We are at mission critical stage in our preparations for our NGS Garden Ferns Lodge opening – on the 28th and 29th May. With 2 new areas cleared last winter, dead ash trees removed and dealing with the havoc caused by the mole population (who by the way are in top form and are still digging enthusiastically) we have laid over 12 tons of earth. There was great relief when the rains came on the Saturday of the bank holiday and we sowed industrial quantities of grass seed. Sadly, this rain was the last that we have seen and the forecast for this coming week speaks of smiling icons of the sun and little else.
Desperate times call for desperate measures so we are watering – using what seems like miles of hose to try and give the seeds a chance before the pigeons get so fat on grass seed that they are totally unable to take off!
Ghillie and caterpillar flop around the place and snooze in the sunshine and are to be frank – very little help! Everything is growing madly although some rain would be appreciated and the foxgloves show promise of what will come by the end of May. The new shrubbery is starting to show real colour and the surviving tree rhododendrons are now coming into flower and are stunning.
Very excitingly a raptor, who lives with us year round, is making her nest in the holm oaks – smaller birds collect grass and leaves – she shows up with small branches… The birds in the top of the big garden are certainly wary and there is evidence that the rabbit population is taking a bit of a hit too. She is beautiful and very gracious.
Emergency plants are the order of the day, with lovely things coming on in our polytunnel and visits to our plant wizard at Bashley Nursery frequently.
The vegetable cage is starting to come to life with radishes (some of which were polished off by Mr and Mrs Slug), shallots, beans, carrots, spinach, salad, rhubarb and much else starting to take shape. We have also grown an enormous number of poppies from a stray plant in that patch last year and so they will be replanted out in time for the opening.
In other news, the freezer is bursting with lovely homemade scones, and the plant sale plants are looking fab. It is difficult to imagine that we will ever be ready for the end of May but we travel in hope! We are looking forward to seeing you all then.
Contact sue.grant@fernslodge.co.uk.