It’s amazing what can happen in late spring with a little less rain and some sunshine. As we hurtle towards our NGS Garden Ferns Lodge Open Weekend, we are making great progress, although there is always more to do…
There have been some bumps in the road along the way, and by far the most charming of these has been a thrush building her nest among the big ladders in the barn, used for lots of stuff, including importantly weeding the sedum roof up above. Luckily, we were able to borrow another.
A blackbird is also nesting outside the back door, and she rushes out of her nest whenever she’s disturbed, so we have been tiptoeing in that part of the garden!
Our wonderful new sculpture – Dancing Stone – cast for Ferns Lodge by Lillie Henry – number 3 of a series of 9, is now with us and installed. He can just be seen, hidden (all 6 feet of him), by the fallen Monterey pine at the bottom of the garden.
Our most problematic and unlovely area – the clearance to the southwest – is now at least green, as the grass seed takes, much helped by the spring sunshine and frequent showers.
The area behind the tree house is planted and is looking grand.
You will miss our tree rhododendrons flowering – for they are out now – a glory of pink with scented gossamer flowers – so here are some images. Lots of other things are now leaping into life, and our mighty oak trees are now in full leaf. The large line of rhododendrons is preparing to be out for your visit, along with lots of other lovely things.
Scones are an important part of our opening, so we have made scones in batches in the past weeks, and I hope that we will have enough. As ever, there are also lovely people baking for us, and very soon the mighty tea urn will be brought in from its place in the barn to be readied for the making of many cups of tea.
The vegetable beds are all planted, and the greenhouse is full of tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. We have planted a vine and look forward to Ferns Lodge grapes – we see! Importantly, we have grown many cuttings for our plant sale, and we are now cherishing and bringing them on. Nothing imported; all are from cuttings from the garden, using nothing but rooting powder and Ferns Lodge compost.
Amongst this hive of activity, Ghillie and Caterpillar have hung around, sunning themselves in the sunshine and enjoying the shade of the trees. The foxgloves are getting ready to flower, all the garden furniture is out, and the new planting around the greenhouse is starting to mature beautifully.
So now we hope for warm and sunny weather, and we look forward to meeting you all on the 1st and 2nd of June.
Contact sue.grant@fernslodge.co.uk.