Welcome to my June Blog
Well, what a scorcher, with temperatures getting up to the 30 degrees plus! As much as we love the beautiful weather, it does make it a lot harder working outdoors all day and we have been a dog-down as Bosun has had to remain in the cool; dogs easily overheat in high temperatures.
June 2017
Despite the heat, there has been a lot going on around the estate over the past few weeks including all the summer bedding plants being put out, which are now looking really good and will be even better in the next few weeks. We hosted our NGS open day, and we had a big job complete so can now boast a beautiful new paved terrace overlooking the main lawns, which has been finished off this week with brand new parasols! We welcome you to come and see for yourself.
Going forward, during the Autumn we will be planning to carry out some landscaping work and new planting to further enhance this area.
NGS Open Day 2017
We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who came to our NGS open day, we raised £495.00 for this wonderful cause!
If you want to learn more about the National Garden Scheme, which is ongoing throughout the year at multiple venues, please Click Here.
We are now already thinking ahead to next year!
Welcome Too To...
We are delighted to welcome three new gardeners to our department, a very warm welcome to Sarah, Iulian and Sebastian! They are already getting stuck in and we couldn't be happier encouraging the next generation to develop their green-finger skills!
We have also had another new, unofficial, team member join! A little brother for Bosun, Jigsaw, who is already loving meeting the Ashdown Park family and settling in well following Bosun's lead.
Wildlife Watch Note:
If you are visiting from June through to August keep your eyes open as it is the best time to see the young deer fawns which are often spotted in the quiet areas of the estate.
Plant of the month
Roses
Roses are, in my opinion, the queen of all flowers; it feels you wait a long time for the flowers to open but it is always well worth the wait!
No garden should be without a rose, available from miniatures to larger plants that will grow up to 30 feet or more. May roses are beautifully scented and will provide colour all summer long. While others provide autumn interest with the large rose hips.
Roses are also, of course, ideal for cutting and using as a centre piece - adding a bit of elegance to any table. With the recent weather in mind, to me this means having them on the garden table while enjoying a superb BBQ with friends and cold beverage.
Going into July here are my Gardening Tips
1. 'Dead head' summer flowering plants (cut off spent flowers - below the spent flower and just above the first set of full, healthy leaves), this will encourage more flowers and keep the plant vibrant for longer.
2. Feed hanging baskets and container plants with a balanced plant feed to prolong flowering.
3. Prune box and bay plants to ensure they keep their shape. Top Tip: This is best done in cooler conditions, of an evening or a cooler day.
4. If you have a pond remove any build up of algae and foliage to allow more light into the water, a primary source of energy. Algae and foliage build up more during hot weather and too much can lead to de-oxygenation of the water which will have a knock-on effect to all pond wildlife.
5. Take time to enjoy your own garden or come and visit us and enjoy ours!
Happy Gardening!
Kevin Sweet, Estate Manager