched, masks were found, pompom flowers were made (and will be all week) … but this little family loved being fed all those lovely grubs that wet weather brings… Bad photo with phone, but didn’t want to get too close and frighten them off.…
As well as some delightful period tulips and daffodils in the Gardens we have, this year, introduced the ‘wild tulip’ … the mummy of all those later fancy ones. Tulipa sylvestris, known as the ‘wild’ or ‘florentine’ tulip is a species tulip noted ‘somewhere in Italy’ as early as 1594. Our suppliers Thomas Etty esq describes…
To celebrate our 17th century Gardens’ new ‘Auricula Theatre’ feature we are holding a day with specialist growers HillView Hardy Plants. On Easter Bank Holiday Monday, the nursery people from HillView will answer questions, give advice about growing, and of course sell you some of their lovely range of plants, which will be at their…
They say what goes around comes around, well its certainly true for two local charities. With 10 acres of ground and over 600 species of plants, it takes a lot of compost to keep our soil healthy and productive. So we are really pleased to be working in partnership with the Donkey Sanctuary in nearby…
Celebrate the return of the light with the ‘sweet harbinger of Spring’, the delicate snowdrop. Sunday 5th February 11am -3pm. Our snowdrops have been increasing every year and they make a delightful show of sprinkled white and green in the Lower Wilderness. The first Snowdrop day Sunday 5th February is a family day out dedicated…