What a great finish to February we have enjoyed, with glorious warm, sunny days and the feeling of summer sneaking in!
In February we've been able to get the first grass cut of the season done and we've been busy readying the walled garden for Spring.
We've planted seedlings which are in the glasshouse, the first flowers of Spring are popping up and generally, everything is starting to show new growth - roll on the continued warmer weather and bright blossoms. Personally, I love this time of the year, there's so much energy in the trees and plants. The days are longer and brighter and will just continue to get even longer.
This last week I've been organising our Summer bedding plants and sorting out everything needed for the Hanging Basket Workshops in May!
If you haven't reserved your place yet, please make sure you do soon so as to ensure you get to join us. Call my colleagues in Reservation on 01342 824988.
Wildlife in the Park
This month I created some Bug and Bee Hotels and some new Bird Boxes for our Walled Garden - upcycling old wooden boxes and Warner Edwards 'Gift of Nature' Gin Bottle gift boxes!
These were really fun and easy to make! Please take a look at our Facebook page to see a time-lapse video of my DIY crafting.
You can also see how to make your own just CLICK HERE. If you create one please do share with us, we'd love to see!
As many regular readers might have already guessed, I am an early bird. I love the smell, and tranquil atmosphere of the morning; enjoy getting out and about, and loads done while most people are tucked up in bed.
When I take Jigsaw my young cocker spaniel for walks in the morning I see so many different things that set me up for the day. Last week is was the sighting of two young badgers playing next to some shrubs; they carried on until Jigsaw picked up the scent and hurried away.
Birds and the dawn chorus is another thing I get great joy from, the way they seem to chat to each other, I like to imagine what they might be saying.
Wildlife in Residence
Before I move onto my March Garden Tips, I wanted to share with you details about our 'Elite in Residence' events which I mentioned briefly in my February blog.
Elite Hotels (there are four amazing hotels in our group CLICK HERE to see them all) anyway, at Ashdown Park our focus is Nature, hense Wildife in Residence.
We are teaming up with The Sussex Wildlife Trust, to host three nature inspired events, one of which is a dusk-to-dark Batwalk. I am very much looking forward to this! Over the next few weeks, we will be making some extra bat roosting boxes, more DIY top how to's on there way!
Onto my Gardening Tips for March...
Garden Tips
1. Start sorting out and cleaning pots and containers, ready for new planting
2. Finish off pruning fruit trees
3. Carry out the final pruning of roses
4. Start feeding plants in containers and borders with a balanced feed
5. Get the mower serviced, if not done already
Happy Gardening!
Kevin Sweet