In spite of the chilly and sometimes wet weather it finally feels like summer in the garden. The colours are zinging (if that is a word) and previously hoed weeds are making a come back big time. The cold damp weather did not put off our loyal and hardy visitors for the last NGS open days and large amounts of home made cake and cream teas were consumed in aid of the Air Ambulance. Anns’ coffee and walnut was the outright winner again.

£771 was taken at the gate which meant that we had 192 and 3/4(!) visitors. Val donated 10% of the plant sales again, which came to £74 and the lunches and teas brought in £454:80 for Air Ambulance (sorry about the calories guys!) The soups went well on the chilly days but Anns’ lasgne was the most popular lunch and so will be repeated next year.

Thanks again to all our helpers without whom total chaos would reign in the kitchen. The cooks have all done their food hygiene courses but I haven’t yet taken a picture of Ann in her plastic shower cap and gloves to publish on this blog    - blackmailing possibilities have just suggested themselves. Special thanks again to Carole Marks, Ellie, Sheila, Cate and Andrew , Shirley and Malcolm, Adrian and his other half(sorry I didn’t catch your name), Alan, Sandra and Paul and of course Shen and Angela. Since we have started this we have developed quite a party atmosphere and although the hours of preparation are quite gruelling, the actual open days are good fun with much humour in the kitchens. I know that Ann enjoys all feedback on the garden and is happy to share the facilities especially with the local community.

I should let you know that Ann and I will be manning a stall at Shen and Angela’s Country fair on Sunday 5th september when you will again be able to enjoy her baking and some honey from our bees.

The bees swarmed last month while I was away forgetting my 60th birthday. Luckily I was able to make up a couple of hives from those that stayed behind.  But they may be a bit too small to produce much honey yet. I need to save some for some local people who suffer from bad hay fever/asthma as ingesting the local pollen seems to help them.The candelabra primulas have been flowering for a long time now and really glow against the gravel. They never seem to be beaten down by either rain or dogs who run straight through them to bark at the pair of ducks who are determined to make the natural swimming pool their home. We don’t mind sharing it with the hundreds of palmate and smooth newts but the debris the ducks leave behind is another matter!The sandy round border is at its best when the irises, paeonies and foxgloves are still poking their flowers above the soft mist of bronze fennel. In the next few days the lavender will edge it in blue and the foxtail lilies will wave their magic in its heart. Then I need to control the height of the fennel or it will swamp the new comers.The wild flower meadow is a sea of oxeye daisies, poppies and the last of the camassias. The extent of it is breathtaking but most of all I love the way it softens the edge of the natural swimming pool. The dogs can disappear completely in it now and and it is only when you wander through it you realise how many other wild flowers have now made their home there.

Ann has just returned from her first cycling holiday in France and although a bit dubious about it at first, had a wonderful time and is now singing the praises of the open road (think Wind in the Willows toad -parp parp) and the wonders of gel knickers. Could this be another photo opportunity? She has just unpacked and is already out weeding!

Sian

At last photo insertion is working, so this blog will catch up with all the treasures we have captured over the last month. Of course this has been the best year for tulips and blossom and I suspect it will be a fabulous year for roses. So lets enjoy it while we can - hence all our pics. It sort of makes up for the winter losses and at least you can cut out the empty spaces. Just a reminder - we are having our final Ngs open days on the Bank holiday Sunday 30th and Monday 31st may. There will be the usual fare of Anns home made cakes, 3 sorts of light lunches, carrot and coriander soup and cream teas/coffees.

I had to put in the paeonies. They are so delicate and almost unreal. On the left is my all time favourite,” Molly the Witch” or mlokosewitschii (still can’t say it) and on the right - I cant remember! Blousy but delicate.

I had to put in the changes to the gravel garden as they have been so dramatic. Euphorbia fireglow and the appeldoorn(?)tulips/bergenia.

Then one more of the tulips…..this time with the cardoon backingHope some of you will come and see the real thing next weekend.

Sian

We just knew - well everybody knew - that the weather would turn for our open garden days for the NGS. Our events are now known for predictability as far as weather goes. In fact I am waiting for the call from the National Weather Centre to included our yearly planner into their long term forecasts. Of course it is harder when you have had to spend so much time watering in the lead up to the weekend. The contrast is so much greater. At least the tulips held up. We lost a few petals but in the main they were still upright and did us proud.

The visitors did us proud as well. So many braved the the biting wind and hail storms and we were very grateful. Ann had cooked for England and apart from the usual cakes -coffee and walnut, lemon drizzle(more dribble cake in my case) and chocolate brownies, she had produced wonderful lasagne, quiches and salads and of course there were the ubiquitous cream teas. The warming spicy lentil soup was useful to perfuse the cold hands and so I think that soup will always feature in our future menus to fight off whatever the weather throws at us.

In spite of everything 200+  people made the effort to support our charity and for that we are all very grateful. I am sure they had pleasure from the garden. The grass and paths had been well and truly licked into shape by Alan, Peter and Len. The marquee, tables and chairs , signs and notices appeared as if by magic  - but really due  to the efforts of the lads plus Jason. Even the garage had a lick of paint so sheltering visitors could sit in comfort. The newly arrived swallows,who reside in the garage, seem to have taken it well. They have been coming for so many years that they can ignore our antics while they build their nests.

Then there are the catering crew. All stars in their way and making up a great team.  In front of house was Ellie, taking orders and money and persuading visitors that they really did need a slice of cake with their tea. Andrew was tea, coffee and wine pourer. Cate and Shirley were cream tea makers and washers up extraordinaire and Carole was plater of meals, collector of trays and wiper upper. Ann filled in where needed and I let things burn in the oven…..I AM getting used to an Aga now! Considering we are all amateurs a splendid job was done and with no complaints from anyone.

The true heroes of the day though were Shen, Angela and Malcolm. Shen and Angela covered the entrance and parking on Sunday and Malcolm did it all on his lonesome on Monday. They all looked blue from the cold at the end of their stints. We were so busy in the kitchens that they rarely had a cuppa to warm them and yet there were no complaints from them… because their lips were frozen together!

Thanks must go to Val, of Knockholt plants, who supplies beautiful shrubs, trees, climbers and perennials and a few annuals for sale. She hands out good advice and is a mine of information on all things horticultural and she gives 10% of the sales to the NGS charity. We always find some unusual treasures to add to the garden from her display.

This time we have acquired a Circidiphyllum Japonicum from Val. It has almost translucent leaves with a pink tinge. I am uncertain where to put it as it seems to like damp soil in full sun. Usually I like to plan the right plant for the right site but occasionally(!) I succumb to the beauty without thinking of the consequences. I now find it can grow to 147 feet… oops!

We have also obtained 4 more American skunk cabbages. The one in the bog garden that Ann planted many years ago is magnificent, but hasn’t managed to spread, although I believe they can be invasive under some circumstances. Are they banned in some countries? Do email me if so. They cant be in this country yet or we wouldn’t be able to buy them. Ann told some Canadian friends that she had paid quite a bit for one and they fell about laughing saying it was the equivalent of buying dandelions!

Still can’t upload photos but will try for next time as so many to show you