Hi all you gardeners presently sweltering in your borders and running around with hosepipes and watering cans (until your local water authority tells you otherwise).

We thought that the trials and tribulations of running a 7 acre garden on heavy clay might amuse and encourage others. The confession bit is the admission of my many failures in planning and planting. The deaths of plants are always a sorrow - indeed even a sickly specimen will cause great handwringing. But there are successes that I would like to share with you and this spring has brought many.

The main aim this week is to lick the garden into shape before the open days on 6th and 7th June. These are the last 2 days we open for the National Garden Scheme this year and it is all hands on deck for our biggest visitor numbers. 

Gareth and Alan will be mowing and edging. Shen (Anns’ son) will be transporting marquees, tables chairs and parking signs around the garden. Ann herself will be torn between weeding and baking. Her home made cakes are ever popular and there is generally a stampede for them as soon as we open. Phil and Gill will be tending the vegetable garden and the dogs will be causing havoc and knocking down the perennials. I will be planting and weeding, nursing the seedlings and shouting “GET OFF” at the dogs-see pictures of the little darlings in Anns post.

I will tell all of our charity weekend next week and show you some of our successes. 

Sian